Alan Mulally, Ford’s chief executive, said the company will produce a range of vehicles which can read motorist's twitter messages to them as they drive down the street.
Drivers may even be able to Tweet replies as the cars will feature voice recognition technology. But composing Tweets will not be possible on the first models, due out in the US later this year, because of safety fears.
However, Doug VanDagens, Ford's global director of connected services, said people currently read Twitter feeds while they are driving anyway, and the new system would increase road safety by enabling motorists to keep both hands on the wheel.US Road safety group the AAA warned that the new technology could put lives at risk. "The more things that are going on in a vehicle, the more things can distract a driver," a spokeswoman said. "You only have so much attention to give, and we really want everyone to keep their attention on the roadway for safety reasons."
"We take what people do – they talk on the phone, they fumble with mp3 players, they look at maps. We take these activities and make them safer," he said.
The tweeter function is part of Ford’s plan to connect cars to the internet. Ford said drivers will also be able to stream music live from Panadora, a website similar to Last.fm.
The technology, developed in partnership with Microsoft, works by connecting an on-board computer to a mobile phone with 3G internet browsing capabilities.
In a speech at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas said the technology, called Sync, is designed to allow drivers to attend to their social lives, "all while keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel."
*The story above appears on telegraph.co.uk and can be found here.
Ahhh - Competing activities! GPS systems are already in cars and HD radio gives us more choices than ever before. According to a ABCNEWS.com pole while 69% of Americans are ready to ban handsets in the car, 71% feel that hands free sets should be allowed.
ReplyDeleteI think the question that Ford will have to answer next will be does this device lower the driver's risk of an accident (as opposed to their using their hand held device).
It looks like GM might beat them to the punch by incorporating tweets into their OnStar feature which users already potentially have in their cars: http://www.gearlive.com/news/article/q109-exclusive-twitter-integration-coming-to-onstar/
I don't think this will really lower the driver's risk of an accident. In theory it sounds great, but I think it just creates MORE competing activities.
ReplyDeleteNow you can listen to your tweets, text your friends, set your GPS to where you're going and oh yeah, drive!
I remember a few years ago, someone did a study with the hands free sets. You are just as distracted using the hands free set as you are holding the phone. So those don't really help, it's the conversation that is distracting you.
I wonder if there will ever be something installed in the car that blocks cell signals when the car is in drive to keep people from the insane amount of multitasking that is being done while driving a several thousand pound vehicle that can run into things and cause injuries!
I see someone is trying to keep up with the digital age. Although I think Ford may get younger audiences interested, I don't think the tweeter will be a must have for someone who's older or who doesn't tweet. I think this tweet sytsem will still distract you because as all technology something happens where it may not work or it has problems understanding you, in which leads to more distraction and frustration.
ReplyDeleteIn this world of automation, I myself hate it. They never understand a word I say, and so I wonder how and what technology would they make to assure you get the best use out of the tweeter. I may be wrong about this being another distraction or somthing that is not so important or maybe I just don't know because I don't tweet:)
Again i feel as though the real problem is our nations fast paced lives. People are so obcessed with not wasting time that they are willing to be distracted. Its sad to say, but if my car could read my twitter to me i would be in heaven. i actually agree with the article because it would help me refrain from trying to read them on my phone. for example my moms car has hands free dial that connceted to your phone by bluetooh! and when she first got it i believed it was going to be a distraction, but now i love to use it when i borrow her car! i mean think of when cell phone used to be CAR PHONES!! im sure the same controversy (over saftey) took place! people adjust and learn to multitask as tecnology advances! i think at first it may be a problem, but people will learn to love and use it safely! we are a nation of people unwilling to wast time or loose connections/communications just because we are driving. to us there are not enough minuets in the day for us to complet work and still have time for fun, family and friends. any usable 10 mins is a time that could be sepen catchin up with friends..or what have you... ok sorry i rambled!
ReplyDelete