UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Science and Technology MCQs on Vehicle-to-Vehicle communication system, Lagrange Point and more (Week 178)

2. For the V2V system, an On-Board Unit (OBU) will be installed in vehicles, which will use cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology.

3. V2V systems have a range of 1000 metres and can detect vehicles within this range.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Relevance: The topic helps understand emerging concepts such as V2V, V2X, C-V2X and On-Board Units (OBUs) in modern transportation. UPSC may test the technology, communication mechanism, components and applications of V2V systems.

Explanation

— In 2025, crashes on roads claimed 1.83 lakh lives in India — around 6,000 more than the previous year — raising alarm across different segments of the government. Now, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will soon mandate its new road-safety intervention, the Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication system, through which cars will essentially talk with each other wirelessly to warn drivers about upcoming accident risks on the road.

— V2V or vehicle-to-vehicle communication is a wireless technology that will enable the vehicles to communicate or talk with one another to share real-time information like speed, location, acceleration, braking, etc. It is the sub-category of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) and comes under the umbrella of the Intelligent Transport System. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— The Ministry had published the draft Central Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2026, on July 22 seeking objections and suggestions from the public on the V2V system within 30 days; now, they will be taken into consideration.

— According to the MoRTH notification, the vehicles of categories L (two- and three-wheelers), M (cars, buses), and N (goods vehicles) manufactured on or after October 1, 2027, will be required to comply with AIS-230 standards, if they are fitted with V2V system. It also says that vehicles of categories L, M and N, manufactured on or after October 1, 2028, will be required to be fitted with V2V communication systems, meeting specifications as per AIS-230.

— AIS-230, or Automotive Industry Standard-230, is a technical backbone for the V2V system, which specifies a list of requirements like radio performance, frequency stability, receiver sensitivity, cybersecurity and communication-security provisions, electromagnetic interference and compatibility requirements, Global Navigation Satellite System road safety applications, etc.

— For the V2V system, an On Board Unit (OBU) will be installed in vehicles so that it can exchange information with other vehicles wirelessly. It will use cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology in the 5.875 GHz to 5.925 GHz frequency band. On June 10, 2026, the Department of Telecommunications exempted the use of this frequency band from licensing requirements. Now, the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can use this spectrum to get V2V installed in new vehicles. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— The V2V-fitted vehicles will alert the driver about sudden braking, black spots, unsafe lane changes, obstacles like parked vehicles on roadsides, fog or any potential collision risk. For instance, if a car applies brakes suddenly, the nearby vehicles will get an alert to slow down before seeing it. Usually, V2V systems have a range of 300 metres and can detect vehicles in this range. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Lagrange Point, consider the following statements:

1. At Lagrange points, the gravitational pull of two large masses precisely equals the centripetal force required for a small object to move with them.

2. There are five stable Lagrange points where a small mass can orbit in a constant pattern with two larger masses.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Relevance: The topic is important for Science and Technology and Space Technology, particularly the dynamics of objects under the influence of multiple gravitational bodies. The concept is relevant to missions such as Aditya-L1, which operates around the Sun–Earth L1 region.

Explanation

— Nasa’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is ready for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, marking the beginning of a major new mission to study the universe.

— Roman will head towards the second Sun-Earth Lagrange point, or L2, nearly 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometres) from Earth. From this position, the telescope will have a wide and relatively unobstructed view of the sky, allowing it to survey vast regions of the universe.

— Lagrange points are positions in space where objects sent there tend to stay put. At Lagrange points, the gravitational pull of two large masses precisely equals the centripetal force required for a small object to move with them. These points in space can be used by spacecraft to reduce fuel consumption needed to remain in position. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

(Source: science.nasa.gov)

— Lagrange points are named in honour of Italian-French mathematician Josephy-Louis Lagrange.

— There are five special points where a small mass can orbit in a constant pattern with two larger masses. The Lagrange Points are positions where the gravitational pull of two large masses precisely equals the centripetal force required for a small object to move with them. This mathematical problem, known as the “General Three-Body Problem” was considered by Lagrange in his prize winning paper (Essai sur le Problème des Trois Corps, 1772).

— Of the five Lagrange points, three are unstable and two are stable. The unstable Lagrange points – labelled L1, L2 and L3 – lie along the line connecting the two large masses. The stable Lagrange points – labelled L4 and L5 – form the apex of two equilateral triangles that have the large masses at their vertices. L4 leads the orbit of earth and L5 follows. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: science.nasa.gov)

QUESTION 3

The term ‘Cold allodynia’ was in the news. It refers to:

(a) A condition in which prolonged exposure to cold temperatures causes permanent damage to peripheral nerves.

(b) A neurological disorder in which the body loses its ability to sense changes in temperature.

(c) A condition in which exposure to extremely low temperatures causes an exaggerated inflammatory response in the nervous system.

(d) It is one of the side effects of oxaliplatin, a commonly used chemotherapy drug that contains platinum.

Relevance: The topic connects medical research with cancer treatment and adverse drug effects. UPSC may test such developments through terminology-based questions and the identification of diseases, symptoms, drugs and their effects.

Explanation

— A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and Kolkata-based institute TCG-CREST have identified the “brain circuit” that involves the sensations associated with a certain side effect of chemotherapy known as “cold allodynia”.

— Cold allodynia is a condition in which the sufferer may feel pain or distress from even a regular level of cold temperatures. It is one of the side effects that are part of “chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy”, which includes many chemotherapy-induced neural side effects such as temperature sensitivity, a feeling of pins and needles, or pain etc.

— Cold allodynia specifically is known to be one of the side effects of oxaliplatin, a commonly used chemotherapy drug that contains platinum.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements about the Javelin anti-tank guided missile system:

1. It has a standard effective range of 2.5 km.

2. It can only be fired through a remote launcher mounted on an unmanned ground vehicle.

3. It is a “fire-and-forget” missile.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) 1 and 3 only

Relevance: It helps in understanding anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) systems and their guidance technologies. The topic also links with modern warfare, infantry weapon systems and defence capabilities.

Explanation

— India has signed an agreement with the US to buy its Javelin anti-tank guided missile system.

— The Javelin first entered service with the US military in 1996. It is an anti-tank guided munition with a standard effective range of 2.5 km. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— A single person can carry this missile system and fire it from their shoulder. Alternatively, it can also be fired from a remote launcher mounted on an unmanned ground vehicle. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

— According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the missile was designed to tackle heavily armored vehicles such as main battle tanks and lighter-skinned military vehicles. It is also effective against fortifications, bunkers and helicopters.

— The Javelin is a “fire-and-forget” missile — its infrared guidance system allows it to travel towards a target on its own. This means that operators can fire and quickly move for cover, relocate to another fighting position, or reload to fire again, says a CSIS article. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Which one of the following institutions maintains India’s national standard of time?

(a) Indian Space Research Organisation

(b) CSIR-National Physical Laboratory

(c) Department of Telecommunications

(d) National Informatics Centre

Relevance: This topic is important for Science and Technology, particularly India’s metrology and precision-time infrastructure. This topic is important for Science & Technology, particularly India’s metrology and precision-time infrastructure.

Explanation

— India has followed Indian Standard Time (IST) for decades. The new Legal Metrology (Indian Standard Time) Rules, 2026, make it the legally enforceable reference for official and commercial use, requiring systems across sectors to synchronise to time traceable to IST.

— The larger objective is a common national time reference. “‘One Nation, One Time’ means having one time reference. At present, different organisations may refer to different sources. It is like each person establishing their own starting point; you then cannot properly compare events or measurements.

— Indian Standard Time has been in place for decades. Under an Act of Parliament, CSIR-NPL is the National Metrology Institute mandated to maintain the country’s scientific standards.

— Maintaining and disseminating IST has been part of our mandate. In fact, IST® (Indian Standard Time) is a registered trademark of CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL). It has been a team effort over the years, involving scientists and technical staff at NPL, with the guidance and support of successive Directors.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 162)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 178)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 177)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 177)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 177)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 177)

Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week.

Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X