To address its high toll of over 1.80 lakh annual road deaths, India will soon roll out vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication that allows allows cars to swap real-time safety data, serving as a vital global tool for accident prevention.
The move follows plans by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to de-license the 5.875-5.925 GHz spectrum band, which can be used for V2V communications. Sources say the notification is expected shortly and will provide the spectrum framework needed to support such systems.
V2V technology enables vehicles to wirelessly communicate with one another, sharing information on their speed, position, direction of travel and road conditions.
The objective is to provide advance warnings of potential hazards, such as sudden braking by a vehicle ahead, blind-spot risks, accidents, slippery roads or poor visibility, allowing drivers to react sooner and avoid collisions.
“Spectrum part, DoT will take care of and will soon notify on sufficient spectrum for this mechanism and on how the spectrum should be utilised. But, apart from spectrum, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will ultimately decide on mandating its deployment in vehicles including two wheelers, what device and what would be the specifications for such technology to be installed in the vehicles,” a senior DoT official told businessline.
The official added that the exact frequency range to be used would be determined in consultation with the MoRTH and based on industry requirements.
Industry executives said V2V technology differs from existing Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which are increasingly being fitted in passenger vehicles. ADAS features such as lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and collision avoidance rely on cameras, radar and sensors mounted on the vehicle itself and are generally effective over relatively short distances.
V2V communication can complement ADAS by extending a vehicle’s awareness beyond the line of sight of its sensors. The technology allows vehicles to receive alerts from other connected vehicles several hundred metres away, potentially improving safety in situations involving curves, obstructions, fog or heavy traffic.
Most newly launched vehicles already come equipped with Level-2 ADAS capabilities. The effectiveness of V2V systems would increase significantly if the technology is adopted across vehicle categories, including two-wheelers and commercial vehicles.
The technology is already being deployed in several global markets, including in the US and Europe, and has also found limited application in India. Some premium vehicle manufacturers have introduced proprietary connected-car systems that offer functionalities similar to V2V communication.
For instance, Mercedes-Benz introduced its “Car-to-X Communication” feature in India through the Mercedes-Benz S-Class in 2021. The system enables connected vehicles to share information on road hazards, accidents and adverse weather conditions through a cloud-based network.
“The decision to implement V2V technologies is a step in the right direction, enhancing road safety by using early warning technologies. Increased use of ADAS in sync with V2V technologies in vehicles, along with improved road infrastructure and higher road safety awareness amongst road users, will go a long way in improving road safety in our country,” Santosh Iyer, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India told businessline.
Published on May 31, 2026
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