Vi-Fi is Gaining Ground, How Many Wrecks Will Result?

We can't see any practical and legal uses for having a Wi-Fi signal in your car on the highway. There's no reason to be looking at a screen (GPS, over a satellite signal, would be the exception here). The only stretch we could see is if you wanted to make VoIP calls in your car, although even that is illegal in many places. But even still, Microsoft and the University of Washington are developing a new technology called ViFi (Vehicle Wi-Fi), which aims to give users a steady signal while they drive.

Wi-Fi doesn’t work great when you’re moving, mainly due to the fact that your device has to switch to another base station when the distance to the current base station gets too far.

The new design would allow for multiple base stations to be used at the same time. The station with the strongest strength is designated as the “anchor” system and the others as “auxiliary” systems, making an easy switch possible.

Are we missing something? Is there another use for this "moving internet"?

Comments (6)

A car can usually transport MORE than just the driver. It'd be nice for long roadtrips with a packed car... or even with just two people.
And if people seriously can't learn to drive RESPONSIBLY, then why on earth aren't they being arrested and having their license revoked??? Seriously. People need to stop being such ignorant twits when they drive.

posted by sparkle on August 29th 2008 at 6:08am
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What about commuter buses and carpools? I'm sure many people would be happy to get that extra 45 minutes of work done on the way to and from the office.

posted by hmr on August 29th 2008 at 7:25am
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I agree with the previous posters. Yes, it is both impractical and illegal for the *driver* of a vehicle to have Wi-Fi, but it would be great for the passengers!

posted by Aimi on August 29th 2008 at 8:02am
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In most research situations, the solutions being developed are usually not intended for consumers. In this case, I've heard of a system where cars can disseminate traffic information for all roads, not just major highways.

http://www.research.rutgers.edu/~gsamir/papers/sensors-on-wheels-itsc.pdf

posted by cinema on August 29th 2008 at 8:35am
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road trips, bored passengers

posted by ella! on August 29th 2008 at 1:09pm
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internet music stations seems like another great use, or have your car radio download podcasts etc. on the go

Seems that there are plenty of reasons for cars to have wifi, we just have to work on making sure they don't distract the driver.

posted by EJO on September 2nd 2008 at 5:17am
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