Adelaide-based Cohda Wireless Pty Ltd announced today that it has been selected as a key supplier of cooperative safety communications equipment to Safe Intelligent Mobility or simTD, the world's largest on-road cooperative vehicle safety trial.

According to the company, the project, supported by a consortium including some of Europe's largest automotive companies, aims to extend vehicle safety and efficiency beyond the vehicle.

Cohda's products allow vehicles to "talk" with each other while in motion, or with the roadside infrastructure, by establishing broadband vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communications links. The result is that drivers will be alerted to hazard situations before they develop into accidents.

Daimler's Dr. Christian Weiss, project manager for simTD acknowledges that cars have never been as safe as today but is looking to go even further through the use of communications technology, which can also be used to streamline traffic flows.

Cohda's Engineering VP, Dr. Paul Gray, said the company's cooperative Intelligent Transport System radio technology combines GPS with a WiFi-like radio to enable broadband communication between vehicles, or with roadside infrastructure. He pointed out that this technology is able to provide a warning to drivers ahead of potential dangers, even under hazardous non-line-of-sight conditions.

"Unlike currently available systems, Cohda's Cooperative ITS radio has the capability of seeing around blind corners, and between vehicles travelling at speed", Mr Gray said.

Cohda has spent the past five years developing and trialing its system, including undertaking more than 14,000km of on-road trials in six countries.

It has now established a strong leadership position globally in broadband vehicle-to-vehicle communications.

"The potential is there for Cohda chips to be installed in every new car manufactured as well as being embedded in after-market add-on units for existing cars and trucks," Mr Gray said.