In a press release last week, IBM sketched out its future of driving. Not surprisingly, the technologies that will save billions of gallons of gas and many tons of particulate emissions come right from the labs of . . . IBM. None of these are new or unique, but their applications hold out tremendous promise. In what the company calls "collaborative driving," for example, cars will have driver-assist technologies that emulate "reflexes."
Vehicles will exchange information with each other and with the road infrastructure, take corrective action where appropriate and provide essential feedback to the drivers. Highway and city merging and traffic flow will be smoother and safer, and harmful emissions will be reduced. IBM estimates that this could substantially curb the nine billion gallons of gas burned each year from cars sitting in congestion. Drivers will be notified of bus, plane or train delays via their cell phones. Likewise, IBM's sophisticated voice-recognition system would allow drivers to keep hands on the wheel while listening and responding to e-mails and to control ancillary car functions such as activating a DVD player or adjusting the cabin temperature. Intelligent traffic systems will make real-time adjustments to traffic lights to ease congestion and clear paths for emergency vehicles. New sensor technologies, GPS and satellites will inform motorists on the best routes to avoid driving and parking during peak busy hours.
Fewer traffic jams will result in cleaner air and safer roads.
Source: IBM, via WebWire
