By Elvina Nawaguna
WASHINGTON, Feb 3 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators may eventually require cars and trucks to be able to communicate with one another in order to avoid accidents and traffic jams, the Department of Transportation said on Monday.
Making mandatory technology once thought to be science-fiction will "pave the way for market penetration of vehicle-to-vehicle safety applications," the DOT said in a statement.
"Vehicle-to-vehicle technology represents the next generation of auto safety improvements, building on the life-saving achievements we've already seen with safety belts and air bags," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
The DOT's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it will soon take initial steps to make rules regarding vehicle-to-vehicle communication, but NHTSA did not say how long it will be before such communication is required. (Reporting by Elvina Nawaguna)
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