<![CDATA[Jalopnik: talking cars]]> http://cache.gawker.com/assets/base/img/thumbs140x140/jalopnik.com.png <![CDATA[Jalopnik: talking cars]]> http://jalopnik.com/tag/talking cars http://jalopnik.com/tag/talking cars <![CDATA[ Researchers Looking To Make KITT More Than A Hasselhoff Fantasy ]]> Scientists and researchers at Stanford must have quite the fascination with David Hasselhoff and his KITT because they are working on making the talking-car technology a reality. The lead on this team, Clifford Nass, says that a more intelligent car that knows about the driver and communicates with the driver can help provide a safer and more engaging driving experience.

He continues to give examples of how his talking car concepts would help drivers:

  • Depressed drivers drive better when their car reacts as if it too is depressed
  • Cars that speak in complex sentences tend to make you pay attention, rather than zoning out
  • Older drivers prefer younger voices
  • Drivers feel closer to the computer if they believe it's embedded in the car, rather than a remote device.

The one downside is that this technology could provide more information to insurers than you would want. As long as you don't get a lot of tickets or get into wrecks the insurers don't need to know you drive like a bat out of hell, but this technology could make that happen. [Physorg via Giz]

]]> Jalopnik-388534 Thu, 08 May 2008 13:40:00 EDT Travis Hudson http://jalopnik.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=388534&view=rss&microfeed=true