A new driver-assistance system in the works by BMW means older drivers won't have to hang up their keys -- or their independence
Posted 06.04.2009 at 11:51 am
7 Comments
BMW's Emergency Stop Assistance System
BMW's emergency stop assistance system detects a driver's serious medical problem, carries out a controlled emergency stop and calls for help.
BMW Group
A new autonomous vehicle-control system on the BMW drawing board could prolong drivers' lives behind the wheel, without sacrificing their own and others' safety. That's good news for elderly drivers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports crash fatalities among drivers over the age of 70 fell 21 percent between 1997 and 2006, despite a 10 percent increase in that population. The decline is likely due to elderly drivers self-limiting their driving. But hanging up their keys means a loss of independence and lower quality of life for older drivers -- especially in rural areas. This new system could give that independence back.
BMW's Emergency Stop Assistant system (now in development) detects when a driver is stricken by a serious medical problem, or otherwise loses motor control, and automatically activates an autonomous driving mode. The system flicks the hazard warning lights on and then maneuvers to the outer edge of the roadway -- accounting for the traffic around it -- before stopping entirely. At the same time, BMW's ConnectedDrive telematics system sends out an emergency call with data on the location and the driver's condition. The emergency stop system employs such existing assistance technologies as lane departure warning and active cruise control, which use sensors and software to detect other vehicles and objects on the road, and in some cases apply the brakes.
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Cars, Mike Spinelli, automobiles, autonomous intelligent systems, bmw, concept carsBMW officials say the emergency stop assistant will also aid younger drivers with maladies like diabetes and heart disease, and will initially be of best use on highways, where driving and roadway variables are fewest. The Emergency Stop Assistant is part of an ongoing research project, “SmartSenior - intelligent services for senior citizens” by Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
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And pretty soon cars will be able to read your alcohol levels by your breath and you won't even be able to shift from park if your above the legal limit.
Actually, they already have those. But the problem is you gotta buy some attachment that you plug into your car. So cars don't come with it yet,and it might be a long while till people accept those in their cars. Yes it is a safety precaution, but people are careless.
It'd be awesome if they were manditory and if you were uncapable of driving, then the car would give them some pre-programmed (by the owner) options of phone numbers to call for a ride or something. The car calls up your aquaintance or relative at 5 in the morning and drunk dialing becomes a factor in the national death toll.*
*disclaimer
(For those of you who don't appreciate my smart-assy-ness, I appologize.)
Yeah,those "anti-drunk driving" sniffers are really great.Tennessee made me put one in my car after my ninth DWI.They thought they had me under control but I fooled them,by God.I would still go to my favorite watering hole every night and get splashed.When it came time to wobble,zig and zag my way home,I just had one of my non- drinking friends blow in the device for me and I was on my way.Rather renders the device worse than useless,doesn't it?
The above is totally fictional.I just chose that method of illustrating the fact that there is always a way around restrictions if you want to find one bad enough.Yeah,I know,thats tottaly off topic but the conversation was heading in that direction anyway.
On topic,how many old people do you know who could be helped by a "self-driving" Beemer can actually afford what will turn out to be a $75,000 car?Not very many I bet and you can be sure ain't anybody going to be handing them out.
very few people can afford a beemer, even one without all the fancy stuff. so this invention is pretty useless for now. as for the drunk driving, why not just put the alcohol detector on the steering wheel, make sure whoever is driving isn't drunk by testing their sweat or something...
This looks interesting, but as much as bad drivers can be scary, a computer taking over your driving could be just as scary.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnymorgan
green cars running off the electromagnetic induction of a 'hot' flexible coiled wire (continuous electromagnet) in the center of each traffic lane in all roads would eliminate the need for fuel and could even be the power lines you now see hanging along roads saving space. Same tech that wireless chargers now use, but for your car!