'Talking Cars' to Tackle Road Mishaps: V2V Tech Coming to India

In a bid to curb the nation’s high road fatality rates, the Government of India has announced plans to introduce Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication technology across the country by the end of 2026. The move, backed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), aims to dramatically improve road safety by enabling vehicles to “talk” to each other in real time and warn drivers of imminent hazards.

What Is V2V Technology?

Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication is an advanced safety system that allows vehicles to exchange information such as speed, direction, braking activity and proximity directly with other nearby vehicles without needing mobile data or internet connectivity.

In this technology, each vehicle is fitted with a short-range wireless On-Board Unit (OBU) that broadcasts and receives safety data in real time. In a potential crash situation, both vehicles receive instant alerts, giving drivers precious seconds to react.

The system works 360° around the vehicle, helping even in low-visibility conditions like fog or around curves. 

How It Will be Implemented

Officials say the rollout will be in phases. Technical standards and regulations are being finalised in consultation with automakers. Once notified, new vehicles will be required to have V2V units installed. Each unit is estimated to cost between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000 per vehicle. In next phase, retrofitting options for existing vehicles may be introduced.

The Department of Telecommunications has earmarked dedicated radio spectrum to ensure reliable vehicle communication.

What Next

After V2V implementation, the next step would be Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) and Vehicle-to-Pedestrian (V2P) setup. Ultimately, all these components would integrate into a broader Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) ecosystem. While Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication focuses on preventing collisions between cars, V2I and V2P extend safety and efficiency benefits to roads, traffic systems, and vulnerable road users.

Vehicle-to-Infrastructure communication enables vehicles to exchange real-time information with roadside infrastructure such as traffic signals, toll plazas, digital signboards, and road sensors. Through dedicated roadside units, traffic systems can transmit data on signal timings, speed limits, road conditions, accidents, and lane closures directly to vehicles. In return, vehicles share information such as speed and traffic density, allowing authorities to manage traffic flow more efficiently. This two-way communication helps reduce congestion, prevents signal-jumping accidents, improves fuel efficiency by minimizing unnecessary braking and idling, and enables faster movement of emergency vehicles. Several countries have already deployed V2I systems in smart city projects, where traffic lights adapt dynamically to traffic volume and vehicles receive advance warnings about congestion or hazards ahead.

Vehicle-to-Pedestrian communication is designed to protect vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists, and road workers. Using smartphones, wearable devices, or dedicated safety tags, pedestrians can broadcast their location to nearby vehicles. When a potential collision risk is detected, drivers receive immediate visual or audio alerts, and in advanced systems, vehicles may automatically slow down or apply brakes. V2P technology is especially valuable in urban environments with dense traffic, poor visibility, or blind intersections. It has the potential to significantly reduce pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, which remain among the most common and severe types of road accidents globally. Countries like Japan, South Korea, and several European nations have already tested V2P systems in school zones, intersections, and busy urban corridors.

Together with V2V communication, V2I and V2P form the foundation of the V2X ecosystem, enabling vehicles to interact not only with each other but also with the surrounding environment and people. This integrated approach enhances situational awareness beyond what human drivers can see or react to in real time. Experts believe that widespread adoption of V2X technologies will play a major role in reducing road accidents, improving traffic efficiency, and supporting the future deployment of advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous vehicles.

For countries like India, where road safety challenges are compounded by mixed traffic conditions and high pedestrian and two-wheeler fatalities, the introduction of V2I and V2P technologies could be transformative.