Connected cars “could adapt based on driver’s health”

One of the world’s leading experts on connected cars is suggesting that vehicles may adapt based on how tired the driver is, or even stop if they detect ill health. says Harman X executive Tim VanGoethem believes cars are “morphing” into the largest device we own, mirroring how we use smartwatches, phones and computers.

“The car is no longer viewed by people as this independent isolated domain, it’s another place that we spend part of our life, and where we still expect to be as connected as we have become elsewhere,” Forbes quotes him as saying.

“If you get in the car and you had a bad night’s sleep [as recorded by your fitness tracker], the navigation might take that into account and take you on a road that might not be the fastest, but would be the least tensive for you, because you may not be mentally prepared for the traffic.”

“Another thing is, how do you ensure the driver stays [mentally] on the task of driving in autonomous mode?” asked VanGoethem, who’s Vice President of Advanced Mobility Solutions at Harman X, a division of Samsung-owned Harman International. “And, more importantly, are they ready to take back control when moving to a driver-operated road? What is their emotional and health state? With a combination of these we can figure out if the driver is ready and what their reaction time will be.”


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