How Car Connectivity Enhances On-Road Safety and Convenience
Over the past three decades, the spread of the Internet has radically changed the world and everything it touches, including the automotive industry. Vehicle network connectivity features have changed the way we live, work and drive. Connected cars today have the power of 20 PCs and contain more than 100 million lines of code that can process up to 25 gigabytes of data per hour, and it is estimated that by 2021, there will be more than 380 million connected vehicles on the road[1].
Do you drive a connected car? If you don’t know, you’re not alone. According to a recent study by Kantar[2], 47 percent of respondents didn’t realize their vehicle included features that classified it as a connected car. Many other car owners were not aware the technology existed, while those who were aware either didn’t trust the technology or see how it could benefit their everyday lives. Connected cars and the Internet of Things A connected car is a vehicle that is connected to the internet via a mobile data stream. This allows the car to connect and ‘talk’ to other devices,
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, commonly referred to as BMW is a German multinational company which produces automobiles and motorcycles. Automobiles which is our focus today are marketed under the brands BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce while motorcycles are marketed under the brand BMW Motorrad. The BMW models are fascinating and comes in different series. I have never owned one but have been privileged to drive one and must confess it is a delight to own. However, this piece is not about the aesthetics of the BMW brand or as we would refer, about the BMW machine for those who are speed freaks but about how in the month of October which just ended , BMW became synonymous with deaths. Within the month, two separate road traffic crashes occurred in two different states killing a total of six females and one male rider.
I know there were several other crashes that occurredacrossthecountryinthemonthofOctober; some minor and others fatal but I have chosen to highlight these two tragedies that I hope would provide grounds for us to take necessary caution as we enter November before the heightened motorization in December. The first crash occurred in Jos, the Plateau State capital while the second crash occurred at Uselu along the busy Benin-Lagos highway. Both crashes were fatal. The first claimed the lives of two while the second according to reports claimed the lives of four children of the same parents; all victims were females except for such as smartphones, inside and outside the vehicle. Technology is already being tested that enables connected cars to communicate with other vehicles on the road, like ambulances, as well as with infrastructure, like traffic lights, helping drivers avoid accidents, traffic jams and other slow-downs.
Connected cars are part of a bigger technology trend called the Internet of Things, which is the connection of everyday devices via the internet.
These smart devices are everywhere, from refrigerators that can tell people when they’re running low on milk and automatically order more to mirrors that can give weather and news updates while people brush their teeth.
“Connectivity has been a key enabler for automakers like Ford to offer a greater level of comfort, convenience and safety to car owners,” said Kuda Takura, Smart Mobility Specialist at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa. “As the technology progresses, we can expect a future with an all-encompassing ecosystem of interconnected devices and infrastructure, which will have a significant impact on the way we interact with the world around us.” the seventh who was the rider of the tricycle in Jos.
Let me start with the crash which occurred in Jos, the Plateau state capital. According to reports, a young girl who was in her sophomore year at the University of Jos, studying Statistics boarded a tricycle with her friend who was also in her final year on their way to church. What was supposed to be a harmless journey in a tricycle, turned out to be a tragedy when a drunk guy driving a BMW, left his lane, climbed the road barricade, hit the tricycle commonly called ‘keke’ in which the two undergraduates travelled in, and somersaulted three times. The drunk driver whose birthday was on Sunday confessed to be drunk after celebrating overnight.
The report has it that the driver survived the crash but the keke rider died on the spot while the two undergraduates who were still alive were rushed to a nearby hospital where they were rejected for failure to produce a police report. Although they were rushed to another hospital, both died before medical help could be given, having missed their golden hour.
The second crash occurred on a Saturday along the busyUselu/LagosExpresswayclosetothetraditional ground in Egor Local Government area of Edo State. Report equally has it that a fast moving BMW car crushed four children of the same parents while crossing the road on an errand. Although another report claims three were of the same parent while one was a friend who accompanied them on the errand, I would rather stay away from the controversies and focus on the issues surrounding the crash.
Without attempting to pre-empt the crash investigation outcomes, I would for now focus on two critical issues involved in the two crashes that has left tears and mourning. Both crashes like I said earlier involved BMW cars. The brand in itself does not have any mechanical deficiency rather we are concerned with misuse of this global brand. Both reports and eye witnesses claim both drivers were speeding. In the case of the Jos crash, the driver confessed to have taken a bottle too many; meaning we are on the surface looking at driving under the influence and excessive speeding as possibilities. There is also the tragedy of the rejection of the victims by a hospital on the grounds that a Police report must first be presented which I hope to handle subsequently.
Let me start with drinking/drugs driving. Driving is a serious occupation which demands total concentration. It is said to be the most dangerous of all human activities…A recent WHO studies shows that 40 to 60 percent of all injury deaths are attributed to violence. This is particularly so for traffic accident involving alcohol. ALCOHOL misuse is usually on the high side this season. So too is drugs, whether legal or illegal. But do you know that an estimated 25% of those who drive after drinking get involved in accidents which are alcohol induced and that the chances of you being involved in an accident are multiplied 10times and that such Accident could be fatal depending on the level of alcohol. Like alcohol, drugs affect your driving behavior and can lead to some of the following individually, or in combination: slower reactions, which can make you react incorrectly, poor concentration and confused thinking.
An unconcentrated driver, is like a mad man with a sharp knife who knows who his next victim will be.Adrugged driver is over confident and has distorted perception of the event and situations around him. He is at risk of taking unnecessary risks which can expose him to unimaginable danger. He also has poor coordination, lacks the composure to put him together in an emergency situation. He is restive and erratic, unable to be in control of his actions as he loses his composure, sometimes feigning ignorance and showing arrogance at the same time.
He also has blurred vision, dizziness and severe fatigue. Drugs and alcohol therefore increases the chancesofroadcrashesbutalsotheirfatalitieswhich was the case with the Jos driver who was driving under the influence and probably speeding above the limit.