In the first internet bubble there was a lot of talk about internet enabled domestic devices, but somehow the idea of a fridge that could order beer from Sainsburys before you ran out never really took off.
Fast forward to 2009 and BMW have launched their ConnectedDrive, which will be available as an option across the range for German customers. ConnectedDrive is tacked onto the iDrive interface, offering on board internet access for driving apps (mapping, tracking and roadside assistance). It also offers unfettered access to the internet, so you can poke your friends on facebook from a service station or search for Sushi as the charming euro ad above shows.
For safety’s sake you’ll have to be doing less than 3mph for the system to work in the driving seat, although rear seat passengers can use the service in full motion (see more about this in the “innovation lounge”). Critics have argued that this is an unnecessary distraction in the “ultimate driving machine” and that these kind of services can easily be accessed via your iphone or PDA.
Scientists have also been hard at work, with UCLA Engineering's Network Research Lab team, led by Mario Gerla and Giovanni Pauhave working on a system dubbed “CarTorrent”, after the popular filesharing service “BitTorrent”. This will allow cars within 300-1000 feet of each other to talk to each other simultaneously downloading information in the shape of road safety warnings, entertainment content and navigational tools. They say this system could be ready for the market in 2012, there’s more information on the Guardian website.
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