ad info




CNN.com
 MAIN PAGE
 WORLD
 ASIANOW
 U.S.
 LOCAL
 POLITICS
 WEATHER
 BUSINESS
 SPORTS
 TECHNOLOGY
   computing
   personal technology
   space
 NATURE
 ENTERTAINMENT
 BOOKS
 TRAVEL
 FOOD
 HEALTH
 STYLE
 IN-DEPTH

 custom news
 Headline News brief
 daily almanac
 CNN networks
 CNN programs
 on-air transcripts
 news quiz

  CNN WEB SITES:
CNN Websites
 TIME INC. SITES:
 MORE SERVICES:
 video on demand
 video archive
 audio on demand
 news email services
 free email accounts
 desktop headlines
 pointcast
 pagenet

 DISCUSSION:
 message boards
 chat
 feedback

 SITE GUIDES:
 help
 contents
 search

 FASTER ACCESS:
 europe
 japan

 WEB SERVICES:
COMPUTING

From...
PC World

Car gadgets of the near future

September 21, 1999
Web posted at: 12:13 p.m. EDT (1613 GMT)

by James A. Martin
graphic
 ALSO:
Car Wars  

(IDG) -- Worried about driving at night? No problem: Keep your eyes on the zoom view of the road superimposed on your windshield.

Wondering what the kids are up to in the back seat? The rear-seat camera lets you monitor their mischief level on a small screen in the driver's instrument panel.

And why not keep the kids entertained so they won't stir up trouble? All you need is an in-car entertainment system, complete with VHS cassette player, TV screen, and Nintendo 64 game player.

These and other Jetson-like automobile accessories were unveiled recently by Visteon, a Ford Motors subsidiary specializing in high-tech systems for in-car safety, entertainment, and communications.
MORE COMPUTING INTELLIGENCE
IDG.net   IDG.net home page
  PC World home page
  Georgia installs online car-registration system
  How to find a car on the Web
  Beep, beep, time for an oil change
 Reviews & in-depth info at IDG.net
 *   IDG.net's desktop PC page
  IDG.net's portable PC page
  IDG.net's Windows software page
  IDG.net's personal news page
  Year 2000 World
  Questions about computers? Let IDG.net's editors help you
  Subscribe to IDG.net's free daily newsletter for computer geniuses (& newbies)
  Search IDG.net in 12 languages
 News Radio
 * Fusion audio primers
 * Computerworld Minute
   

Among the technologies announced:

  • Visteon Voice Technology, which lets you control the audio, climate, and more using voice recognition that understands continuous and natural speech in six languages, Visteon says. The system is available now in Jaguars. Next year other car owners will be able to use Visteon voice-enabled technologies in the company's ICES in-car computer, based on the Windows CE platform. Using ICES, for instance, you'll be able to ask your car to fetch your e-mail. No price has been set for the ICES system.

  • The Reconfigurable Projected Image Display, an alternative to the conventional instrument panel, can be voice-controlled and integrated with Visteon's in-car audio systems and NavMate GPS navigation system. The kicker: Parents can monitor their children in the back seat using a small screen on their instrument panel and a rear-seat camera. The bummer: This technology is still several years away, acccording to a Visteon spokesperson.

  • NavMate, the company's GPS system, provides turn-by-turn instructions. If you miss your turn, the system will calculate a revised route and advise you of any upcoming detours. NavMate is available now; contact your car dealer for pricing and installation.

  • Rear Seat Entertainment System is a mobile entertainment system designed to keep kids and rear-seat passengers entertained. The system includes an in-console VHS player, plug-and-play capability for Nintendo games and video camera playback, and headphones for the car's stereo system. It's also available now from dealers, priced around $1500.

  • A system (as yet unnamed) for improving visibility for night driving. A near-infrared camera captures the road scene ahead and projects an enhanced image onto the windshield. In the future you'll be able to control the viewing system using Visteon Voice Technology.


    RELATED STORIES:
    Browse and drive!
    September 10, 1999
    Lab develops engine for the future
    June 17, 1999
    Auto Show opens in Detroit
    January 4, 1999

    RELATED IDG.net STORIES:
    At home with the Jetsons?
    (PC World Online)
    Beach town automates parking-ticket system
    (Civic.com)
    Rental-car site lets customers name their price
    (Computerworld)
    How car dealers can turn the Web into their friend
    (Computerworld)
    Commuters find car-pool partners online
    (Civic.com)
    The next-generation patrol car
    (Civic.com)
    Sun wants Java in your car, phone and TV
    (PC World Online)
    Year 2000 World
    (IDG.net)
    Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
    External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

    RELATED SITES:
    Visteon Corp.
    Note: Pages will open in a new browser window
    External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
     LATEST HEADLINES:
    SEARCH CNN.com
    Enter keyword(s)   go    help

  • Back to the top   © 2001 Cable News Network. All Rights Reserved.
    Terms under which this service is provided to you.
    Read our privacy guidelines.