Using smartphones to prevent traffic jams

Paul Leroux

Smartphones and driving don’t mix, right? Normally, you would get no argument from me. Driving is the one activity where a half-second lapse in attention can translate into a lifetime of regret.

But you know, there’s more than one way to use a smartphone in a car. Take Honda, for example. They’ve been experimenting with an approach that may help prevent accidents, rather than cause them.

Let’s rewind a bit. A few months ago, I wrote a post on the potential benefits of adaptive cruise control. These benefits include a dramatic reduction of traffic congestion and safer distances between cars.

Well, guess what: it seems that a smartphone app can have much the same effect. Recently, Honda equipped a number of drivers with an app that monitors acceleration and deceleration. When a subject drives in a way that avoids causing a traffic jam, the app screen turns green; otherwise, it shows blue.

Simple enough, right? And yet, the results were dramatic: formation of traffic jams was delayed by up 6 minutes and fuel efficiency shot up by 22%. Not bad for a smartphone app.

I am, of course, skipping a few details. Read more about the study in Tech-On!, an outlet of Nikkei Business Publications.

Jamming on a theme of connectivity at Automotive Megatrends 2013

Justin Moon

"The only time I really don’t feel connected is when I am driving in my car.”

You can always tell you’ve had a successful conference if you come away with a few “ah ha” or “oh no” moments. The above quote, which I cannot take credit for, was my “ah ha” moment at Automotive Megatrends 2013. The conference saw leaders and forward thinkers in the automotive industry come together and discuss (or debate) three technology streams: powertrain, safety, and the stream I participated in, connectivity.

The day began with a panel discussing the Big Picture of in-vehicle connectivity. Five panelists presented their views on business model pros and cons, where connectivity is headed, how it could change consumer expectations, and steps for ensuring success. Following the panelists’ presentations, the floor was opened for questions and dialogue with the audience. It was a great introduction and it set the stage for the rest of the day.

After a brief “networking” break, a panel discussing hardware and the effects associated with connectivity began. The format continued as before: each panelist spoke on their area of interest or expertise, then the audience joined the conversation. I was intrigued by the state of persistent storage in infotainment systems, including the problems and potential solutions for maintaining performance and reliability.

Lunch was just as engaging as the panels and discussions. I participated in a lively table-wide discussion with several analysts and industry thinkers on how the connection in my vehicle needs to become a seamless part of my lifestyle, just like my smartphone or the connected entertainment equipment in my home. This discussion was a great lead-in to the panel I had the pleasure of participating in — Software and Apps.

Clearing a path
The panel followed the same format as the others. Panelists discussed the role of the software platform and where application models fit into the future of the connected vehicle. One engaging panelist, after a rousing lunch discussion, explored how ubiquitous connectivity will clear a path for bigger possibilities with ecological initiatives, safety strategies, and making the vehicle a part of the connected lifestyle consumers already relate to and expect.

The final panel of the day was about wireless networks and had some industry big thinkers jam about infrastructure requirements, futures, and business models.

All in all, my experience at Automotive Megatrends was very positive and I look forward to doing it again next year.

Meet the QNX concept team: Alex James, software engineer

We continue our spotlight on the QNX concept development team with Alex James, who gives us his impressions of the Bentley and the buzz at 2013 CES.

Besides attending CES, Alex worked on the latest QNX technology concept car from conception to launch — an amazing experience for any software engineer.

Working with bleeding-edge technologies sometimes brings unexpected challenges, along with interesting opportunities, as Alex discovered.

If you haven't had a chance to meet the other team members, you can read their stories here.

The challenge of creating an (auto)mobile user experience

On March 12, I had the honor of joining a distinguished group of panelists at a luncheon for the Los Angeles Motor Press Guild. The panelists included:

• Michelle Avary — director of technology strategy, HARMAN International
• Henry Bzeih — head of Kia’s North American Infotainment Technology & Business Unit
• Jim Pisz — corporate manager of North American business strategy, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A.
• Wayne Ward — vice president of emerging solutions, Sprint Nextel
• Andrew Poliak (myself) — director of automotive business development, QNX Software Systems

The purpose of the panel was to share information on trends in the connected car space and in the automotive application ecosystem. The panel was well attended, with journalists from publications like the New York Times, and with representatives from companies like Alpine, Beats by Dr. Dre, Hyundai, and Toyota.

Two things stood out for me. First, the press really picked up on the need for solutions that can offer ease of use, upgradeability, and reliability while also reducing distraction and liability. Second, an expert witness hired by car companies to testify in Lemon Law suits told the panel that he was already being hired to provide testimony in cases involving in-vehicle electronics. He speculated that the technology described on the panel was going to “make him rich.”

His comments help illustrate a point. A car isn’t a mobile phone. OEMs and end-users may want the same kind of fresh and updateable experience that a phone can provide, but unlike a phone, an in-car infotainment system must be simple to use even while you’re driving down the highway. Such systems offer the ideal environment for a hard real-time OS that can also enable the latest consumer technologies and applications in a reliable and easy-to-use way.

Jim Pisz mentioned a sign he saw at the Geneva Motor Show. The sign said “Don’t Worry, Be Appy.” That sign makes me realize that the industry is at a crossroads. OEMs want access to consumer app developers and, in some cases, the apps themselves. At the same time they want a reliable solution that they won’t have to “worry” about. With QNX’s pedigree of reliability and amazing app ecosystem, we are uniquely positioned to help OEMs build “appy” cars, without the worry.

Traveling on reserve power

Or how a new kind of electro-mobility can be fun. A guest post from Thomas Fleischmann of Elektrobit Automotive.

Thomas Fleishmann

Imagine you are always driving on reserve power. You find this difficult? Get used to it — and welcome to the new era of electro-mobility! Vehicles like the Chevy Volt, with its secondary combustion engine, are already addressing this challenge — but having to support two types of driving technology can be challenging and costly.

So how can electro-mobility, which is supported by software, be implemented meaningfully? And how do we get drivers to accept it? Certainly not by abandoning the driver with nothing but a nicely animated display of the car’s battery condition.

Let's assume you live in a big city. You don’t even own a car. Instead, you subscribe to a certain number of hours of travel time with your favorite car brand. In addition to your S or XL subscription for four weeks a year, you get access to a fossil-fuel engine for your vacation in another state or country twice a year.

In the morning you find and reserve a car with your BlackBerry phone and get into it at a nearby charge-point. The HMI adapts to your profile settings automatically — your friends, contacts, addresses, and music are already there. The navigation system is your energy consultant; it tells you, based on traffic conditions and topography, how far you can drive with this car and, at the appropriate time, suggests an available electric socket within easy reach. Or the system warns you to turn back soon if you want to arrive home safely. After parking the car successfully, your smartphone guides you for the last few kilometers by bus or subway to your destination — it knows the way and easily adopts the data of your navigation system.

Using software solutions like EB GUIDE or EB street director and frameworks like the QNX CAR application platform you can concentrate on creating the end-user experience and transform the journey on reserve power into something fun and convenient — suddenly an electric vehicle becomes a smart mobility concept.

Check this out; I fried it last week. The yellow center represents the area in which you can drive and go back home. The white area represents the range you can drive, depending on traffic or topography:

---

Thomas Fleischmann is Senior Product Manager at Elektrobit Automotive responsible for the HMI solution EB GUIDE. Contact him at Thomas.Fleischmann@elektrobit.com.

Fortune Profiles QNX Software Systems

In the latest issue of Fortune magazine, Kurt Wagner takes a look at the history of QNX and specifically highlights our leadership in the automotive industry. In the article, Kurt mentions the automotive companies we are working with — including Audi, Toyota, BMW, Porsche, Honda and more — and also provides a look at the technology concept car we unveiled at CES 2013, based on a Bentley Continental GTC.

To quote Kurt, “…the $191,000 luxury vehicle quickly became a must-see attraction, not for its curvaceous sheet metal but for its futuristic dashboard inside, featuring a massive 17-inch touchscreen, 3-D maps, even videoconferencing.”

You can read the full article in the April 8 issue of Fortune or on the web here (requires a subscription). Want to see more of this gorgeous technology concept car? Go behind the scenes and take a full tour.

Cab Enclosures - Useful Info

Cab enclosures are exclusive components intended for protecting little taxis such as Application Process Automobiles (UTVs) and All-Terrain Automobiles (ATVs). In most situations, such little vehicles are produced without rooftops. Their front areas can only be protected with high quality enclosures which are normally bought in a different way.

Cab enclosures display in a wide range of kinds, designs. Many of them have special brandnames. They are usually created of powerful set and nasty components. Some of them are also created of nasty and rubberized components. Many of them come with nasty windscreens and other improvements. They can quickly be set on a cab. There are also some of them that are metallic qualities. Such kinds are basically developed for high-level security.

There are several benefits connected to the cab includes. In the first position, they create sure sufficient security of the little vehicles. They create sure such vehicles are secured from exterior causes such as rainfall, sunshine, warm, decay and so on. They also secure travelers that get into such vehicles. Actually the little taxis are never intended for long traveling requirements. They are only developed for brief traveling. They are used for offerring travelers from one brief location to the other. They are also used for holding products from position to position. The enclosures set on top of the vehicles basically create sure sufficient protection of travelers and the products as they are communicated from position to position.

Moreover, the enclosures are also intended to secure little vehicles and the travelers from severe varying climate circumstances. Once they are set, travelers can panel the taxis both during stormy and dry season. They can be secured from large rainfall fall while driving in any of the vehicles. They can also be secured from struggling unwanted warm during excessive hot varying climate circumstances. Baggage and every other product on the vehicles can also be secured once the enclosures are effectively set.

To get high quality can enclosures, one needs to create proper queries. There are several companies that offer such automobile products on-line. Several manufacturers of enclosures are now on sale. It's important you consider the product of your little automobile when looking for the best product. You similarly need to consider the size of the automobile and the stage of security you want. In most situations, the cab includes are very simple to come by. They are quite cost-effective. They are also very simple to sustain. They can quickly be cleaned, applied, dusted or refined.