"Conversational" cars?

[Dr Mordrid]

Security? Privacy? How about simple inattentiveness due to dependency, and what would happen if the local inter-vehicle network crashed?

Detroit News....

Autos may soon have 'conversations'

8 automakers refine technology that helps avert crashes

A group of eight automakers that includes Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen AG is working in Farmington Hills on technology to enable vehicles to talk to each other, to prevent crashes.

Ford demonstrated the emerging technology on three Escape SUVs Tuesday, ahead of this week's Washington Auto Show.

"If every car had it, it would be like another pair of eyes," said Mike Shulman, technical research leader at Ford's active safety research and advanced engineering team. "You wouldn't know it was there unless you need it."

The wireless technology alerts drivers to oncoming vehicles, when other technologies such as radar are unable to pick up on their approach. It sends out the vehicle's position 10 times a second.

Working with funding from the Transportation Department, the automakers' consortium plans to build 64 vehicles — eight from each — and retrofit 2,000 vehicles on the road for a study of technology next year. The test site hasn't been decided.

"It can't just be a Ford-only system because we need to get messages from Hondas, Hyundais, Kias and send them data," Shulman said.

But there are lots of concerns that have to be addressed, including security. "How do you make sure some bright college kid with a laptop is not sending out messages," Shulman said.

Peter Appel of the U.S. Department of Transportation said the government "is helping to lay the groundwork for a national system where all cars, trucks, buses and trains are aware of other vehicles around them." He said connected vehicles "will significantly reduce crashes and generate enormous amounts of new data about travel — data that will make our transportation system safer, more efficient and even 'greener.'"

Ford's vehicle communications technology allows cars to talk wirelessly with one another using a short-range dedicated communications network.

Vehicles will warn drivers of potential dangers, particularly those not detected with radar or that are not perceived because of weather, distance, or other cars or objects impeding the driver's view.

For example, drivers would be alerted if their car is on path to collide with another at a four-way intersection or when a car several vehicles ahead slams on the brakes.

[VJ]

I attended a presentation of this at a conference (in which I also had a talk ).
The idea presented was interesting; they gave the example of a car and a motorcycle approaching an intersection, where the car needs to give way. Both vehicles notice each other before the drivers can see anything, the driver of the car is not slowing down so the car starts showing a warning; the motorcycle starts flashing its indicators to draw attention. At the point of no return (colission imminent), the car and motorcycle prepare the brakes for immediate response.
It was then opted not to have the vehicles brake automatically, as this might have other unforeseable consequences.

Another example is a car taking a turn at quite a high speed (e.g. an off ramp) and its ESP system starts working. It can then notify the cars behind it about conditions of the off ramp (and thus warning following drivers they might be attacking the curve too fast).

All in all interesting stuff!

Jörg

[Fat Tone]

I have conversations with my car all the time. It knows exactly what I think of slow or incompetent drivers.
It does have voice control for many of the systems. I use it for voice dialling but everything else is easier with knobs and buttons.

They should think bigger: Get every car connected to a central nav computer. Controlling all the cars to get maximum efficiency of road use, no need for traffic lights and all that, traffic will dovetail perfectly.