Over the next decade-plus, the nation’s fleet of cars could be connected to each other by Wi-Fi network technology, according to a presentation by Ford’s Chief Technology Officer Paul Mascarenas.
And, no, this doesn’t mean your car would be able to Tweet a flirtatious hello to that cute convertible in an adjacent lane or check Chevrolet’s Facebook page to see what its Corvette friends are doing.
Rather, Wi-Fi-enabled vehicles would be able to communicate vital real-time information with one another to help reduce traffic congestion and avoid accidents.
A vehicle slamming on the brakes because of a sudden traffic blockage could warn cars in its wake and have them prime the brakes for a sudden stop, or tell vehicles a mile or so back to seek an alternate route.
Mascarenas says an extended auto-based Wi-Fi network could eventually help motorists locate and reserve parking spaces in garages and pay tolls remotely, among other functions.
– Jim Gorzelany, CTW Features