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Ohio State University engineers are working to make the traffic control boxes that stand beside major freeways smarter. They've developed new software that helps the computerized boxes locate road incidents -- such as traffic back-ups or accidents -- and notify transportation authorities at lower cost, especially in rural areas.

IBM calls the research initiative collaborative driving, and the company says it's designed to prevent accidents and reduce traffic congestion.

"More than a million people die on the roads every year around the world, and people waste a lot of time and money sitting in traffic jams," says IBM researcher Oleg Goldshmidt. "You would like to help with both problems in any way possible."