Cool new technology!
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From: Ohio
Cool new technology!
One of my biggest pet peeves is people "multitasking" while driving, whether that be talking on the cell phone (#1 on the list), or eating a burger, reading a magazine, or putting on make up.
This technology sounds like a great way to 'wake up' the morons... the down side is that it may make people feel it is 'safe' to act like a moron now.
A second pet-peeve is people not using their turn-signals, so this could help get people in the habbit of using them too!
Anyway, interesting stuff:
This technology sounds like a great way to 'wake up' the morons... the down side is that it may make people feel it is 'safe' to act like a moron now.
A second pet-peeve is people not using their turn-signals, so this could help get people in the habbit of using them too!
Anyway, interesting stuff:
from The Car Connection
Infiniti First To Put Lane Departure Warnings Into Vehicles
Nissan's Infiniti division this year will be the first U.S. company to offer lane departure warning systems, which use technology that could dramatically cut down on one of the leading causes of highway traffic accidents and could offset the growing concern that drivers have too many distractions from cell phones and entertainment systems.
The device, which warns the driver if the vehicle leaves a lane without engaging the turn signal, is part of a growing number of systems, supported by a mandate by the Department of Transportation project, expected to hit the market this decade aimed at helping or forcing drivers to perform better behind the wheel and avoid crashes.
The system, developed by Iteris Inc. uses a small camera mounted to the backside of the rearview mirror that tracks the white lines on the road. It is designed to work only at highway speeds above 45 miles per hour. If the vehicle changes lanes and the turn signal is not on, a lighted icon appears on the instrument panel and a loud beep signals the driver.
The Department of Transportation says 55 percent of fatal accidents are caused by unintended lane departure. In 2002, the most recent year of statistics available, there were more than six million vehicle crashes in the U.S., causing over 42,000 fatalities, nearly three million injuries and more than $230 million in property damage.
Driver distraction, inattention, and drowsiness lead the causes of such accidents.
The Department of Transportation has supported development of the Iteris system through its "Intelligent Vehicle Initiative," a series of studies seeking improvements in technology, regulation and transportation infrastructure. A study examining lane departure and driver distraction will conclude this year. Most carmakers, including Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and Honda are all looking at such lane departure warning systems, but they haven't announced launch plans yet.
Infiniti, as well as Jaguar, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz on some models offer "adaptive cruise control" that automatically controls braking and acceleration to maintain a safe gap between the vehicle and the one ahead.
Other, more intrusive systems are in the works. Nissan, Ford, and other manufacturers, for example, are even testing in-cabin cameras that monitor a driver's eye movement and position to help determine if the driver is attentive when an event like an unintended lane departure takes place. In such a case of lane departure, torque and brake pressure would be applied to the wheels to get the car back in the correct lane if, for example, the driver is dozing.
While the intent of all the new technology seems noble, scientists studying the effect on the driver say going slower is better. Some critics say in-vehicle multi-tasking on cell-phones, DVD players, voice-activated e-mail and Internet services are all distracting drivers from focusing on the job of driving a two-ton vehicle. -Jim Burt
Infiniti First To Put Lane Departure Warnings Into Vehicles
Nissan's Infiniti division this year will be the first U.S. company to offer lane departure warning systems, which use technology that could dramatically cut down on one of the leading causes of highway traffic accidents and could offset the growing concern that drivers have too many distractions from cell phones and entertainment systems.
The device, which warns the driver if the vehicle leaves a lane without engaging the turn signal, is part of a growing number of systems, supported by a mandate by the Department of Transportation project, expected to hit the market this decade aimed at helping or forcing drivers to perform better behind the wheel and avoid crashes.
The system, developed by Iteris Inc. uses a small camera mounted to the backside of the rearview mirror that tracks the white lines on the road. It is designed to work only at highway speeds above 45 miles per hour. If the vehicle changes lanes and the turn signal is not on, a lighted icon appears on the instrument panel and a loud beep signals the driver.
The Department of Transportation says 55 percent of fatal accidents are caused by unintended lane departure. In 2002, the most recent year of statistics available, there were more than six million vehicle crashes in the U.S., causing over 42,000 fatalities, nearly three million injuries and more than $230 million in property damage.
Driver distraction, inattention, and drowsiness lead the causes of such accidents.
The Department of Transportation has supported development of the Iteris system through its "Intelligent Vehicle Initiative," a series of studies seeking improvements in technology, regulation and transportation infrastructure. A study examining lane departure and driver distraction will conclude this year. Most carmakers, including Ford, DaimlerChrysler, and Honda are all looking at such lane departure warning systems, but they haven't announced launch plans yet.
Infiniti, as well as Jaguar, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz on some models offer "adaptive cruise control" that automatically controls braking and acceleration to maintain a safe gap between the vehicle and the one ahead.
Other, more intrusive systems are in the works. Nissan, Ford, and other manufacturers, for example, are even testing in-cabin cameras that monitor a driver's eye movement and position to help determine if the driver is attentive when an event like an unintended lane departure takes place. In such a case of lane departure, torque and brake pressure would be applied to the wheels to get the car back in the correct lane if, for example, the driver is dozing.
While the intent of all the new technology seems noble, scientists studying the effect on the driver say going slower is better. Some critics say in-vehicle multi-tasking on cell-phones, DVD players, voice-activated e-mail and Internet services are all distracting drivers from focusing on the job of driving a two-ton vehicle. -Jim Burt
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Cold A$$ Minnesota
I don’t see this helping at all. This is what I see happening, the person is not paying attention (either on purpose or buy accident), car starts to drift, beep goes off, by the time the person reacts its too late. The only time it will help is if the person is paying attention and has time to react, but if they are paying attention, they shouldn’t need this device. This may work, if the person starts to doze off then the beep may wake them up, but the story didn’t say that’s what this new device is for (but the Ford one does).
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From: Ohio
Originally posted by jawzforlife
I don’t see this helping at all. This is what I see happening, the person is not paying attention (either on purpose or buy accident), car starts to drift, beep goes off, by the time the person reacts its too late. The only time it will help is if the person is paying attention and has time to react, but if they are paying attention, they shouldn’t need this device. This may work, if the person starts to doze off then the beep may wake them up, but the story didn’t say that’s what this new device is for (but the Ford one does).
I don’t see this helping at all. This is what I see happening, the person is not paying attention (either on purpose or buy accident), car starts to drift, beep goes off, by the time the person reacts its too late. The only time it will help is if the person is paying attention and has time to react, but if they are paying attention, they shouldn’t need this device. This may work, if the person starts to doze off then the beep may wake them up, but the story didn’t say that’s what this new device is for (but the Ford one does).
Or, the beep may cause a "knee-jerk" reaction to leaving the lane, causing the driver to over-correct and cause an accident that way too...
Still, I can see the potential good that can come of this....
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Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Arlington, Texas
Yeah, but it makes you wonder just how dumbed down they need to make cars for people. People already have a system like that in their cars...their eyes! But sure, when you're busy putting on your make up, or yacking on the phone when you have a green....thats the real problem. We have the same peeves it would seem.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: South Bend, Indiana
Great idea. Even if it makes a small impact on the stats, its worth it....We've all felt tired behind the wheel. I'm sure this will really help out the people when they feel like dozing off, and do by accident, this would be a nice 'alarm' for them.
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Cold A$$ Minnesota
Originally posted by Meccadeth
Great idea. Even if it makes a small impact on the stats, its worth it....
We've all felt tired behind the wheel. I'm sure this will really help out the people when they feel like dozing off, and do by accident, this would be a nice 'alarm' for them.
Great idea. Even if it makes a small impact on the stats, its worth it....We've all felt tired behind the wheel. I'm sure this will really help out the people when they feel like dozing off, and do by accident, this would be a nice 'alarm' for them.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,180
From: Yadkinville, NC USA
Lemme kill this idea for you...
You are driving down a 2-lane with no shoulder (maybe it's grass or there's a guardrail really close to the lane for example) and someone in front of you has a tire blow out or spilled coffee on themselves and are trying to pull over in a rush - but they can't get COMPLETELY out of your lane.
Right now, I make the judgement whether to cross the line with my left-side tires and keep moving, or to hit the brakes and steer left as we stop together.
The system that was just spelled out for me is going to BEEP the chit out of me, and potentially activate torque and brake systems to try to KEEP ME IN THE CURRENT LANE - despite my input to go elsewhere.
Look out dude in front of me... here I come as a passenger in the driver's seat of my own car.
Thanks, but no thanks, at least to the responsive parts of the system. Now if they can develop a passive system that simply beeps me if I nod off for a few seconds - great. But don't start programming the car to take control away from me. I don't think any programmer in the world could prepare perfect code to overcome all the variations and possibilities that arise on the roads today.
You are driving down a 2-lane with no shoulder (maybe it's grass or there's a guardrail really close to the lane for example) and someone in front of you has a tire blow out or spilled coffee on themselves and are trying to pull over in a rush - but they can't get COMPLETELY out of your lane.
Right now, I make the judgement whether to cross the line with my left-side tires and keep moving, or to hit the brakes and steer left as we stop together.
The system that was just spelled out for me is going to BEEP the chit out of me, and potentially activate torque and brake systems to try to KEEP ME IN THE CURRENT LANE - despite my input to go elsewhere.
Look out dude in front of me... here I come as a passenger in the driver's seat of my own car.
Thanks, but no thanks, at least to the responsive parts of the system. Now if they can develop a passive system that simply beeps me if I nod off for a few seconds - great. But don't start programming the car to take control away from me. I don't think any programmer in the world could prepare perfect code to overcome all the variations and possibilities that arise on the roads today.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: South Bend, Indiana
Originally posted by jawzforlife
But now more people are going to try to drive sleepy (when the wouldn't have before) and the buzzer might not save them in enough time. Thats where the problem is. If your sleepy you shoudn't be driving, weither you have a buzzer or not.
But now more people are going to try to drive sleepy (when the wouldn't have before) and the buzzer might not save them in enough time. Thats where the problem is. If your sleepy you shoudn't be driving, weither you have a buzzer or not.
And I doubt this is going to cause many more people to drive sleepy, if it does, it would likely be offset by the number of lives its saving by waking them up.
I also agree that the system should be passive. (unless it can detect a disaster in front of you, which would be REALLY impressive).
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Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Cold A$$ Minnesota
Originally posted by poSSum
Have stat's not shown that all the advances in safety are basically cancelled out by the resultant willingness to take greater risks?
Have stat's not shown that all the advances in safety are basically cancelled out by the resultant willingness to take greater risks?
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From: The Golden State
So does this mean that when one of those people who think turn signals are optional on freeways changes lanes, the car will make annoying beeps?
If so, I say make these things mandatory on everything!
If so, I say make these things mandatory on everything!
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From: Ohio
Originally posted by guionM
So does this mean that when one of those people who think turn signals are optional on freeways changes lanes, the car will make annoying beeps?
If so, I say make these things mandatory on everything!
So does this mean that when one of those people who think turn signals are optional on freeways changes lanes, the car will make annoying beeps?
If so, I say make these things mandatory on everything!
I figured this to be why it addressed Pet-Peeve #2 of mine!
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Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 1,873
From: South Jersey
Great. Something else in life to beep at me.
I think I only use my signals about half the time because they seem to more like "speed up and close up the hole and block me in my lane" signals rather than turn signals.
At any rate, I can see the first lawsuit now... "your beep wasn't loud enough to wake me up.."
I think I only use my signals about half the time because they seem to more like "speed up and close up the hole and block me in my lane" signals rather than turn signals.
At any rate, I can see the first lawsuit now... "your beep wasn't loud enough to wake me up.."
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Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Albany, NY
Re: Cool new technology!
Originally posted by Darth Xed
One of my biggest pet peeves is people "multitasking" while driving, whether that be talking on the cell phone (#1 on the list), or eating a burger, reading a magazine, or putting on make up.
One of my biggest pet peeves is people "multitasking" while driving, whether that be talking on the cell phone (#1 on the list), or eating a burger, reading a magazine, or putting on make up.
at least when you're on the phone you can see the road. I lay on the horn anytime I see someone reading and driving.