Connected car: 'Knight Rider' meet George Jetson

DOT

The idea of the smart car moves into the mainstream.

By Rob Lovitt, msnbc.com contributor

Are we there yet?

The answer from a surprising source can come in the near future: your car.

Previously the province of cheesy shows of of TV - Ah, "Knight Rider," we knew hardly moves into the mainstream you - and a handful of luxury cars, the idea of the smart car.

"There are a lot of interest from all sections of the community," said Wes Sherwood, spokeswoman for the Ford Motor Company, "entrepreneur, politician, and the general public – people begin to get their heads around this."

Provides warnings, if you drift from your lane - so-called "connected car" in the position to each other and the surrounding infrastructure will "speak" or "This" is everything from advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) - in-car technology, which automatically adjusts your cruise control.

"Or ads available in high-end luxury cars, for years", said David Alexander, principal analyst, automotive technology, for ABI Research. "It is suddenly this year on a much wider range of cars always."

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz offers S-class technology, including blind spot detection and collision prevention help, this year vehicles of B-class.

Examples include the 2012 Ford focus, which features active parking support and 2012 Mercedes B-class vehicles, the S-class features, including blind angle detection and collision avoidance assistance will boast.

As such, systems will be more frequently, it systems (ITS), also play a role in the development of the intelligent transportation system in which cars are really communicating with other vehicles, traffic lights, crossings, etc..

Although practical systems for years are disabled, the technology will be tested. This month, the Department of transportation (DOT) leads to see clinics in six cities, as drivers in specially equipped cars to car alerts about possible collisions, "fail" alerts and other dangers to respond. The Agency is also a public meeting/Webinar on the subject in Chicago on August 2-3.

Long-term benefits could be considerable. "Connected vehicle technology has the potential to address 81 per cent of all unimpaired-driver-related crashes", Peter Appel, administrator of DOTs research and innovative technology administration, in a statement.

On the other hand leads the prospect of people, even less attention to the road than they now do their own risks. So as 4WD and other technologies driver have been unjustified faith in sketchy conditions, intelligent cars can stimulate more stupid behavior.

"The driver assistance systems, to help the driver", Alexander said. "they are looking for in a conversation with other cars, but they are not it allow the driver to text friends or find on his Facebook page." "This is always a chance."

That is another problem, of course quite, and one that require more intelligence than some drivers will bring up always in the position. In the meantime, there is somewhere between the winter tourists cars currently in development and a glorious future, Jetsonesque there is no doubt that the road ahead is a will be increasingly connected.

"If your smart car with smart company and intelligent infrastructure is connected," said Sherwood, "then you're dreaming begin a more efficient and more fun may become almost endless scenarios how you drive."

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Rob Lovitt is a travel writer, who still believes that the journey is as important as the goal. Follow him on Twitter.