MARK McARDLE I TECH TALK
There are still big holes in plans for driverless car, but it’s full speed ahead when it comes to other auto tech
Road ahead is full of innovation in auto design world.
EVERYTHING SEEMS to be getting smarter. Actually, smarter isn’t the right word. Capable is the right word.
Technology is moving into new areas every day, and things that used to be pretty basic devices, like refrigerators, are now Internet-enabled and capable of sending us messages. Whether you like this or not is a different question.
Technology has long been a part of the automotive world. Cars are designed and built better and quicker because of advancements in technology, and cars have become more useful and safe because of new technologies like ABS, traction control and radar sensors.
This winter has been a very cold and snowy one. While there have been many accidents, there’s no doubt that many others were prevented by some of the smart technologies that help you control your car.
There has been some recent activity in a couple of areas related to automotive technology that may be coming to your next car. And Internet-giant Google is in the middle of both.
In January, at the annual Consumer Electronics Show, Google announced the Open Automotive Alliance. It’s a partnership between Google, Audi, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai and Nvidia.
According to the official announcement, the alliance is “a group of technology and automotive companies who have come together to bring the best of Android into the automobile in a safe and seamless way.”
It’s no secret that mobile technologies and automobiles pose some difficult challenges when used together, especially related to safety. Laws prohibiting the use of handheld mobile devices in a car are common, as are accidents caused by people distracted by their phones.
Google’s motivations are clear: broadening the use of its Android operating system.
Automotive manufacturers are eager to “Internet enable” their cars in a safe and well-integrated way. Today’s primarily Bluetooth-based connections between cars and mobile devices are improving, but there’s still a long way to go before it’s truly integrated.
Google is investing in building an automotive platform based on Android that will enable automakers and third-party app developers to build capabilities into the car that utilize mobile data.
It’s pretty safe to assume that voice recognition will be a vital component of this platform. It will go well beyond playing your favourite playlist.
It will also be important to bring government and safety organizations into the automotive alliance to ensure that road safety remains a primary focus.
The Android platform will need to enforce restrictions on driver involvement while the car is in motion, unless the interaction is done by voice.
Of course, in Cupertino, some very smart