Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Souped Up Mods for a Souped Up Vehicle?

Posted by Cliff on from the as-if-the-driver-needed-more-distractions dept.

carambola5 asks: "Because we all know the world needs more inattentive drivers... I am a member of the champion UW-Madison FutureTruck team, which was the subject of this Slashdot report from June. Well, we're gearing up for next year and I'm on the sub-group that puts in all the cool interior stuff. Besides the Clarion joyride unit already in there, we're looking for other ideas (for example: a CF card that could act as both a key and remote access device for use in a handheld). What kind of little toys would you want in a car?"

9 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. Smart-Card or CF Card by man_ls · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I like that idea very much. A CF-card that contains a file, encrypted of course, that is read by the engine computer and enables a "start" button on the dash.

    More high-tech than a key, and probably more secure too.

    1. Re:Smart-Card or CF Card by hitzroth · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Mercedes does something very like this. A little key-fob like thing that opens door locks, lets you start the car etc. Since you can stuff a lot of data on a CF card of reasonable size, why not have it carry all kinds of electronic data. Say, chair and mirror position, radio presets, destinations for the GPS... Or just use a smart-card to do the simple function of unlocking the car and activating settings. Or even integrate it into the key like GM did with that resistor security thing a few years back.

      The other big thing I want (besides the parking solution in my other post -- which I solve by taking the bus) is an auto-pilot function. I know it's already being worked on but being able to plug a destination into my GPS dohickey and sit back and relax until I get where I want to go, and to be able to do it whenever I want would be great.

      I've heard civil engineer friends say that traffic jams and slowdowns happen even when a road is at a quarter of its capacity. It seems to me this is because people generally aren't very good drivers (me, too; that's another reason I take the bus) and panic at things that wouldn't be a threat to a better trained driver. If we can't get better trainded drivers, how 'bout better behaved cars?

      --
      In mathematics, one does not understand things, one merely gets used to them.
      --VonNeumann
  2. Direction Finder by grent246 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I want a device to track my car down when I cant remember where I parked it in a large parking complex. Possibly a gps location sent to mobile phone though that relies on owner carrying an accurate GPS and phone. In my ideal world it would be a small device which triggers an ultrasonic or other beacon. The device can then act like a compass and points towards the car.

  3. A Gravel Cannon for Tailgaters by SN74S181 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I remember reading a few years back in a tech journal column about a guy who had installed a 'gravel cannon' in the trunk of his car. All it would do is spill out a little bit of gravel under driver control when someone was tailgating him. I've often thought such a feature would be a good thing, if done in such a way that it could seem like regular gravel off the road spraying upward. Just a rock or two. Voila. We'd all know who the obnoxious tailgaters were by their chipped windshield.

    An alternative would be a brake fluid squirter. It would just spray out little droplets of brake fluid once in awhile. Hey, brake fluid is an ordinary hazard of the road (also, it dissolves paint on cars) and if tailgaiters end up having the shittiest paint job on the road, that's their problem. Various other ordinary automotive fluids could be dispersed as well. Key is for it to be something that's ordinarily in the car. Acetone wouldn't seem innocent enough.

    1. Re:A Gravel Cannon for Tailgaters by wiretrip · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I always thought that one of those LED message boards (as seen in shops etc.) and a proximity sensor whould make a fine tailgater-scarer. You could get it to flash up 'Police - Stop' or something if they got too close (better switch it off if being followed by real police though). Actually you could get it to display any choice message you felt like.
      The same idea could be used to fire up the brake/hazard lights instead. (We aren't allowed cannons/guns in the UK). :-)

  4. ideas in the making by carambola5 · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Seeing as I didn't have much room to put all our current ideas in the submission, here's what's been thought up so far:
    • Automated Distance Closure Braking System: Basically, if something's coming close at either sudden acceleration or high velocity, the braking system will automatically engage.
    • CF Ignition: Not only could the car start up via CF card, but other features could be included. ie: Driving style data logged to the card for future use (mashing the gas pedal/seat position/etc); Remote access via PDA that would allow GPS locating or remote starting. Privacy concerns with this would require that only the last person who used the car could do this.
    • Heads up display: Cool stuff. Nuff said.
    That last one was suggested to me after I posted and hasn't really been brought up with the other guys yet. Anything else you'd like to see in this prototype? I mean, if we build it, there's an outside chance it'll be implemented in most cars in the future.
    --
    IWARS.
    People, in general, disappoint me. Politicians even more so.
  5. A moving map monitor for passengers by faster · · Score: 3, Interesting

    No more "are we there yet?"

  6. Wish list by mosch · · Score: 4, Interesting
    In addition to wanting more legroom (I'm 6'5"), I'd like to see tivo-esque functionality in my radio, and a way to snag mp3s off my home network wirelessly from my garage... Better GPS systems, that integrate with local traffic forecasts would be very sweet.

    Other than that, most of the things I'd like (driver adjustable suspension and engine tuning, clutch superchargers and distance-based cruise control come to mind) already exist, just not in anything I drive.

  7. heads up dsiplay by cpex · · Score: 4, Interesting
    I know I saw something back in the early 90's on a show called 2000 or something like that a car that used radar to track cars and on a heads up display it would draw a box around the car and outline the lanes on the road for foggy or other hazardous driving conditions. Combine that with your speed, rpm, temperature (engine, outside, iinside) maybe a translucent rearview image, translucent map with driving directions(GPS) let you choose a few engine sensor to display with all controls on the sterring wheel (imagine saying hey I think I want to tweak my air fuel ratio beep-beep. Of course you hsould be able to turn all these off and on at will so you can choose exactly what you want displayed on your HUD at any time

    i was really bored at work so i did a quick workup in ps what is could be like here