A car that calls all the shots
Cars have got more up their sleeves than ever before. Ones that unlock themselves when you approach, ones that remind you to stick on your belt, and even ones that call the emergency services when you’ve been pranged. Who’s in charge of who here?
And here’s another. The car that parks itself.
BMW and Toyota have really put in the hours and that’s no exaggeration. Once you’ve found an elusive parking spot, this piece of machinery does the rest for you. All that’s down to you is the simple matter of a brake pedal. So sit back and enjoy. http://auto.howstuffworks.com/self-parking-car.htm
Volvo have chucked their hat into the ring too with a self-braking car. Competition is fierce out there.
www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/releases/2007/collision_warning.shtml
But for some car manufacturers it’s all or nothing. ‘All’ being a car that pushes you to one side and drives itself from A to B.www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jan/16/comment.automotive
Take the likes of VW. Their prototype set of wheels combine sat nav and radar sensors to steer round obstacles. Impressive enough right? It’s just getting it to obey the rules of the road that’s the problem. But surely it’s matter of time until someone comes across that missing piece of the jigsaw. VW say give it 10 years. We say you’re on.
It’s not as simple as modifying the car though. As you know things never come easy in the world of technology. Road systems will need a once over too. Seems like the whole project is a tall order. But these people thrive on that sort of thing.
If you want to jump on the self-drive car bandwagon you could become:
- A mechanical engineer or automotive engineer in the automotive industry, working on both the car and engine design
- A materials engineer determines the best materials to use for safety and efficiency
- A computer or software designers producing the main computer that will operate the car
- An auto electrician fitting the complicated electronic systems needed to control a self-drive car
- A textile designer creating fabrics for the car interior
- A marketing manager promoting the manufacturer’s new self drive car
- A public relations officer building trust in self-drive vehicles
- A transport planner redesigning road systems for self-drive vehicles
- A civil servants advising the Government on transport policy