Lindenberger, Michael. "Cars May Soon Have More to Tell Us." Chicago Tribune. 21 June 2010: section 1, page 22.
Pilot programs underway already in Dallas have installed boxes in cars that communicate with other cars and traffic managers who can use software to make decisions about police response or send out messages about traffic tieups. Continuously transmitted information eventually will include speeds, route data, and location.
Equipped cars will be able to tell dozing drivers to wake up and brake automatically if there's danger ahead. This technology is already available as an option on luxury cars like BMW.
Think of the pluses! Cops will be able to track or stop a car that has been involved with a crime-- maybe even conveniently in front of the police station. Who needs red light cameras? The car will just confess for you. I'm thinking of starting a prepayment fund for the speeding tickets I'll collect. Wait. I won't be able to speed anymore because my car will stop me.
And wouldn't this be great for Homeland Security in a Little Brother world?
Yeees . . . I worry a little bit about putting computers in charge of our thinking/reflexes. If your car can brake for you, you'd better hope that its judgment is as good as yours! Remember the movie I, Robot? Where Will Smith hates the robots because they don't have human judgment, and ended up saving his life instead of a little girl's because his probability of survival was higher? It scares me a little that we're going down that road . . . and the ability of police - and stalkers! and your mother! - to know where your car is at all times could be a plus for safety, but a huge minus for freedom.
ReplyDeleteI have found the feature that calls officers to tell them my location to be handy when I had an accident, but that's about the only thing I need out of it. I'd rather they invest their resources in tires that don't wear out, and getting more mileage out of my tank....or breaks that don't need replaced every 50K.
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