Smart Cars Net Wireless Users
By Elisa Batista
2:00 a.m. Apr. 19, 2001 PDT
SAN JOSE, California -- The wireless action America is waiting for may not be in the hand, but in the car.
Forget cell phones. Americans won't be using them to browse the Internet as Asians and Europeans do,
because that's what a desktop computer does best. Americans really want to surf the Web wirelessly in their
cars.
At least that's what Harel Kodesh, president and CEO of Wingcast, contends.
Kodesh, who was the keynote speaker at the M for Mobile conference and as you might have
guessed, heads a company that Web-enables cars, pointed out that 70 percent of mobile
phone calls are made from cars.
Americans spend more time commuting in their car than the rest of the world, so what better
place for Net access, right?
"Cellular engines are going to become as common as electrical motors," Kodesh said. "Car
services are the mobile platform of the century."
Kodesh admits his vision won't become a reality in the next few years because it requires
"deep cooperation with a car maker" to install the system. But what he's dreaming of is a car
that could pretty much do anything except drive for you.
Cars equipped with sensors and voice capabilities would talk to you and turn on most
features automatically, such as the windshield wipers when it rains. Kodesh showed a video
demonstrating that most of these capabilities are possible today.
According to the video, "John Mason" hops in his car and drives to work. "Good morning,
John," his car says. John asks his car and receives a traffic report, stock quotes and news --
verbally. The news is interrupted by a beep and reminder by the car, "Your 10 a.m. meeting
has been moved to 11 a.m."
"Great," responds John. He then asks for the nearest café. His car, of course, is gracious
enough to give him directions. The car also reminds him who's going to be at the 11 a.m.
meeting and the topic that will be discussed.
Cell phones do play a part in the movie, but only as a means of communication with the car.
John's cell phone beeps in the middle of his meeting and he receives a text message that his
car has been taken outside a parameter specified earlier by John. John calls his car and
alarms the driver, "Is this the valet?"
"Um, yeah." (At this point the conference audience howls.)
"OK."
John is connected every minute of the day, even when arranging his evening plans.
The Internet system in the car is completely voice-enabled, which Kodesh said could
eliminate the need for legislation prohibiting drivers from using their cell phones.
But challenges still loom even with today's sophisticated technology.
"All those (interactions) take away from available attention, so the service has to be
intelligent enough to delay services that may confuse the driver," Kodesh said.
At the conclusion of his presentation, one audience member asked Kodesh about people with
Web-enabled cars who prefer to seek help from people instead of cars, which is possible with
services like OnStar.
(OnStar customers can call in to live operators who give directions and even unlock car
doors when keys are left inside.)
Kodesh acknowledged that services like OnStar's would come in handy in an emergency.
Gurminder Singh, another conference attendee and president and CEO of NewsTakes, also
had reservations about voice-activated services. He finds them cumbersome to use and
prefers to speak to a person.
"It's frustrating when you spend a half hour to get information," Singh said.
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