This paper describes selected current and near-term technologies which support real-time emergency response to car crashes. It also provides the beginnings of a vision for the future of emergency response and rescue as it might appear in 20 years under a fully Integrated Active Transportation System (IATS). As a first step toward any future vision, it is useful to establish a baseline upon which to build. In this paper, response to a single or multi-casualty motor vehicle crash was selected as a specific use case. Using a systems approach, the emergency response process was divided into individual functional steps. Key issues and desired capabilitiesare identified for each step. Technologies that fall into three categories (state-of-the-practice, state-of-the-art and future art) are identified. The intent is to determine where future research effort might best be focused in order to make a generational leap in emergency response capabilities. The paper then describes a vision for the future of emergency response and rescue a vision which could well be realized by the Year 2030 as part of the planned Integrated Active Transportation System. Work is continuing to assess functional needs and potential future technologies (including cyber technologies), after which specific areas will be targeted for focused research and development.
Abstract