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People are beginning to question whether kitting cars out with all the latest gadgets is a good idea, especially as a lot of these technologies are both intriguing and distracting. We are all aware of the basic concept of a car so in reality this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. However, the general […]
People are beginning to question whether kitting cars out with all the latest gadgets is a good idea, especially as a lot of these technologies are both intriguing and distracting. We are all aware of the basic concept of a car so in reality this shouldn’t be too much of an issue. However, the general market for cars has always been supported by fashion, style and attraction and it’s something we are never going to ignore.
With this being the case, many car manufacturers seem to have stressed the importance of their latest ideas putting safety first and working around this incredibly important element of any driving experience. So what can companies such as Ford, BMW, Audi and Mercedes (some of the most fashionably popular car manufacturers) do to make sure safety and seduction go hand-in-hand in the future?
Jim Buczkowski, the director of global electrical and electronics systems engineering at Ford, stated that he felt it was about time we saw some particularly significant developments in the ways in which technology is integrated with a vehicle. However, he was also quick to point out that his focus was “on minimising driver distraction”.
In the US, there are 19 states currently prohibiting the use of mobile phones whilst driving a car, with similar laws across the whole of the UK. Buczkowski was keen to establish ways in which we could work with technology whilst behind the wheel. He subsequently put forward the idea of voice-recognition technology that lets you communicate with the car whilst keeping your eyes on the road.
Cars that have built-in connection technologies could be capable of sending information to the driver through voice-interactive messages. We are already aware of cars with motion sensors that greatly reduce the chance of damage when parking, so our guess is that this kind of technology would work in a similar way.
If you are travelling at a speed that breaks the designated speed limit, your car could potentially warn you of the dangers of speeding, allowing you to reduce your speed accordingly. The technology would be capable of reading and analysing the surroundings before issuing advice or instructions as an active safety precaution and could possibly even communicate with other vehicles to prevent accidents and collisions.
After Google released plans for their latest innovative project known as Google Glass, many people felt that the answer to using a mobile phone device whilst driving had been answered, whilst many others felt that the various elements of the Glass itself would be far too distracting to be regarded as safe. There’s no doubt that the Google Glass could be quite a useful product during your time behind the wheel but would it pass the safety test? We reckon it’s entirely possible.
Firstly, the Google Glass could give you all the journey information you need without you having to glance down at a built-in screen every now and then. In addition, Google Glass is a voice-activated system that could tell you everything you need to know about your journey. Whether it can contribute to safety is another matter and maybe something Google might look to work on until the glasses release date.
Chris Pendleton is a technology geek with a passion for the latest developments in consumer electronics. He has contributed this post on behalf of Blakes Driving School, providing expert driving tuition in Surrey and south London
