Advocacy & Safety - Car smarter than driver?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070103/ap_on_hi_te/japan_toyota_drunken_driving

Toyota is developing a car that can detect a drunk driver and will shut down.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Remember 1/3 of the ~45,000 annual hiway deaths are alcohol related.

Next, perhaps they can design a vehicle that will not allow motorists to drive off after an accident... hit and runs seem to be on the rise.

Not to make light of a serious subject...have you seen 40-Year-Old Virgin?

Not to make light of a serious subject...have you seen 40-Year-Old Virgin?

Yes, but I don't recall anything in that movie that relates to "smart cars."

Cycling, yes, but what is your point?

saab beat em to it with their AlcoKey, which is a keyfob sized breathalyzer.

saab beat em to it with their AlcoKey, which is a keyfob sized breathalyzer.

Kool. The more the merrier.

Next, perhaps they can design a vehicle that will not allow motorists to drive off after an accident... hit and runs seem to be on the rise. Not a good idea...the driver might legitimately need to move a car after an accident -- either a short distance (to get the vehicle out of a dangerous location where it could cause another accident) or a long distance (they're on an isolated mountain road and a blizzard is rolling in.)

However, you got me thinking...an automated system that sends out a radio signal after an accident, giving the car's VIN, location via GPS, and a little bit of black-box type information about the severity of the accident, could be a good thing for everyone. Could save the driver's life if they're in a bad crash with no one around, and would make it a lot harder to get away with a hit-and-run.

I'd be concerned about privacy safeguards with a system like this -- to make sure it didn't evolve into something where the government (or a marketing organization) could query your car for a complete GPS record of your travels -- but if it kicks in only after an impact, and is designed simply enough that an occasional nosy engineer can take one apart and verify that it has no other function, then I'd favor it.

Not a good idea...the driver might legitimately need to move a car after an accident -- either a short distance (to get the vehicle out of a dangerous location where it could cause another accident) or a long distance (they're on an isolated mountain road and a blizzard is rolling in.)

However, you got me thinking...an automated system that sends out a radio signal after an accident, giving the car's VIN, location via GPS, and a little bit of black-box type information about the severity of the accident, could be a good thing for everyone. Could save the driver's life if they're in a bad crash with no one around, and would make it a lot harder to get away with a hit-and-run.

I'd be concerned about privacy safeguards with a system like this -- to make sure it didn't evolve into something where the government (or a marketing organization) could query your car for a complete GPS record of your travels -- but if it kicks in only after an impact, and is designed simply enough that an occasional nosy engineer can take one apart and verify that it has no other function, then I'd favor it.


Actually I understand that OnStar does work much like the system you describe... and regarding "black boxes" in cars... apparently these too have been installed on a number of later model sedans... sometimes to the dismay of a driver caught in a lie after an accident.

Actually I understand that OnStar does work much like the system you describe... and regarding "black boxes" in cars... apparently these too have been installed on a number of later model sedans... sometimes to the dismay of a driver caught in a lie after an accident.

And has been used by the FBI to spy on citizens...

And has been used by the FBI to spy on citizens...

Hey, comes with the PRIVILEGE of driving.

Bet your boss knows what time you clock in and clock out too... and if you use a computer at work, your boss also may read your email.