Wrong way detection? Uh, pass.
According to a post over at Engadget, Nissan is working on a system to keep drivers from going the wrong way. Using a cellular-connected GPS, the unit would warn the driver if they head off in the wrong direction as well as tell them as they’re approaching an area “prone to congestion.” Well, unless, the system takes over and drives the car, the fallacy of this approach is getting the driver to listen.
I don’t have a GPS, but that’s mainly because I, like most Texans, reject the proposition that I can get “lost” as long as I’m between the Red River and the Rio Grande. I do, however, commend to you the tale of a man I know — a well educated, astute fellow — who, several years ago on a trip to Europe, rented a vehicle with voice alerts and an early GPS. After arguing with the system for a couple of hours, to the amusement of his wife and son, he pulled over to the side of the road, disappeared under the dash for a few seconds, and then emerged with a fistful of wires. Problem solved. Silence achieved. He will assure you to this day it was worth every cent in damages he paid to the rental company.
I’ve written about a number of these automated systems that warn the driver about this or that — everything from night vision to gadgets that alert the driver when their attention wanders from the road. And I’m for all of them as long as the systems themselves do not become an annoying distraction. But wrong-way detection? It’s a car people, part of the joy of driving is occasionally taking the scenic route.