It won't be long before our cars drive themselves at the rate things are going.Fifteen years back, this stuff was only seen in Star Trek. Now, we've got cars that can help you drive safely, correct skids, warn you of impending collisions and even help you to steer properly in the case of a loss of control. Others have lights that point, brakes that dry themselves and even keys that you don't need to remove from your pocket. But what's really neat is the cars that talk to their drivers- or that let their drivers talk to them.
Taking this one step further is General Motors- who is set to demonstrate its new Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) technology next week in New Jersey. V2V will allow cars to electronically talk to one another.The carmaker says their system gives cars a sixth sense, allowing them the ability to monitor traffic movement of other vehicles up to a quarter mile away. With a computer chip and GPS technology, the system can alert drivers of impending danger up the road. Visual alerts are used, as is a vibrating seat mechanism and audible chimes. Should the driver not react on time, the vehicle can bring itself to a complete stop. The technology also simplifies the variety of sensors, radar and camera equipment which are currently needed to operate "instantaneous traffic intelligence" systems from other automakers, GM says.
photo: General Motors