CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NEWS RELEASE 2800 BERLIN TURNPIKE P.O. BOX 317546 NEWINGTON CONNECTICUT, 06131-7546
FOR RELEASE: September 19, 2007	FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:    OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS    TELEPHONE: (860) 594-3062    Fax: (860) 594-3066    Web site:www.ct.gov/dot

SMART CAR SAFETY TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PLANNED SEPTEMBER 27

AT RENTSCHLER FIELD, EAST HARTFORD

Opportunity to ride in a state-of-the-art “smart car”

EAST HARTFORD, CT – The Intelligent Transportation Society of Connecticut (ITS-CT) will sponsor a demonstration of the latest advances in Vehicle Infrastructure Integration (VII) on September 27.  The demonstration will take place at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, from 9 AM to noon and 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM.

The goal of VII research is to create a nationwide network in which “smart cars” and other vehicles communicate wirelessly among one another and with the roadway infrastructure in order to improve safety and reduce congestion.

“With the technology currently under development, cars can actually warn drivers that they are about to unsafely enter an intersection or run off the road,” said Jay Koolis, President of ITS-CT.  “This is just another preventative tool that could be available in the years ahead to keep drivers safer on the road.”

During the demonstration, transportation developers and managers, engineering students, and members of the legislature and media from Connecticut and elsewhere in New England will learn how the technology works and have the opportunity to ride in a specially equipped vehicle capable of delivering several safety warnings to the driver.  The test vehicle communicates with the roadside and uses the information on current location and speed to determine the risk of an unsafe passage through the intersection or entering a work zone.  Participants will also observe emergency vehicle preemption of traffic signals and in-vehicle signing.

The demonstration at Rentschler Field is open to the public and is FREE.  It takes only about 15 minutes to go through the demo.  Lunch is available for $10, but reservations must be made in advance.  Reservation forms are available on the ITS-CT website at http://its-ct.org.

In addition to the VII demonstration, various transportation and technology vendors will showcase their products and services both indoors at The Club at Rentschler and outside in the parking lot.  Directions to Rentschler in East Hartford are available on the ITS-CT website.

To learn more about VII and how these new technologies can save lives, time and money, go to the VII website at http://www.itsa.org/viitechdemos.htmland see a VII video at this link:  www.itsa.org/userfiles/ITS%20America%20VII%20Video%202006.wmv.