Powered bumpers defend your smart car when all else fails

NYCshopper · 02-20-2007, 02:03 PM

Powered bumpers defend your smart car when all else fails

http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/20/p...ll-else-fails/

Quote:

Smart cars are all well and good until you start to think of the horrible consequences if something should go wrong. Honestly, we're willing to take that risk just for the rewards of cruising along in a robotic car "platoon": saving gas, skipping traffic and perhaps getting in a bit of Gears of War while we're at it. Luckily, more judicious minds than ours are hard at work at the problem, and just might've discovered a way to keep smart car-filled roads from becoming riddled with the bodies of overly-optimistic bloggers. Alasdair Renfrew of Manchester University, UK, along with a couple of colleagues, has devised an extendable fender that can keep you safe and humming along the freeway, even when traditional wireless communications fail. The smart cars will traditionally be communicating with each other and roadside beacons wirelessly, and if one of those elements breaks down, the cars bust out powered bumpers to feel the car in front and navigate accordingly. That way, as long as the front car of a pack keeps to the speed limit and in its lane, the group should be fine -- and your Xbox session needn't be interrupted.

more info:

http://www.newscientisttech.com/article.ns?id=dn11216

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Mechie3 · 02-20-2007, 04:30 PM

What if the front car runs off a cliff like a lemming? haha!

Hazdaz · 02-20-2007, 05:55 PM

There is something that been around for decades now that gives the benefit of relieving congestion on our road systems, reduction in the amount we spend on gas and puts less wear and tear on our cars - all while not needing fancy navigational systems.

It's called...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Public Transportation, people. How many billions of dollars do we have to waste on these BS "smart cars" and "smart highways" just so we don't have to *GOSH* walk 1/2 a block to work, or wait 10 minutes to pick up your bus or train?!

bemani · 02-20-2007, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazdaz

There is something that been around for decades now that gives the benefit of relieving congestion on our road systems, reduction in the amount we spend on gas and puts less wear and tear on our cars - all while not needing fancy navigational systems.

It's called...
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Public Transportation, people. How many billions of dollars do we have to waste on these BS "smart cars" and "smart highways" just so we don't have to *GOSH* walk 1/2 a block to work, or wait 10 minutes to pick up your bus or train?!

Its not just for cars you know. Someone somewhere is thinking up ways to replace the bus drivers with computers.

Foxy · 02-20-2007, 09:13 PM

I would agree with the public transportation thing in more densely populated areas (for instance, you can get around Japan great without ever needing a car), but for where I live now, it's impossible. It's about a two mile hike to the nearest bus stop (and it was down to -18 before windchill the other day when I left for work) and about an hour ride involving two bus changes to get to the nearest stop to my work, which is about a 20 minute walk.

Or, I can hop in my car and drive ten minutes and be at my office.

And forget about it if I need to run errands during work, go out on calls, stop by the dry cleaner's or grocery store on the way home.....

ETA:
I think smart cars like these would be great if you could activate/deactivate the smart portion. For instance, I'd love to be able to drive around my town myself, but if I want to hop on the interstate and go to the big city a few hours away or for a road trip to my family, I can let the computer do the boring freeway slog. I don't think mass-transit is capable of doing that.

KrazyKarl · 02-21-2007, 09:52 AM

yeah public transportation works great in NY and large, densely populated cities like that, but for me, its about a 20 minute DRIVE to the nearest bus/train station. Public transportation doesn't work all that well in some places, because to put in enough bus stops to make it practical, there'd be about 3 people per bus every day.

02-20-2007, 09:13 PM	#5
Foxy Scooby Specialist Member#: 33069 Join Date: Feb 2003 Chapter/Region: MAIC Vehicle: 2008 STI WRB	I would agree with the public transportation thing in more densely populated areas (for instance, you can get around Japan great without ever needing a car), but for where I live now, it's impossible. It's about a two mile hike to the nearest bus stop (and it was down to -18 before windchill the other day when I left for work) and about an hour ride involving two bus changes to get to the nearest stop to my work, which is about a 20 minute walk. Or, I can hop in my car and drive ten minutes and be at my office. And forget about it if I need to run errands during work, go out on calls, stop by the dry cleaner's or grocery store on the way home..... ETA: I think smart cars like these would be great if you could activate/deactivate the smart portion. For instance, I'd love to be able to drive around my town myself, but if I want to hop on the interstate and go to the big city a few hours away or for a road trip to my family, I can let the computer do the boring freeway slog. I don't think mass-transit is capable of doing that. Last edited by Foxy; 02-20-2007 at 09:19 PM.

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02-20-2007, 04:30 PM	#2
Mechie3 Scooby Guru Member#: 120152 Join Date: Jul 2006 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Indy Vehicle: 2006 06 WRX, 86 FMOD Blue, White/Red	What if the front car runs off a cliff like a lemming? haha!

02-20-2007, 05:55 PM	#3
Hazdaz Scooby Guru Member#: 14611 Join Date: Jan 2002	There is something that been around for decades now that gives the benefit of relieving congestion on our road systems, reduction in the amount we spend on gas and puts less wear and tear on our cars - all while not needing fancy navigational systems. It's called... . . . . . . . . . . . Public Transportation, people. How many billions of dollars do we have to waste on these BS "smart cars" and "smart highways" just so we don't have to GOSH walk 1/2 a block to work, or wait 10 minutes to pick up your bus or train?!

02-21-2007, 09:52 AM	#6
KrazyKarl Scooby Specialist Member#: 94706 Join Date: Aug 2005 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Ft. Worth, TX Vehicle: 2007 STI 1995 Miata	yeah public transportation works great in NY and large, densely populated cities like that, but for me, its about a 20 minute DRIVE to the nearest bus/train station. Public transportation doesn't work all that well in some places, because to put in enough bus stops to make it practical, there'd be about 3 people per bus every day.