In-car warning systems help steer around trouble

       We have all heard the voices when driving: "Be careful", "Slow down", and so on.
       But now such warnings may not come from a nagging passenger - it could be the electronic voice of a GPS system that identifies a car's position and issue advice about obstacles, speed limits and more to help motorists drive more safely and efficiently.
       G-Box , a new in-vehicle digital assistant system, has been launched after 18 months of development, said Passakon Prathombutr, Intelligent Transportation System Program Director at the National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (Nectec).
       Its operating system acts similarly to Linux and collects and stores data such as location and speed, which is sent back via the GPRS mobile phone network to a central server.
       The device connects with an electronic control unit (ECU) and automotive controller area network so the device status is known at all times.
       At the central sever, the operator can remotely monitor the vehicle by logging in to the web-based system.
       The central server links to a real-time traffic database to interact with the driver using a small speaker system connected to the G-Box.
       The agency will set warning phrases to warn the driver if, for example, they drive over the speed limit, or are approaching danger areas such as sharp bends, construction areas, accident zones, and so on.
       In cases where the car is involved in an accident and the driver is unconscious, the system will automatically switch to emergency mode and call the rescue services.
       The device has already been tested in two oil trucks plying a route between Tak and Lampang.
       In the case of the oil trucks, the pre-configured warnings focused mainly on ensuring the drivers stopped at checkpoints, took care in potentially dangerous areas, and so on.
       Installing the system on an heavy goods vehicle worth 6-7 million baht could prove cost-effective in the long term because its warnings would significantly reduce the risk of damaging or destroying such an expensive vehicle, as well as the contents it is carrying.
       The system could similarly drive down costs for public service vehicles such as taxis and buses through avoidance of, or encouraging careful driving in, dangerous areas and situations.
       A further cost-effective element to the device is that insurance companies might consider offering discounted rates to owners of vehicles that have the system installed.
       Much like the black box in an aeroplane, the G-Box stores car performance and driver behaviour so that the causes of accidents - both in terms of individual incidents and wider trends - can be investigated and analysed.
       The information gathered from this device can help tutors coach motorists on how to drive more safely, or to focus on a more preventive style of driving, as well to to reduce energy costs and foster a more environmentally friendly traffic culture.
       Furthermore, the G-Box's Linux-like open source could potentially entice developers to create new business models with the technology, with in-vehicle entertainment being one possibility.
       Passakon continued that in the near future, G-Box will become interactive between drivers, as it would become one part of Telemetric, a wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communication system.
       The media between vehicles can be sent via infrared or microwave.
       Nectec has opened research cooperation with King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok and the Asian Institute of Technology to build a prototype with a communication range of at least 500 metres.
       Currently, if there is an accident occurs in the road ahead, drivers further down the route may be unaware of it - and therefore will also be ignorant of any delays or dangers resulting from it.
       With Telemetric up and running, the car involved in the accident could automatically send a warning signal via short-range wireless communication to nearby cars which also have the technology installed.
       Furthermore, cars which cannot receive the signal via G-Box may be able to pick up warning signals via mobile phone.
       As it is impossible to install G-Box in every car, the technology could also be applied to mobile phones, as almost everybody owns or has access to one, Passakon concluded.