Bear Right
When I was at Tokyo’s incredible Kiddy Land toy store a few months ago, I was overwhelmed by the range of robots available (there was a “breathing” cat from Sega I really wanted but, alas, luggage weight restrictions). But I didn’t see anything like the creature reported in the Daily Telegraph. Not only does it give directions, but it warns when you’re driving too fast, detects the presence of booze, and even offers up local landmark info when it’s rubbed. Not sure what voice it speaks in, but if it’s anything like the Sprint Navigation device I’ve been using lately, that range of vocal stylings would include everything from “Rasta man” to “cab driver.” (I wish I were kidding).
I know backseat drivers, from Hyacinth Bucket on, get a bad name, but, for the majority of drivers on the road, having someone else in the car, as many studies have shown, is generally a good thing for one’s health (at least their physical health). Not only do they provide an extra pair of eyes, but they provide feedback about our own actions that we’re often less than aware of in the moment.
But still. I get so creeped out by people who load up the back window ledges of their cars with stuffed animals (reduced visibility=bad idea), I don’t think I’m ready to put one on the dash. Chuckie, maybe…
![[del.icio.us]](http://www.howwedrive.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/delicious.png)
![[Digg]](http://www.howwedrive.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/digg.png)
![[Facebook]](http://www.howwedrive.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/facebook.png)
![[Google]](http://www.howwedrive.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/google.png)
![[MySpace]](http://www.howwedrive.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/myspace.png)
![[Slashdot]](http://www.howwedrive.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/slashdot.png)
![[StumbleUpon]](http://www.howwedrive.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/stumbleupon.png)
![[Yahoo!]](http://www.howwedrive.com/wp-content/plugins/bookmarkify/yahoo.png)
This entry was posted on Thursday, June 5th, 2008 at 2:46 pm and is filed under Cars, Drivers, Traffic Gadgets, Traffic Psychology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
| 
