ETSI enables a tractor to warn cars not to hit it

etsi tractor
Image credit: ETSI

ETSI is exhibiting what it says is the first tractor that connects to cars and sends them warnings using a oneM2M communication protocol.

Every year, almost 400 fatal accidents are caused in Europe by farm vehicles that are not clearly visible on the road, especially in rural areas. Drivers are surprised by tractors traveling at much lower speeds than their car, and occupying the entire width of the road, which means that the drivers cannot take evasive action or brake in time. Constructors of farm machinery are trying to mitigate these risks by halving the number of fatal accidents by 2035.

The demonstration on show at ETSI comprises a John Deere tractor and a communications platform from Sensivov (both are ETSI members) and shows how the two vehicles communicate using visual and sound signals to give warning of their presence, via a standard protocol developed by ETSI’s oneM2M partnership project. Motorists are warned at a distance of 1 kilometer in order to avoid collisions.

“The European Commission wanted to improve road safety between farm vehicles and other vehicles. John Deere responded to this demand by equipping its tractors with modems,” explains Christophe Gossard, head of European regulatory affairs at John Deere. “But, more importantly, the different road-going vehicles and their means of communication had to be interoperable.”

The demo took place at ETSI’s annual IoT event in Sophia Antipolis.

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