What’s Driving Technology Up To?
What Will Technology Do to Driving?
Is Technology Driving Us Crazy or Simply Driving Us?
Did you see the Super Bowl commercial that showed the driver in a new Chevy click on this OnStar center to find out if his date posted anything on his Facebook page? Well, that’s just the beginning.
Take a look at the techno-geek driving-related stuff we’ve discovered, give us your thumb up or thumb down, then check out how you fared at the end of the article. We wonder where you think technology is going.
Example #1: Damn This Traffic Jam!
A number of software developers are creating applications that use complicated algorithms to determine optimum routes for a predetermined destination. You simply type in when you need to be at Mario’s Restaurant and the software calculates the most efficient route. Called crowd-sourcing this software takes into account real time data gathered from Smartphone GPS systems (how fast traffic is moving, any slow spots, etc.), then couples it with historic data (where past crashes and slow spots have been) and even blends in current events and happenings around town. The results, you get to Mario’s without a hitch. So, no more “Sorry, I’m late. Traffic was terrible” excuses.
Example #2: Hello Hal.
A computer in your car? Yeah, we all know this was coming but the real question is do we really need them? Will computers actually provide useful information or simply be yet another driver distraction?. Well, consider this. Using something called the LTE 4G network, car computers will feature a touch screen experience that can deliver video on demand, gaming, ecommerce, a WiFi hotspot, real-time GPS updates, real-time traffic and weather data, and road and vehicle monitoring. So, basically it’ll be like driving around with your laptop attached to your dash.
Now developers of this concept swear the Car Computer will be no more distracting than current devices such as phones, GPS systems and music players. But will it?
Example #3: Better Safe than Sorry!
Safety is always an issue when it comes to driving and today’s car manufacturers are constantly coming up with innovative technology to improve safety, back-up cameras and sleep-sensors to name a few. But what about tomorrow’s safety features. Well here are a few you might see popping up in cars in the very near future.
Keep Your Distance – sensors placed around your car will automatically slow your car down when it gets too close to an object. It may also alert you when a “non-sensored” car gets to close just so you can keep an eye on it.
Red Light, Green Light – So you’re speeding down the road, approaching a traffic light. But will you or won’t you make the light if it turns? Sensors between your car and the traffic light will determine if you should continue or not. And if not – it will slow your car down whether you like it or not.
Let’s Play Chicken – Four cars pull up to a 4-way stop intersection at the same time. Everyone eyes each other, anticipation builds, and eventually everyone makes a move. Not a good scenario. New sensors will determine within a tenth of a second who arrived first and in what order all cars may proceed.
Slow Down, You Move Too Fast – Ever been in heavy traffic and wished that speeding, zigzagging car would get pulled over by the police and given the what-for? Well, there’s talk about putting governors in cars that, depending on the traffic conditions will actually slow down speeding cars, making it safer for everyone on the road.
So with all that said, the question is: are these advances valuable or are they an impingement on your personal choices.
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