On Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 9:05 AM, Snyder, Mark (IT CIV) <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > They will start out with huge safety advantages and convenience (eat > breakfast or nap while the car drives itself). (Please read the article > before commenting. It is speculative by necessity, but the ideas it > raises are interesting.)
Afraid I don't have time to read the article now, but I have a pet fantasy that some day cars will draw power directly from the highway in a manner not unlike the "trackless trolleys" of yore, except that the "wire" would be somehow embedded in the road rather than overhead. As part of this, control of the vehicle would, for the most part, be taken over by a system that combines overall management of the vehicles on the road with autonomous features that keep the car centered over the power source and at a minimum distance from other cars fore and aft. This would solve all sorts of problems, such as traffic jams, high-speed collisions, and the need for cars to carry all their power on board either as fuel or as a enormous battery charge. As I see it, such a car would be owner-driven except when on the highway. This way, the motorist could potentially enjoy all the testosterone-driven thrills associated with today's model, but would also enjoy improved safety, reduced insurance costs, and an enjoyable commute during which they might be able to achieve some objective other than transportation. ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
