Auto Travel In The Future

The next generation of cars will auto-sense traffic, accidents, and be self-guided. But who will drive?

1 minute read

August 23, 2005, 5:00 AM PDT

By Chris Steins @planetizen


"Try this thought experiment: Your smarty-pants car is fitted with something called intelligent speed adaptation. It knows the speed limit everywhere—permanent limits are on the navigation system, temporary ones are sent through the wireless link. And it punctiliously obeys, its gas pedal falling limply ineffective as you approach the limit. Also, your vehicle can upload its position to road authorities, so they can use variable road tolls as a traffic management tool—raising the price on busy stretches during rush hours. How do you like the notion that someone somewhere always has the position (and speed) of your car logged? Meanwhile your vehicle can sense highway lane markers and the position of the car ahead. It can even put on the brakes if it senses a hazard. Who’s in charge here? Sure doesn’t seem to be you, the so-called driver."

Thanks to Slashdot

Saturday, August 20, 2005 in Popular Science

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