Intel Electric Cars: Connected, Auto Pilot, Smart enough to take-over Driver

Sure, Intel wants to plant a chip in your head by 2020, so why cant they build a car that is smarter than its driver?

Intel is building the car at its research headquarters which would record Car’s dynamic characteristics like speed, steering and braking along with video footage from inside and outside the vehicle and then like it opr not, will send the data to police and insurance companies in the event of an accident making it easier to determine the cause of car crashes and identify the person responsible.

Apart from the objectional side, Intel is building the technology that will transform cars into smart vehicles that use AI to detect dangers on the road their criticality and even Override the Driver in case of Risky driving. The cars will also be able to track the location of surrounding vehicles and alert drivers if they get too close or try to change lanes when another vehicle is in their blind spot. Using the LED rear and head lights found in most modern cars, the car is able to track the location of other vehicles and display them on a satellite navigation map.

The concept is not new, its been there for a decade, but Intel could be the first one to make it commercial by developing cars that are permanently connected to the internet and vehicles talk to each other over wireless connections thereby smelling dangers and take appropriate actions on both parties.

Taking it further, camera systems can recogonise street signs, consider the situation and take a smart move e.g. it can take over control of a car if the motorist tries to drive the wrong way up a one-way street, or tries to drive fast on a hilly road that has lower speed limit. If you think the drivers are the sole beneficiaries, you are  probably wrong. Onboard sensors will also be able to detect pot holes in the road and report their location to road maintenance authorities as the car is moving.

In addition, Motorists will also be able to use their mobile phone or computer lock and unlock their car remotely, turn on the alarm and even start the engine to warm it up in the morning.

When ?

No doubt, we’ve seen so many of such projects failing in the past. Will this one work? If yes, How soon can we see them on roads?

Intel has been in discussions with car manufacturers about putting the technology into new vehicles. Justin Ratner, the director of Intel Laboratories and chief technology officer, said:

“We are looking at a whole range of enhancements that will improve the driving experience, safety and security of vehicles.The intelligent vehicle is what we are talking about here. Once a car is connected, more or less on a continuous basis, all sorts of interesting possibilities present themselves. We have talked to highway maintenance departments about using sensors that are already in cars to report the GPS coordinates for pot holes in the road to the maintenance department.”

“Insurance companies are always looking at new in car technology. A system like this could certainly help speed up the process of determining the cause and responsibility of an accident. Any system would have to not increase the cost of repairing vehicles though, to ensure that motorists see a fall in their insurance bills.”

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