The stress and frustration of being caught in a traffic jam will soon be a thing of the past, as a new driver assistance system undergoes its final preparations for its global launch next year.

 

Bosch, a leading international supplier of automotive technology and services, is currently laying the remaining groundwork for the launch of its pioneering Traffic Jam Assistant system, a software programme that can guide vehicles through highway traffic jams.

 

The new system, which is set to begin production in 2014, will brake, accelerate, and steer completely autonomously, at speeds up to 50 km per hour, meaning it will operate in most stop-and-go situations.

 

Guido Gring, vice president of Bosch Automotive Aftermarket, Middle East and Africa said  the Traffic Jam Assistant will be a huge step forward for fully autonomous driving on Middle East roads, whilst also significantly easing stressful and potentially dangerous road rage situations on the UAE’s roads.

 

If you are caught in a traffic jam and thinking to yourself: ‘I wish I could just let my car drive me home’, soon that wish will come true, said Gring.

 

“The Traffic Jam Assistant  is not only a smart innovation in the automotive industry, but also a life changing solution for millions of road users across the Middle East who will be able to arrive at their chosen destinations far more relaxed.”

 

Today, adaptive cruise control (ACC) already tracks the vehicles ahead and adapts the distance and speed of the driver’s own vehicle accordingly. The Traffic Jam Assistant will additionally integrate a lane-detection camera, and electric power steering. The next functional step will include automatic lane changing. This requires two additional features – a rear-mounted radar sensor and a dynamic navigation map.

 

Following its initial scheduled launch next year, Bosch’s Traffic Jam Assistant will be further enhanced to cover faster speeds and more complex driving situations. Eventually, Bosch claims, it will serve as a highway pilot, making fully autonomous driving on highways in any condition a new reality.

 

The new system will be limited to highways with no oncoming traffic and no pedestrians.

 

Gring added: “The Traffic Jam Assistant will reduce the factors provoking road rage, thus, contributing significantly to avoiding road dangers and accidents. By also remaining stress free on Middle East roads, people can go about their daily lives with ease.” – TradeArabia News Service