Out of the six emerging technologies from the article, I believe the flying car would be the least likely to happen. The issues that come along with flight and air traffic is far too great to risk. As well, the developments that must be made are too complicated to happen within the next 30, even 50 years. Regarding the issue of air traffic, it will be very difficult to avoid air flight collisions. The roads may seem harsh during traffic hours, but imagine a sky full of traffic. This topic has been in discussion for years, and the variables involved in trying to avoid these issues seem to be too much to make this development.
I feel the Next-Gen Active Safety Features will have the biggest impact on society. Almost 100% of vehicle accidents occur because of distractions. With this feature, any interruptions can be cut off when in stressful situations. This way, when you are driving in heavy traffic, and your stress levels increase, the sensors will notice. For your safety, and those around you, the car's system will hold calls, and turn any other disturbances to a minimum. This will impact the way people drive, and be an extreme improvement for collisions caused by distracted drivers.
Car-to-Car Communication seems to be an almost reality, and the closest to being used in the newer cars today. Even with Cadillac Super Cruise, there has to be some form of sensing device to indicate how close the vehicle is to others. This technology seems to be developing quickly, and even many cars that have come out in recent years, possess a device or system similar to this. Just look at park assist technology: the vehicle's sensing systems, are aware of how close you are to other objects, allowing it to inform you when this becomes a hazard.
My thoughts on the flying automobile is that they can become dangerous to everyone involved. Take offs could be messy, and there is always the chance of something failing while in flight. If there is a back up plan for failure, or any other safety precautions, then I would say that it is a good idea, as long as the plan is well thought out for the safety of it's passengers. Some benefits of having an automobile that can travel by land and air would include: faster travel over long distances, also, the ability to fly over bodies of water that may cause an unnecessary dent in your travels. Disadvantages of the flying automobile would be the safety issues that come along with the invention. Any air born malfunctions that could cause major injuries, or even death, are huge disadvantages of the device, that cannot be taken lightly.
I feel the Next-Gen Active Safety Features will have the biggest impact on society. Almost 100% of vehicle accidents occur because of distractions. With this feature, any interruptions can be cut off when in stressful situations. This way, when you are driving in heavy traffic, and your stress levels increase, the sensors will notice. For your safety, and those around you, the car's system will hold calls, and turn any other disturbances to a minimum. This will impact the way people drive, and be an extreme improvement for collisions caused by distracted drivers.
Car-to-Car Communication seems to be an almost reality, and the closest to being used in the newer cars today. Even with Cadillac Super Cruise, there has to be some form of sensing device to indicate how close the vehicle is to others. This technology seems to be developing quickly, and even many cars that have come out in recent years, possess a device or system similar to this. Just look at park assist technology: the vehicle's sensing systems, are aware of how close you are to other objects, allowing it to inform you when this becomes a hazard.
I think Ford's "Driver Workload Estimator" with it's bio-metric sensing system could help keep drivers and their passengers safer by avoiding distractions that may effect their driving ability. The technology will eliminate any disturbances that could possibly become dangerous for other drivers, or passengers in the vehicle. As well, the system will be aware of how the driver is feelings, and would have the ability to help them through situations that they may feel helpless in.
Regarding the idea of a self-driving automobile (or autonomous automobile), I would have to say I stand on the position of the "experience". Sure, a car that drives itself could be helpful for those who live busy lives, and may not have the time to do tasks such as driving, but there is always that issue involving technology: it does not always work the way we plan. To me, spending your hard earned money on something that isn't necessarily useful, is pointless. Yet, it could be a useful gadget for others. I think you should be given the choice of which you want to drive. If the technology behind the self-driving cars are so advanced, then it should not be a problem to develop them to know how to share the roads with human controlled vehicles as well.
Tech for the Sake of Tech?
I did find it surprising that younger people did not care about having smart phone connectivity options in their automobiles. This is shocking to me because as a generation that revolves around availability and technology, you would think the efficiency provided by these resources would be astonishing in their eyes. I feel like my generation would love this option. As we are known for always having our noses stuck in our phones, it seems like we would enjoy these options to their greatest extent. It would be a very beneficial source, being able to use our phones, without the dangers that come along with the actual thing. As well, the ability to cut off connection when needed seems to be a option that could benefit many.
The other technologies mentioned in the article to me, do help address the dangers of distracted driving, but in a way, it does make it easier for drivers to take more risks. Knowing that the technology will help you be aware of near objects, and will actually take over for you in some cases, almost seems like an invitation to drive distractedly. Yet, it could be a very beneficial aspect to many of whom are maybe unable to keep focused, or have too many distractions. The way I see it, if you are distracted to a point where you are unable to focus on your driving abilities, then you probably should not be driving in the first place.
When I consider drivers I know, like family and friends, I would have to say new technological features are not the most important aspect when considering a vehicle to purchase. Especially with my family, who must travel back and forth every morning for work, their biggest concern is gas mileage, and how well the car is going to drive. My parents particularly, have terrible luck with cars, and how well they run before something goes wrong, so this is more of a concern for them. These other features that are added are not a major priority, but a bonus feature, to sort of add to the experience. They are not a requirement to my family or friends when purchasing vehicles, and I believe it would not be one for me either.
One new technological feature that I would like to have, or would look for, when purchasing my own automobile would be Bluetooth connectivity. This would be an important addition for me because if something were to happen to someone in my family, or there was something urgent that I needed to be aware of, it would be helpful to not worry about the distraction of my cellphone. This way, I could continue to drive safely, while continuing the conversation. As a very curious person, I feel the need to know as much information about a situation as possible, so with this feature, I could do so, without endangering any lives, including my own.
A new feature that was introduced in 1939, the first air conditioning system, is one that some automobile operators may have seen as unnecessary in the past. Enjoying the freedom feeling of having the windows rolled down, and a cool breeze flowing in, was probably one of the main concerns of drivers then. When the air conditioning system was first introduced, it is my opinion that many people may have believed there was no point to the feature, when they already have windows. Although, eventually, as times changed, and days where a cool breeze may have been too warm, or in places where the dust was too much to keep the windows down had passed, they would have seen the true purpose behind such a feature.
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