U.S. testing "talking" cars to avoid crashes, congestion

Reuters ^ | 8/21/12

[crosshairs]

Over the next year, U.S. officials and the University of Michigan will fit nearly 3,000 cars, trucks and buses with wireless devices that track other vehicles' speed and location, alert drivers to congestion or change a traffic light to green.

Granted, these cars will not be as chatty as actor David Hasselhoff's talking car KITT in the popular 1980s series "Knight Rider," or the cast of Pixar's animated movie "Cars." But they will warn about potential crashes through loud beeps, flashes or vibrations in the driver's seat.

In fact, "vehicle-to-vehicle" communication might help avoid or reduce the severity of four out of five crashes that occur when the driver is not impaired, U.S. safety regulators said.

"This is a big deal and I think everybody here believes this has a lot of promise," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told reporters on Tuesday at an Ann Arbor, Michigan, event.

"But until we see the data, until the study is complete, we won't know with certainty what promise it really has. A year from now I think we will."

[crosshairs]

They just need to have the car say, "Stop texting and pay attention to your driving you EFFING MORON!!"

This is just going to be another unnecessary expense added to the cost of a car.

[Eye of Unk]

And hackers are working on ways to remotely control these vehicles.

Another liberal nanny state idea that JUST WON’T WORK.

[Eye of Unk]

First thing I did when I bought my brand new Silverado was to replace the stock radio with a better one, and by doing so disconnected the Onstar.

I got some interesting letters after that from them begging me to reconnect.

[iceskater]

What if the government decides that you don’t deserve the ability to drive a car?

I can see a lot of downsides to this idea and not much upside.

[TexasFreeper2009]

If they can develop a car that can drive itself... I wouldn’t consider that an unnecessary expense... I would consider that a dream come true.

[RightOnline]

"Granted, these cars will not be as chatty as actor David Hasselhoff's talking car KITT in the popular 1980s series "Knight Rider," or the cast of Pixar's animated movie "Cars.""

Prime, Grade A example of how to talk down to your readers like they are a bunch of babbling 8 year olds.

[cripplecreek]

Only in Ann Arbor can you find people who will willingly and knowingly wear the leash.

[Eye of Unk]

I would love to go Steampunk, build a vehicle that has a working belching steam engine, of course there is some tech advantages to reclaim the condensation, certain fuels like an at home ethanol still for fuel, a nearly total non electronic control panel.

Its all brass and stainless steel, gauges and knobs, ball and gate valves. Maybe a roof mounted solar panel for my cell phone, while its still available to use.

[Uncle Ike]

” “Stop texting and pay attention to your driving you EFFING MORON!!” “

In the late 70s/early 80s, I rode in a friend’s car (a Chrysler product, I think) that was equipped with ‘voice prompts’ for “fasten your seatbelt”, “check your mirror”, and many others - so that it seemed that the damned thing was constantly talking...

Now, the ‘voice’ was female, and while I guess it was supposed to be ‘sexy’, it eventually seemed whiny and irritating - my reaction at the time was that if I wanted to be nagged nonstop while driving, I would have stayed married... ;)

[crosshairs]

Now, the ‘voice’ was female, and while I guess it was supposed to be ‘sexy’, it eventually seemed whiny and irritating - my reaction at the time was that if I wanted to be nagged nonstop while driving, I would have stayed married... ;)

Like the gal on the Garmin GPS that nags every time she has to recalculate because you found a better route.

[Right Wing Assault]

“Officer, I was driving along and suddenly the car started talking to me and distracted me. That is why I got into this accident.”

[cripplecreek]

What if the government decides that you don’t deserve the ability to drive a car?

This is Ann Arbor. When the tax on loose tobacco was jacked up by 2300% A smoke shop customer n Ann Arbor was reported as saying, "I don't like it but I suppose its for my own good."

You could lock a good many Ann Arbor residents in cages with lions and tell them that its for their own good and they'd accept it.

[grobdriver]

loud beeps, flashes or vibrations in the driver's seat

Just what we need - more distracted drivers.

[crosshairs]

This is Ann Arbor. When the tax on loose tobacco was jacked up by 2300% A smoke shop customer n Ann Arbor was reported as saying, "I don't like it but I suppose its for my own good."

You could lock a good many Ann Arbor residents in cages with lions and tell them that its for their own good and they'd accept it.

What is it about the college towns of the major state school that they have so many liberal idiots existing there? For instance:

Berkeley
Austin
Boulder
Lawrence
Madison
Ann Arbor
and on and on

Is it the drugs?

[hal ogen]

What a dumb idea. I really don’t want any inanimate object talking at me. I already hear enough from many clowns around me. To have a car telling me what to do isn’t my idea of having a good time driving a car. But then, in LIB-ville, I shouldn’t be driving anyway...just taking public transportation.

[cripplecreek]

The worst thing about college towns is that they think everyone else should do the same and they take a disproportionate percentage of taxpayer dollars. You’d be amazed at the arrogance the rest of us hear coming out of places like Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo.

I live in the next county over from AA in Jackson and they smugly call us “Jacksatuckey” and explain our high unemployment rate as a result of us not paying enough taxes.

If I had a choice between vaporizing Detroit or Ann Arbor, Detroit can rest easy. Detroit may be a leech but its an indifferent leech. Ann Arbor is an angry, self righteous, and demanding leech.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Knight Rider—the car was definitely the brains of that outfit!

[cripplecreek]

As far as I’m concerned, Americans were better drivers when cars were less safe. A little professionalism was required to remain alive.

[Uncle Ike]

” As far as I’m concerned, Americans were better drivers when cars were less safe. “

I noticed, years ago, that there have been many more reports of wide-spread food-related illnesses since the do-gooders launched their ‘safety at any price’ campaign...

My theory is that ‘safe’ foods have degraded our natural and acquired immunity to these pathogens, so that when they do sneak through the system (as they inevitably will), the result is, instead of a couple of days of discomfort, life-threatening...

Unintended consequences are a beyotch. ain’t they?? ;)

[bgill]

If they can develop a car that can drive itself... I wouldn’t consider that an unnecessary expense... I would consider that a dream come true.

Just wait until it gets a speck of dust in it's circuits and then where will you be? Has there ever been a car that drove itself that wasn't evil. Even KITT didn't mind and went to the dark side a couple times.