News Report

“Technology's next frontier: In-car computing”
Brandon Griggs, CNN
Jan, 2009
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/01/09/ces.cars.computers/index.html

Car companies are now attempting to become more technologically advanced by adding built-in parts that a person would normally see on a computer. When most people think of this, GPS systems or Onstar is automatically thought of; but now foreign and American companies are “upping the ante.” A few of the new technologies added are road sensors monitored by satellite to warn the driver if they are drifting out of a lane, heat- sensors for pedestrian detection, and an in-car entertainment system that recieves twenty-two television channels. The most discussed and newest information techology in this field is the dashboard computer. This fully-functional computer is being released by Ford and is actually built into the dashboard of the vehicle. The computer has a fully funtional keyboard, a monitor, and has internet capabilities.
I think this the advancement of technologies in the new cars is a good idea because I feel that cars today should be as advanced as everything thing else in our everyday lives. I think the the drift warning and the pedestrian heat sensor ideas are great to make the road a little safer for everyone. As for the dashboard computer and the satellite television stations, I have some concerns with. Many states have already banned the used of cell phones on the road and I think placing an Internet capable computer in the dashboard would be more of a distraction for the driver. This could result in even more unsafe driving. I feel if the computer is not meant for the driver to use while driving or if it is only for the passengers, it should not be in the dashboard. But I also don’t know where else an in-car computer would be built into.