Ford Tests “Smart” Intersection System in the U.K.

Ford Motor Co. is testing a vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology in the U.K. that promises to eliminate the need for traffic lights or road signs at standard crossroads.

The carmaker demonstrated its Intersection Priority Management (IPM) system this week in Milton Keynes, U.K. Ford envisions the technology being used in future autonomous, connected vehicles to help improve traffic flow.

Vehicles participating in the trial were equipped with transponders that communicate their location, direction of travel and speed to nearby vehicles and a roadside system at intersections. Based on the information and mapping data, in-vehicle processors suggest optimum speeds that will allow cars to safely pass through the intersection without having to stop.

Ford says the technology was inspired by the way people maneuver through crowds. The company notes that a person walking through a crowded area quickly adjusts his or her speed and path to avoid collisions without coming to a standstill.

During the tests, the vehicles had drivers behind the wheel to take control if necessary. The program was part of the two-year government-funded UK Autodrive initiative, which ends this month.

Watch a video about the system here.