Posted on 05/26/2010 8:28:35 AM PDT by decimon
IBM patent goes Big Brother
Running red lights and failure to stop leads to untold numbers of traffic accidents around the world. Sitting at a red light with cars idling also burns fuel that really isn’t needed.
IBM has filed a patent application that outlines a system that would turn the motors of a car off at a traffic light to conserve fuel. Few will take issue with green technology that conserves fuel, saves them money, and reduces pollution. However, there is a dark side to the patent application that privacy advocates will not like.
The system IBM is proposing has to have access to the engine of the vehicles at the light to stop the engine. With access to the engine, the traffic lights can not only stop the engine of a driver's car, but it can also determine the duration that the engine is stopped and then when the light is over it can start the motors of the cars up in sequential order so the first cars at the light get to go first. The system would use GPS data to know where vehicles were located at the light.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailytech.com ...
Yea. They seem to decide at the most unopportune times that I haven’t gotten enough walking exercise.
Just wait till one of these “smart” lights gets stupid and causes massive traffic jams.
Not liking this at all.
Winston Smith not liking big brother.
IBM didn’t just come up with this cr*p on their own. They have more important things to do than develop stupid Big Brother technology. Someone from the regime asked them.. and no question it’s paid for by stimulus spending on ‘green jobs’.
I am not a mechanic at all. I heard once that it takes more gas to start a motor up than it does to drive a mile. Is that true? If so, what IBM is talking about seems pretty silly.
IBM is also involved in the smart grid stuff, iirc. Shame on them.
Well on the less sarcastic side [I get your point] and as an IBM patent author that has an actually useful patent that is just sitting there .... I will reiterate my point that you can patent something but to get from patent to lab to 1st prototype to investment grade product to manufacture to sales to implementation ..... is a REALLY LONG ROAD.
That was partly true in the case of older carburetted (sp ?) vehicles that took a long time to start. But the one mile thing is a myth. Modern electronically controlled vehicles start instantly.
Rapists will love this.
The logical next step beyond red light cameras, eh?
Clusterfark of the first order.
I can envison too many scenarios that could go FUBAR, possibly resulting in injury or death.
Also, who will be responsible for the increased wear & tear on vehicle components, i.e., starters, battery, headlights, (which will have to be turned off at every light), ditto for stereos, a/c, GPS, etc?
There was an intersection with a light malfunctioning on the drive home from work not too long ago.
The North/South road was stuck on green, the East/West was stuck on red. Cars with this system would be shut down until the maintenance crews got out there to fix it.
People excercising judgement treated it as a stop sign, looked both ways and crossed the intersection in spit of the red light.
Traffic backed up, but it still flowed, this system would create a traffic jam clear out onto the highway 3 miles down the road.
Is IBM just stupid or evil?
>> I will reiterate my point that you can patent something but to get from patent to lab to 1st prototype to investment grade product to manufacture to sales to implementation ..... is a REALLY LONG ROAD.
Yep, been there.
Also on the less sarcastic side: I have a lot of respect for IBM’s patent “machine”. It’s key to their business, and they do it *very* well. I wonder, however, if patenting everything under the sun isn’t backfiring on the original aim of patents, which is to see that inventions get put to use.
And... I absolutely loathe patent trolls. I reserve for them the same burning disgust I have for trial lawyers. (IBM is NOT a patent troll.)
I doubt it.
Figure out how many miles-per-gallon your vehicle gets (roughly).
Let's say it's "20".
Next time you fill your tank, when you're done, start your engine and shut it off 20 times.
Then try putting another gallon of gas in your tank.
I bet you can't. Not even close.
IBM Patent Application Describes “Intelligent” Stop Lights That Turn Off White House Limos anywhere in USA
Naturally I’ll be expected to take my car to a government garage for installation of this undoubtedly super expensive intrusion on my liberty and safety. They’ll have one hell of a long wait for ME!! Besides, thugs could then CONGREGATE at lights, just waiting for people’s engines to die. Nothing like more helpless victims, unable to flee and, of course, not permitted to be armed. WOW!! What a DREAM COME TRUE, huh??!!
EXCEPT when the feral goobermint is greasing the skids & green lighting the process.
“We HAVE to implement it to find out how it will work”. /s
Toyota Patent Application Jams IBM “Intelligent” Device That Stop Lights That Turn Off Cars, only $19.95 at Walmart Now!
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