Today the guy with the cell phone is the one causing
the traffic jams; tomorrow it may be the mobile Web
surfer. The new buzzname in the industry is "telematics."
General Motors' OnStar technology is already
boasting over 400,000 subscribers (see
www.onstar.com/ for details). OnStar offers full
cellular phone service, live technical support, and
access to the GPS (Global Positioning Satellite)
network for quick map directions no matter where you
are. OnStar subscribers even have the option of
calling for help if they lock their keys in the car;
the OnStar staff can transmit a code to the car to
unlock the doors. OnStar now offers full Net access,
including e-mail. Ford is answering with Wingcast (www.wingcastmobility.com/),
a partnership with Qualcomm that provides Net
access, voice, safety, and entertainment services to
users, along with services similar to those provided
by OnStar. Nissan is slated to offer Wingcast in
future autos, while Honda is going with OnStar.
Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler have both released demo
models with Internet access, but without the voice
recognition technology needed for hands-off
operation. Ford, Nissan, and GM have also released
demo cars with Net access. Nissan's Infiniti
division has released a concept car nicknamed "Else"
which showcases advanced mobile office technology,
incorporating an in-dash computer called AutoPC (an
offshoot of Microsoft's Win CE from Clarion -- visit
www.autopc.com/) which, through voice
activation, allows the driver to change the music,
receive e-mail alerts, dial a cell phone, get
directions to a location, or get weather info. Ford
has something similar on the demo floor. GM is
working with Sun, IBM, and Netscape to complete a
vehicle with complete Internet access, allowing the
driver to access e-mail or conduct Web searches with
voice commands, as well as incorporating DirecTV and
DirecPC satellite access. (Note: DirecPC users who
put a strain on its bandwidth may find their access
temporarily denied.) Some Jaguar owners have voice
control of their radios, climate control systems,
and cell phones. Intel has concocted the "Connected
Car PC," combining elements from all of the above.
Mercedes offers the S55 AMG, with a fold-down
laptop, printer, full videoconferencing gear, and
even a fridge. It's also touting road-monitoring
sensors that scan the road ahead for obstacles like
deer, construction cones, or in-laws; the option to
dodge or flatten said obstacles is yours. Some BMWs
now offer wireless Net connections, as do some GM
models. (GM also claims that all of its cars
will feature Internet access by 2004; this should
include the ability to access real-time stock quotes
and weather bulletins, along with e-mail and
eventually even access to your bank account.) New
"heads-up" technology, last seen in jet fighters,
will transform part of your windshield into a
monitor. Also available is digital audio broadcasts,
making it possible to listen to your favorite radio
stations even if you're across the country. Of
course there's Global Positioning System, or GPS,
navigation, which uses satellites to tell you just
where you are and how you can get here from there;
lots of folks are using this now. And for those of
you who rack up the frequent flier miles in Europe,
British Telecommunications and Excite UK are
bringing Internet access to Skyphones. You can surf,
check e-mail, and even buy books through Amazon.com
while flying the friendly skies. Right now use is
limited to 16 Euro-based airlines such as British
Airways and Singapore Airlines, but look for this
idea to catch on. Even now, kids in the back seats
of GM vans are playing Nintendo or watching movies
with inbuilt players. My suggestion: seriously
consider taking a defensive driving course. (You're
somewhat safer driving through Suffolk County, N.Y.,
Carteret, N.J., Marlboro, N.J., and Brooklyn
Heights, Ohio, as these towns and counties have made
the use of "telematics" illegal while the car is on
the road. Watch for this trend to continue; case in
point: New York State has passed a law mandating the
use of handsfree mobile phones.)
Latest off the test bench: fully wired automobiles
(download info on the Grand Canyon as you drive past
it, show your kids a movie, or surf the Net) that
monitor themselves and call for attention if
something shows signs of wear ("Dave, I think my fan
belt is beginning to go"), navigate and almost drive
themselves (GPS systems tell you where you are and
where you're going, while an array of sensors keeps
you from rearending the car in front of you or
running over a deer in the dark). The typical
dashboard we're familiar with -- steering wheel,
gauges, flashing lights -- may change into something
more Nintendo-like, with a joystick or set of
paddles replacing the wheel, and voice control
replacing many of the switches and levers ("Make it
cooler" or "Turn up the volume"). Sensors will even
determine if you're driving erratically and
compensate for your errors. Wow. Want a preview?
Test-drive the BMW 745i and prepare to be amazed.
Today the guy with the cell phone is the one causing
the traffic jams; tomorrow it may be the mobile Web
surfer. The new buzzname in the industry is "telematics."
General Motors' OnStar technology is already
boasting over 400,000 subscribers (see
www.onstar.com/ for details). OnStar offers full
cellular phone service, live technical support, and
access to the GPS (Global Positioning Satellite)
network for quick map directions no matter where you
are. OnStar subscribers even have the option of
calling for help if they lock their keys in the car;
the OnStar staff can transmit a code to the car to
unlock the doors. OnStar now offers full Net access,
including e-mail. Ford is answering with Wingcast (www.wingcastmobility.com/),
a partnership with Qualcomm that provides Net
access, voice, safety, and entertainment services to
users, along with services similar to those provided
by OnStar. Nissan is slated to offer Wingcast in
future autos, while Honda is going with OnStar.
Mercedes-Benz and Chrysler have both released demo
models with Internet access, but without the voice
recognition technology needed for hands-off
operation. Ford, Nissan, and GM have also released
demo cars with Net access. Nissan's Infiniti
division has released a concept car nicknamed "Else"
which showcases advanced mobile office technology,
incorporating an in-dash computer called AutoPC (an
offshoot of Microsoft's Win CE from Clarion -- visit
www.autopc.com/) which, through voice
activation, allows the driver to change the music,
receive e-mail alerts, dial a cell phone, get
directions to a location, or get weather info. Ford
has something similar on the demo floor. GM is
working with Sun, IBM, and Netscape to complete a
vehicle with complete Internet access, allowing the
driver to access e-mail or conduct Web searches with
voice commands, as well as incorporating DirecTV and
DirecPC satellite access. (Note: DirecPC users who
put a strain on its bandwidth may find their access
temporarily denied.) Some Jaguar owners have voice
control of their radios, climate control systems,
and cell phones. Intel has concocted the "Connected
Car PC," combining elements from all of the above.
Mercedes offers the S55 AMG, with a fold-down
laptop, printer, full videoconferencing gear, and
even a fridge. It's also touting road-monitoring
sensors that scan the road ahead for obstacles like
deer, construction cones, or in-laws; the option to
dodge or flatten said obstacles is yours. Some BMWs
now offer wireless Net connections, as do some GM
models. (GM also claims that all of its cars
will feature Internet access by 2004; this should
include the ability to access real-time stock quotes
and weather bulletins, along with e-mail and
eventually even access to your bank account.) New
"heads-up" technology, last seen in jet fighters,
will transform part of your windshield into a
monitor. Also available is digital audio broadcasts,
making it possible to listen to your favorite radio
stations even if you're across the country. Of
course there's Global Positioning System, or GPS,
navigation, which uses satellites to tell you just
where you are and how you can get here from there;
lots of folks are using this now. And for those of
you who rack up the frequent flier miles in Europe,
British Telecommunications and Excite UK are
bringing Internet access to Skyphones. You can surf,
check e-mail, and even buy books through Amazon.com
while flying the friendly skies. Right now use is
limited to 16 Euro-based airlines such as British
Airways and Singapore Airlines, but look for this
idea to catch on. Even now, kids in the back seats
of GM vans are playing Nintendo or watching movies
with inbuilt players. My suggestion: seriously
consider taking a defensive driving course. (You're
somewhat safer driving through Suffolk County, N.Y.,
Carteret, N.J., Marlboro, N.J., and Brooklyn
Heights, Ohio, as these towns and counties have made
the use of "telematics" illegal while the car is on
the road. Watch for this trend to continue; case in
point: New York State has passed a law mandating the
use of handsfree mobile phones.)