| In 2005 we saw some new innovations in robotics | | | | steering will, while checking the next lane for |
| used in transportation. We saw disputes erupt | | | | traffic in the case of a slower vehicle in your |
| with Rail Road Unions over locomotives, which do | | | | lane.In 2006 we will see the military seek |
| not need conductors. We have seen more and | | | | assistance with linking up entire convoys of |
| more telematic type information and | | | | vehicles with no drivers in any of the vehicles. We |
| communication, which flows between over the | | | | will see automotive engineers talk about |
| road trucks and dispatchers via satellite. We have | | | | programmable GPS systems which will not only |
| seen new mechanisms that dispatchers can use | | | | show you your destination on a map, but drive |
| to track shipments within meters of their location, | | | | you there, find a parking spot and parallel park |
| even completely shut down trucks, which have | | | | your car, without running a red light, breaking the |
| been hijacked.Then we watched the DARPA | | | | speed limit or flipping off other drivers along the |
| Grand Challenge with driverless totally | | | | way, while you read your newspaper, watch the |
| autonomous vehicles navigate steep cliffs, tunnels | | | | news and take a few phone calls. Think I am |
| and treacherous desert roads full of obstacles on | | | | kidding, I am not, this is the next step and in |
| a course over 200 miles long and still average | | | | 2006 this is what the automotive engineers will be |
| speeds of nearly 35 mph. In 2005 we saw ads on | | | | working on, so think about it, as in four or five |
| Television for new cars which can avoid collisions, | | | | years it will be a reality.Lance Winslow - Online |
| detect stopped traffic ahead, even tug on the | | | | Think Tank forum board. |
| shoulder harness and let of the gas, nudge the | | | | |