Imagine a system that allows cars, roads and signals all to ‘talk’ to one another to prevent wrecks. UDOT signs $50M deal to help develop it.

It’s a futuristic system to create a protective bubble around cars using technology that allows vehicles to communicate constantly with one another, with traffic signals and even with the roadway to prevent collisions or other accidents.

The Utah Department of Transportation and Panasonic formed a $50 million partnership Tuesday to take the next steps toward developing this project. They hope to form the nation’s most advanced transportation data network — and provide a template for others to follow.