The use of computers and software has allowed automakers to give their cars all sorts of features no one could have imagined way back in the 1960s or even ‘70s.
The Ford Sync is one major example. Same with OnStar from General Motors.
Entertainment is a whole lot better. Witness the Acura Link which includes surround sound as well as real time traffic and weather information and navigation. Screens actually show local weather radar and three-day forecasts.
Sirius Backseat TV, which is offered on the Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Caravan, includes two screens and receives three channels of kids’ programming. And Audiovox, a company that makes aftermarket audio and video products, has enhanced its line to include Satellite TV.
Lexus has a navigation system that can be controlled via casual speech. No specific wording necessary here. And soon AT&T will be introducing its CruiseCast, 22 TV and 20 radio channels.
Our take? We bet that there will be a time when our cars will not have steering wheels. We simply offer voice commands for every function from opening and closing the doors, turning on the air conditioner/heater, working the infotainment system, starting and stopping the car and letting the car drive us to a destination the route to which is calculated by the car itself. We just sit back and read the newspaper or watch the entertainment portion of the infotainment system. The days of hearing, “Are we there yet?” will be left on the trash heap of history.