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Ford Demonstrates Networked Cars
An anonymous reader writes "Ford is touring U.S. cities demonstrating a technology that appears to closely resemble a private dynamic network among multiple cars. The cars connect to each other via short-range Wi-Fi (which actually has a reach of half a mile) and enables vehicles to exchange location and movement data. Being aware of each other's location and movement direction enables them to help drivers avoid collisions, especially in situations where obstacles cannot be identified fast enough. The technology could be available for consumers as soon as 2013."
Not only that, but you'll be aware of the people spoofing police in order to get everyone else out of their way.
Will we be able to use this to be aware of police within a half mile radius?
No, but they will probably be aware of you and your data (including speed and how far you've travel over the last X minutes).
Make sure you install a HOSTS file, then the police won't ever be able to install malware in your car!!!
"City hall" in German is "Rathaus" Kinda explains a few things......
Why are we waiting for Ford to build these kinds of systems?
What do you need? A radio? A computer? A display?
Sounds like an android app. Then I can use it in any car.
On the other hand, if the cars know where they are, there's no reason for people to be driving, and thus no legitimate reason for any absolute speed limits to exist.
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yeah, I know the lead car will take a huge hit in miles/km per gallon/liter but still, you see where I'm going.
Actually, it won't. Unless the rear cars shut off their engines and physically connect up to the lead car, it can even make the lead car more efficient.
Spoilers on cars (not ricer 6 foot high plywood ones, but the little lip molded into the trunk lid) improve fuel efficiency by breaking up the vacuum behind the car with turbulence. The alternative is the vacuum tries to suck the car backwards.
If another car is 2 feet behind you, powering itself into your vacuum, then the compression of air in front of it will balance the vacuum behind yours, and completely eliminate this drag. Then you'll only have to work against the compression at the front of the lead car, and the vacuum behind the last one.
Certainly the middle cars benefit the most in improved fuel efficiency, and the front car the least, (the rear one is in between these for improvement) but everybody in the line should see improved efficiency to some degree.
"City hall" in German is "Rathaus" Kinda explains a few things......
There are several cars on my street that have wi-fi. Whenever they go buy, it impacts the signal. now it's just a couple of cars, but what about when its 30 cars, most of which will be on the same channel? Or hundreds of cars going buy n the free way?
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