Wireless pedestrian detection is part of GM’s ongoing development of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication systems that could provide advance warning about hazards such as slowed or stalled vehicles, slippery roads or intersections and stop signs.

This new wireless capability could warn drivers about pedestrians who might be stepping into the roadway from behind a parked vehicle, or bicyclists who are riding in the car’s blind spot. Wi-Fi Direct has the potential to become an integral part of the comprehensive driver assistance systems we offer on many of our Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC vehicles.

—Nady Boules, GM Global R&D director of the Electrical and Control Systems Research Lab

By eliminating the intermediate step required to reach a cell phone tower, Wi-Fi Direct allows devices to connect in approximately one second compared to conventional wireless systems that typically need seven or eight seconds to acquire location information and connect.

Wi-Fi Direct’s fast connections offer a distinct advantage in vehicle applications. The quicker a vehicle can detect other Wi-Fi Direct users, the greater the potential for collision avoidance.

—Donald Grimm, GM Global R&D senior researcher of perception and vehicle control systems

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 4,280 pedestrians and 618 bicyclists were killed in collisions with motor vehicles in 2010. Both totals were down by as much as 25% since 1995, consistent with overall traffic fatalities. GM’s potential use of Wi-Fi Direct is one way the automaker is working to help further reduce the number of traffic fatalities.

The Wi-Fi Alliance, the global industry association in charge of certifying wireless standards, says that Wi-Fi Direct supports typical Wi-Fi speeds, which can be as high as 250 Mbps. Wi-Fi Direct devices work just like any Wi-Fi device, with ranges up to 200 meters (656 feet). In addition to aiding pedestrian detection, this range could enable secure transfers of files such as MP3s or digital address book information between a home computer and the user’s Wi-Fi Direct-equipped vehicle infotainment or navigation system.

Wi-Fi Direct basics. The Wi-Fi Alliance introduced Wi-Fi Direct in 2010. A Wi-Fi Direct device is capable of a peer-to-peer (P2P) connection, and can support either a legacy infrastructure or a P2P connection. Wi-Fi Direct devices have the ability to join infrastructure networks as typical stations (STAs), and must support Wi-Fi Protected Setup enrollee functionality.

Wi-Fi Direct devices connect by forming Groups (in a one-to-one or one-to-many topology) that function in a manner similar to an infrastructure BSS (basic service set). A single Wi-Fi Direct device is in charge of the Group, including controlling which devices are allowed to join and when the Group is started and terminated. This device will appear as an access point (AP) to legacy Clients, and provides some of the services commonly provided by an infrastructure AP.

Because Wi-Fi Direct devices do not duplicate the full functionality of infrastructure APs, traditional APs will continue to be the best choice for meeting the needs of stationary, multipurpose networks in homes, hotspots and enterprises.