VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE POSITION AWARENESS SYSTEM AND RELATED OPERATING METHOD

A vehicle-to-vehicle position awareness system that utilizes wireless communication techniques is provided. An embodiment of the system includes a detection and ranging system located on a host vehicle, where the detection and ranging system is configured to sense a neighboring vehicle proximate to the host vehicle. In response to the detection of the neighboring vehicle, the detection and ranging system generates neighboring vehicle data that indicates a position of the neighboring vehicle relative to the host vehicle. The position awareness system also includes a traffic modeler that is configured to process the neighboring vehicle data and, in response thereto, generate a virtual traffic model for the host vehicle. The position awareness system also employs a wireless transmitter that wirelessly transmits host vehicle model data that conveys the virtual traffic model. Compatible vehicles in the vicinity of the host vehicle can receive and process the host vehicle model data to generate their own virtual traffic models.