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'Aware Car' knows when you're too old to drive
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greenfreak
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Member since 9/06 11483 total posts
Name:
greenfreak
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'Aware Car' knows when you're too old to drive
These are just excerpts, the full article is here: Wired News
"The car of tomorrow will make senior citizens better, safer drivers and let them know when they ought to hang up the keys for good. It also could tell the DMV.
Researchers at MIT's AgeLab are building the "Aware Car," a Volvo XC90 packed with cameras, monitors and sensors that keep tabs on drivers and their behavior to improve safety. The technology won't be ready for another 20 years -- but that's about the time the last of the Baby Boomers will have turned 65 and one in four drivers will be that age or older.
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The guys are AgeLab have outfitted the car with cameras and infrared sensors that observe a driver's eyes and eyelid movements. Start nodding off? The car will tell you to pull over and get some rest. Sensors in the center console monitor heart rate, blood pressure and respiration. Blood-sugar dips? The car will tell you to get a bite to eat. Still more sensors keep tabs on the car's speed and trajectory. A hard drive in the trunk collects and analyzes the data. The idea is to build a car that learns the drivers' habits, then reacts appropriately when the driver alters them.
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The Census Bureau predicts the number of people aged 65 and older will more than double, from 35.1 million to 86.7 million, between 2000 and 2050. According to a Government Accounting Office study released last year, drivers 65 to 74 are more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than all but the youngest drivers (16-24). Drivers older than 74 are the most likely to have a deadly accident. The report also notes older drivers increasingly will be exposed to crash risks because Boomer will, in all likelihood, drive more often -- and longer distances -- than their parents did."
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Posted 6/6/08 3:03 PM  |
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Juliet
Family is Complete!
Member since 5/05 5913 total posts
Name:
Juliet
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Re: 'Aware Car' knows when you're too old to drive
I wish they could do something like this to prevent drunk driving.
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| Posted 6/6/08 4:13 PM |
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HoneyBadger
YourWorstNightmare.
Member since 10/06 15979 total posts
Name:
BahBahBlackJeep
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Re: 'Aware Car' knows when you're too old to drive
Sounds a little too "big brother" like if you ask me.
Not to mention, how many senior citizens on a fixed income are going to be able to afford a 50K Volvo XC90?
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| Posted 6/6/08 4:17 PM |
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