PCs for the car. The next step up in the evolution of the computer.
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abcnews.go.com
PCs for the Dash
The AutoPC fits into your dashboard, where
the stereo deck normally goes. (ABCNEWS)
By Michael Martinez
ABCNEWS.com
First there were radios. Then eight-tracks, then
cassette decks. It took a while to make a CD
player that wouldn't skip on a speed bump, but
we now have those too. So what else do you
need for your car?
Well, how about a personal computer? Already on the
market, car PCs are scheduled to be included on some
luxury models as early as 2000. Their effect on highway
safety, however, is still a big question.
The latest high-tech toy for car owners is Clarion's
AutoPC, which is based on Microsoft's Auto PC
technology. Microsoft created a stripped-down version of
its Windows CE operating system for the prototype.
Clarion and other manufacturers are building the actual
computers.
Hands on the Wheel
The AutoPC fits into your dashboard, where the stereo
deck normally goes. But in addition to controlling your
audio system, Clarion's unit — which went on sale in
December — offers optional wireless e-mail reception,
GPS navigation and directions, and an address book. It
synchs up with your Windows CE handheld device, and
it's all voice activated, so you can keep your hands on the
wheel.
And, naturally, it's a lot more expensive than a car
radio. The system is expected to retail anywhere from
$1,400 to $1,700, depending on options. Clarion is in
negotiations with several luxury automakers to install the
AutoPC in new models as a factory-installed option.
But Will Men Ask a PC for Directions?
Microsoft project manager Perry Lee says the AutoPC is
safe to use on the road. Controlled either by a radio-like
set of knobs or by voice recognition, the computer
doesn't require drivers to do anything complex that would
keep their eyes off the road. Forthcoming versions will
allow the AutoPC to synch with a cell phone, allowing for
hands-free dialing and calls.
“We think this adds a real benefit by letting the driver
do the things he or she needs to do, but still keep both
hands on the wheel and be safe,” Lee says.
Using voice commands, the driver can get directions
from a CD-ROM street directory, adjust the volume of
the radio, switch music CDs, and create and save a voice
memo. Attached to the roof near the rear-view mirror, the
microphone picked up Lee's voice in a demonstration
even with the stereo up.
The AutoPC, however, is less functional than a
palmtop. For one, the optional e-mail is reception-only.
You can receive messages and have the computer read
them to you, but you can't reply. The CD-ROM-based
street directory will require periodic updates to account
for new construction.
More Toys, Less Attention
But not everyone is convinced that even voice-activated
car toys are safe. Many high-end automobiles now feature
GPS and cellular-based navigation systems, and
according to Gerald Donaldson, senior research director
for Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety in
Washington, D.C., many of them require too much
attention from the driver. Donaldson cited a University of
Toronto study that found cell-phone users had an equally
increased chance of accident whether they were actually
holding the phone or using a hands-free cradle.
“It's really not so much the lack of vision or having
both hands on the wheel,” Donaldson says. “It's that these
devices are diverting cognitive processing from driving.”
Even the AutoPC, with its strict voice commands, may
require too much out of the driver. The driver must
remember and repeat each command in a string to
accomplish a task. For example, a voice command string
to change to a preset radio station would go something
like: “AutoPC/radio/preset/four.”
Donaldson's group plans to ask Congress to enact
legislation that would disable distracting equipment while
the car is moving, or even in gear.
S U M M A R Y
A new personal
computer for
the car makes
driving more
fun … and
possibly more
dangerous.
“We think this
adds a real
benefit by
letting the
driver do the
things he or
she needs to
do, but still
keep both
hands on the
wheel and be
safe.”
Perry Lee,
Microsoft project
manager
The voice-activated
AutoPC can provide
wireless e-mail
reception, GPS
navigation and
directions, and an
address book.
(image.Credit)
RealVideo
(download RealPlayer)
“These devices
are diverting
cognitive
processing
from driving.”
Gerald Donaldson,
Advocates for Highway
and Auto Safety
Copyright ©1999 ABC News and Starwave Corporation.
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