As cars become more computer than machine, they are capable of communicating with one another in real time – saving time and lives. Demonstrating what the future can hold, the Colorado Department of Transportation has partnered with Panasonic to create a connected vehicle ecosystem that promises to drive a revolution in roadway safety and efficiency.

On a 90-mile commuter stretch of interstate 70 into Denver, this technology has been designed and deployed to allow CDOT to share information on highway conditions, traffic alerts and other driving hazards. It’s the first production-grade, U.S. connected vehicle system in which real-time data would be shared across vehicles, infrastructure and people with a goal to improve safety, lower fuel consumption and reduce congestion. Estimates are that such a solution could reduce non-impaired traffic crashes by 80 percent, and save drivers hours stuck in traffic each year.

What’s the most dangerous thing you did today? If you drove to work, it might surprise you to learn that getting in your car probably tops the list. Less surprising? Some of the reasons why traffic fatalities in the U.S. are on the rise. Distraction, road rage, fatigue, intoxication and other human error account for 94 percent of all accidents, according to federal stats.

Rutt Bridges, who authored Our Driverless Future, Heaven or Hell? pointed out that driver impairment and errors that lead to accidents cease to be a factor when there’s no driver behind the wheel. With driverless vehicles, there’s no road rage, and the reaction time is a thousand times faster than a human’s. Bridges pointed out that, unlike our limited senses, autonomous vehicles come equipped with advanced sensors that continuously track hundreds of objects near and far, from cars, motorcycles and pedestrians to suicidal deer lurking in the leaves, in a 360-degree field of view with no blind spots.

Vacation traffic, accidents and road repairs cause congestion, but that’s not the only issue. Of commuters who drive, nine out of ten drive alone, according to US DOT stats. If those soloists began to use ridesharing, the impact would be significant. Bridges explained that solo drivers would have to be convinced by more appealing options, such as “platoon lanes” in congested zones for connected, autonomous vehicles with synchronized acceleration, steering and braking to more safely travel closer together at highway speeds.

A research series commissioned by Panasonic on how decision makers see the leading disruptive technologies found that one in five companies plans to invest in autonomous vehicles in the near future. Indeed, within the next two to three years, there will be many new vehicles that integrate advanced connectivity like pedestrian detection and infotainment systems with ADAS software. And it is anticipated that these vehicles will be able to participate in the V2X ecosystem that CDOT and Panasonic are creating.

Estimates suggest that in just over a decade, fully autonomous cars could account for 15% all new cars sold, and that makes sense, especially if autonomy can deliver on the promise of increased safety and more time for those who use transportation to do the things they want to do. Former “drivers” who no longer take the wheel could spend time watching cat videos, instead of taking a driver’s test, getting a car insured, or watching brake lights on the way to the beach.

The humble road, the most basic infrastructure, is now pivotal to the future of transportation. In Colorado, the new connected vehicle platform on I70, promises to show the benefits of autonomous features by creating connectivity and data sharing and providing each vehicle with a 360-degree view of others nearby. By sharing and receiving this information, road operators will be able to understand real time traffic patterns, weather and roadway conditions and be warned of unsafe driving conditions as they are developing. Read more about how disruptive technology is impacting transportation in The Year of the Smart Highway.

At CES 2018, Panasonic announced plans to bring voice-integrated artificial intelligence to our cars via partnerships with both Amazon and Google Assistant, incorporating these smart platforms into next-gen infotainment systems. “Voice is the new UI,” Dave Isbitski, chief evangelist for Alexa and Echo, told a CES crowd.

Imagine this: Voice for everything, and everyone. It’s only a matter of time before voice search expands beyond translation, recipes and restaurant drive-thru orders to B2B queries such as, “What’s my competition doing or show me last week’s sales data trends.” Savvy marketers should be strategizing how they can be the first to answer.

The biggest benefit of voice is the ease of use. Pew Research reports that 46 percent of adults use smartphone voice apps, and 55 percent use them primarily to interact hands-free. A Forbes survey found that 90 percent of executives conduct research via mobile devices prior to making a purchase, and it’s inevitable that these decision makers will transition to voice search. Leading the way? Next-gen customers already relying on voice at home, on their commute and in their office.

What’s really interesting to think about is how to use voice with other disruptive technologies to create entirely new experiences. Panasonic Corp. of North America recently commissioned a research series, Moving Forward, on how CTOs and other decision makers see the impact of disruptive technologies. Three in five respondents are using the Internet of Things in their companies.

Renewable energy, advanced materials, energy storage and artificial intelligence (AI) are each expected to be a near-term investment for two in five companies. Artificial intelligence is vital to voice tech, and as AI evolves, it will have the capability to better match searches to more finely-tuned information that the business world often needs. Considering Gartner’s estimate that the buyer's journey is about 57% complete before the prospect wants to talk to a human, having voice embedded into that part of the journey as well as post-sale, can only deepen customer relationships. From start to finish, think voice.

From bystander videos and streetlight surveillance to body-worn cameras and facial recognition software, digital advancements in the way evidence is captured, stored and shared promise to make police work more efficient, while strengthening relations between a community and its force. But for all this digital intelligence to be helpful, it needs to be actionable – which means connecting all these technologies and getting them to work together. 

As a leader in connected solutions that support law enforcement, Panasonic is deeply engaged in developing technology and systems to address policing in the 21st century. We provide security and video surveillance systems designed to integrate with our mobile, communication and evidence management platforms. That’s important because when you’re leveraging disruptive technologies, such as new forms of mobile content, cloud storage and the challenges brought on by the Internet of Things (IoT), there’s a very real need to synergize these technologies into a unified, simple and secure technology ecosystem.  

Here’s a look at what’s possible in public safety in a digitally connected community.

The Tip Jar Bandit is one example of how digital assets can expand a community’s watch. But imagine if the suspect had taken off in a getaway car. In a connected city, police officers can associate data like a license plate number to that individual. Then, the suspect’s car can be tracked through smart streetlights and other city surveillance as she drives around town. Advanced camera features like intelligent zoom image stabilization enable officers to widen the search and provide a clear picture of the culprit, even in a high-speed chase.

In her haste, perhaps the perpetrator runs a red light. Traffic analytics software integrated into city cameras would detect this unusual activity and automatically alert law enforcement for a quick response. If she chooses to take the subway, transportation surveillance, with cameras offering wide views, would see her boarding the train. Should she flee on foot, facial recognition security algorithms, like those in use in a program at NJIT, can be used to identify her in real-time and alert the community to be on the lookout. 

In addition, surveillance recordings can be forensically searched to confirm the presence of persons of interest after the fact. Connected technologies enable more efficient policing, not only in desk work but in how investigations are handled. In an emergency, this free flow of public safety information can improve response times.

Police work doesn’t stop once a suspect is caught. There’s an arrest process, cross-examination, court and possible jail time. In a connected community, an integrated video evidence management system can automatically and securely share evidence with prosecutors. Having central access to digital evidence across the law enforcement chain is powerful, providing not just labor but cost efficiencies. It can also lead to more indictments. 

In this tech-driven world, everyone with a smartphone becomes a potential witness. When technology, law enforcement and the public all work together, they can create a safer, connected community.

Learn more about connected security solutions.