Project Courtesy
Can vehicles cooperate without becoming autonomous?
Why does this matter?
Most road friction is a coordination problem, not a driving problem. Nobody knows who is merging, struggling uphill, low on charge or about to stop.
What exists today?
Connected vehicles share position and hazard warnings. Almost nothing shares intent, and nothing rewards courtesy.
What prevents it?
Benefit only appears at density, messaging standards are fragmented, and a suggestion that arrives late is worse than no suggestion.
Why hasn't this happened?
Difficult problems stay difficult for reasons. Naming them is the first honest step.
What needs to change?
- A shared intent vocabulary that carries no identity.
- Proof that guidance reduces hard braking and stress.
- Low-latency messaging that works across manufacturers.
- An interface that gets quieter as conditions get worse.
Possible disciplines
Future collaborators
Learning log
- Prototype
Drivers accept 'you'll lose four seconds'. They reject 'give way'.
- Open
Cooperation has to be measurable or it is just a marketing claim.
Research network
Nothing exists alone.
Related questions
- Can roads explain their own condition?
- Can charging become polite?
Our Promise
We don't claim to have the answers.
We promise to ask questions worth exploring, test ideas honestly, publish what we learn, and build practical prototypes where we believe they can make a meaningful difference.