Comments on: ‘What Does It Allow Us to Ignore?’ http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/04/13/what-does-it-allow-us-to-ignore/ Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 21 May 2012 19:58:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Nick http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/04/13/what-does-it-allow-us-to-ignore/#comment-6904 Nick Tue, 14 Apr 2009 03:24:47 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=797#comment-6904 The whole notion of "hours lost to traffic" is pretty amusing. Trying to put a precise number -- 38 hours! -- on a concept that has too many variables to even really think about. The whole notion of “hours lost to traffic” is pretty amusing. Trying to put a precise number — 38 hours! — on a concept that has too many variables to even really think about.

]]> By: Brad Templeton http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/04/13/what-does-it-allow-us-to-ignore/#comment-6903 Brad Templeton Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:35:30 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=797#comment-6903 We manage to have safe conversations with other passengers in the car all the time, but not with remote people and probably not with remote computers. The passengers know the situation. They know when to shut up because you have to focus on driving. You know they will not be bothered when you stop talking to engage in some atypical driving situation like changing lanes or turning, so you don't even think about the courtesy issue of stopping. Perhaps a voice controlled computer would be better if it was able to sense this as well. If you should turn, or brake, or change speed, or put on a turn signal or move your eyes in certain patterns, it could stop talking. And of course it should never be annoyed if you pause your talking. And of course a quick command "hold" or similar, should get it to stop talking while you focus on the road. In the long run, of course, the car computer will get smart enough to know when driving is easy or complex, but that's a few years away. We manage to have safe conversations with other passengers in the car all the time, but not with remote people and probably not with remote computers.

The passengers know the situation. They know when to shut up because you have to focus on driving. You know they will not be bothered when you stop talking to engage in some atypical driving situation like changing lanes or turning, so you don’t even think about the courtesy issue of stopping.

Perhaps a voice controlled computer would be better if it was able to sense this as well. If you should turn, or brake, or change speed, or put on a turn signal or move your eyes in certain patterns, it could stop talking. And of course it should never be annoyed if you pause your talking. And of course a quick command “hold” or similar, should get it to stop talking while you focus on the road.

In the long run, of course, the car computer will get smart enough to know when driving is easy or complex, but that’s a few years away.

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