Lane Change Technology
My Honda Odyssey doesn’t really have a blind spot, but I do have to look just a little farther back to make sure things are clear to the left or right before changing lanes. On an errand last Thursday that had two sources of distraction in the car, I misjudged and was instantly greeted with a blaring horn and some rather creative finger gestures from the angry soul in the next lane.
As it turns out there are some devices that can help out on vehicles where this kind of thing becomes a problem. One, Drivaware’s LaneFX, connects a vehicle’s turn signals and power mirrors so the mirrors move to cover the blind spot. It’ll set you back $197 and require professional installation, but it’s still a heck of an idea.
Valeo Raytheon makes a Lane Change Assistance system involving two radar sensors linked to LED warning lights in the rear-view mirrors. When a vehicle moves into the blind spot, you get a warning light. (According to the company website this technology will be appearing in new car models “in the near future.”)
I got lucky, nothing happened but a blaring horn and a rude gesture, but if this kind of thing were readily available as an automotive option, I’d shell out the extra bucks for it. Remember the old show “The Six Million Dollar Man?” The show began with the announcer intoning, “We have the technology . . . ”
So do we, and we should be using it.