Smart Car Technology Essay, Research Paper
Smart Car Technology
Answer A :
The TravTek navigationsystem is installed in 100 Oldsmobile Toronados, the
visual part of the system is a computer monitor. Through detailed colour maps,
it leads the driver through the town. The map changes all the time, cause a
computer connected to a navigation-satellite, and with a magnetic compass
installed, calculates the fastest or easiest way to your destination. When
yellow circles appear in a particular place on the screen, it means that there
is traffic jam here, or there has been an accident on the spot. The computer
receives this information from the Traffic Management Centre, and it quickly
points an alternative route out.
b: The driver interact with the system through the so called “touch screen”.
7000 buisnesses in the area are already listed in the computer, and you can
point out your destination by searching through a lot of menus until you find it,
or simply by typing the name of the street. when the place you want to go are
registered you push the make destination button, and the computer programmes a
route, the second after the route appears on the screen, while a voice explains
it to you through the loudspeaker.
c: The TravTek guides the driver through the traffic. The computer always knows
where you are, and the navigation system makes it impossible to get lost in the
traffic, unless you really want to, and deliberately make the wrong turns. It
also guides you past traffic jams and problems who might crop up around an
accident. In a town where you have never been, you will quickly be able to find
your way to hotels, restaurants, sports arenas, shops and much more, just by
looking through the various menus of the TravTek.
d: The text definitely prefers the accuracy of the computer to the insecurity
and misunderstandings who occur between two persons. The passage from line 54
and down clearly shows the point of view (quote): “…a guy on the gas station
who, asked for directions, drawls: “Bee Line Expressway? Ummmm. I think you go
up here about four miles and take a right, or maybe a left…”" The guy at the
gas station are described as the incompetent fool who actually have no idea
where he is himself… and his guidelines, insecure as they are already, will
probably also be very hard to remember because of Ummmm, I think, maybe and
or…
Answer B:
Japanese drivers can now find their way almost blindly, if they equip their cars
with a digital map, who shows the position of the car. Based on the position of
satellites, the position of the car is calculated by a small computer in the
receiver. The receiving set in the car is attached to a screen on the dashboard.
The screen can show a map of the entire Japan. The maps are delivered on four
laserdiscs, each showing a part of Japan. All road maps are in colours, and they
do not only show the network of roads. Restaurants and hotels are plot in as
well. A small shining dot shows the cars position on the map.
Answer C: Essay
Smart-car Technology In Denmark
The smart-car system is developed in USA and Japan. The system makes it almost
impossible to get lost, when you are travelling by car . One big question for
countries all over the rest of the world are: Will this kind of technology match
our needs too? Are we able to use this in action. It sounds great, but will it
give enough advantages compared to the price, and compared to other
possibilities of solving our traffical problems. This question will of course
also arise in Denmark. And what can this technology offer to improve in our
traffical situation. In America and Japan it is made to take care of:
Problems which appear when people have to find their way.
Traffic jams, by leading the cars on alternative routes Problems which appear in
connection with accidents
The three problems are very big in these large countries. In the big cities with
a population of several millions, it s very easy to get lost, also if you have
lived there for a long time. The city itself and the complicated network of
roads changes all the time, new buildings sprout up every day. The system who
can keep up with this development, is clearly an advantage. But what about
Denmark?
The road network in Denmark can not be compared to the American freeways at all.
Even I would be able to find my way from town to town, cause there are usually
not so many possibilities.
We do not have giant cities, Copenhagen is the largest and I admit that, it can
be big enough! especially to Jutlanders as my self…
But in the public transportation – network in Denmark is very adequate. No
matter where in the country, or in the cities for that matter, you are going,
you will be able to find a bus or a train to exactly that place. If we used the
great advantage we have got in this, it would also take care of a lot of other
problems. The main problem by driving your own car is: Parking. No matter how
many new car-parks build, a parking spot never is to be found. Build in a device
who could look up parking spots, and some people might see an advantage in it.
Basically I still see the public transportation as a much better solution though.
Concerning the accidents and traffic jams I see no problems in American scale
either. There are accidents and traffic jams on the Danish roads too, but the
queues coming with it are usually not so long that a detour pays.
In Denmark we also tries to create other ways to guide the drivers. An example
of this are changeable signs. On the express- and highways, for example the ones
leading to Aalborg, there are signs connected to the Traffic Information Centre,
they show how much waiting time there are if you choose to us the tunnel or the
bridge, which roads that are cut off, in which car-parks there are vacant spots
for parking…and so on – sort of a common TravTek. Another disadvantage that
comes with the TravTek, that is not mentioned in the text, is that the sattelite
reciever and the computer needs a lot of space in the car. I have seen one, and
it occupies most of the trunk in an ordinary car.
Bottom line: I consider the smart-car a great development for nations such as
USA, they will have great advantages of them, but for smaller countries as
Denmark I find that there are other things who offers a better solution.