Smart Cars to Enter Auto Market

Carmina (as this system is known) not only informs the driver about the intensity of traffic, the weather, parking places or gas stations, but also chooses the optimal route with account to roads and traffic flows (поток). All information is illumined on a liquid-crystal screen positioned on the dash board. For example, on the map of Paris and the Ile-de-France district (район Парижа) different colors are used to designate “unloading” routes, bottlenecks (сужение дороги) and repair works, as well as sectors which are closed for passage. The colors continually change, reflecting the changing traffic conditions.

You Don't Have to Know French

Before switching on the guidance system which “speaks” five languages, one needs to feed all information about the city and the streets of departure and destination into the computer. Following this, a white arrow appears on the screen, pointing to the initial position, the name of the next street and the distance to it. The driver also constantly sees the arrow indicating the general direction of movement and the distance remaining in the trip.

If you listen to music, the FM program will be periodically interrupted by a voice telling you: “Turn right in 200 meters” or “Head (двигайтесь) for exit three from the square.” If the address of the point of departure (пункт отправления) has been fed incorrectly, it will take the system not more than three minutes to find its bearings (местонахождение) relative to one of the four GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites, correct the error and establish the real whereabouts (местонахождение) with an accuracy of several tens of meters.

But if you miss the turn in ten to fifteen seconds a new route will be offered to you – the shortest and the least difficult. It is also presumed that Carmina will learn to appraise the time needed for the trip.

In Paris and Ile-de-France the system works thanks to magnetic sensors positioned under the roadbed (near traffic lights): every five seconds they transmit to the traffic controller’s office information regarding traffic levels.

More Than Meets the Eye

At first glance, this car only differs from other Citroen XM models because of a laser ranger finder (лазерный определитель расстояния) built into the radiator grill and a small camera mounted above the inner rearview mirror. But if we take a look in the cabin, it will become clear that there are many more differences.

On the windshield there is a small superhigh frequency antenna. It transmits signals to road beacons which are currently being constructed. In the event of slippery road conditions the necessary information will be sent to the traffic controller who will then transmit warning signals to drivers approaching the dangerous sector.

In the event of highway driving the car is equipped with a “smart” (умный) speed regulator. This system switches on a laser range finder (which in the

future might be replaced by radar), as well as a computer and electronic control of the accelerator and brake pedals. If you decide to drive at 130 kph, the system will automatically make sure the distance between you and the car in front of you is not less than 54 meters (half a second in terms of time). If, for example, you have caught up with a motor vehicle driving at 120 kph the system will automatically reduce the distance to 54 meters.

Let us suppose that the driver is not too tired and possesses normal reaction skills. Then the programmed distance may be too large for him. After deciding to pass someone, he simply presses on the accelerator pedal and switches on the signal light. If he doesn’t turn on the signal the camera keeping track of lateral movements will warn him. It will make a sound resembling (напоминать) the friction of wheels on the rough surface of the breakdown lane (полоса). If the driver does not respond to the signal and the car drives beyond the limits of the white lines on the edges (обочина) of the road, the little motor built into the steering wheel column will readjust the steering wheel.

You drive off the highway to a secondary road where you are blinded by the headlights of cars moving in the opposite direction. Don’t worry, your car will switch on its infrared headlights and an infrared camera. You can then see the road on a small TV screen located right before you.

Mercedes Believes That Drivers Are a Remnant of the Past

Do drivers need all this information? Will such sophisticated equipment make cars too expensive? Perhaps it is better to spend this money on fighting speeders or drunk drivers.

And most importantly: won’t drivers loose their awareness (уверенность) on the road?

The Mercedes company is developing a robot which will be able to replace the driver altogether. Many designers are busy developing systems which would be able to analyze specific situations, read road signs, size up the situation at intersections (перекресток), and appraise the trajectory of near-by cars.