Cars, which are used today, are safer than they were in the past. However, almost everything depends on a driver. It depends not only on his skills, but also on his physical condition, health and efficiency. Sometimes the driver may be under the influence of alcohol or even drugs, which significantly lowers his driving ability. Driver who sets out on a car journey, should be rested and be able to take the decisions immediately and to react fractionally.
Nowadays, some researches are carried out to improve the car driving. In 1997 in Frankfurt a Mitsubishi prototype called HSR-V1 was shown. It was driving without a driver! Since 1994 some researches are carried out in the USA. On special parts of highways modern cars are driven without a control of a man. Experts call this Automated Highway System. NavLab is another example of a modern car. The first NavLab was produced by Chevrolet and was equipped with many electronic devices inside. Today NavLab number 5 has appeared. It is Pontiac and has 6 cameras system, radar and some lasers inside. RALPH is a prototype of minibus made by some scientists from Carnegie Mellon University. During testes it drove by himself almost 4800 km way from Pittsburgh to San Diego and reached average speed of 105 km/h.
Since 1985 the scientists of University of Bremen have been working out the model of an i-Car. It means exactly an intelligent car. It is far from the usual one. Outside it looks like a normal car, but it is equipped with a camera installed on the roof. The camera will be used to recognize traffic lights or traffic signs. All information will be passed to the computer installed inside the car. I-Car will be also equipped with the navigating system, which will help the driver to lead the car through streets. Each vehicle will be able to load the 3-D map of the city, which it is situated. First I-Cars could be driven by a driver or automatically. There are some reasons, for which people will love I-Cars:
1. The possibility of a car accident is decreasing.
2. Everyone, even someone who is very tired or his skills aren't good, will be able to reach the destination
3. I-cars would drive you home itself.
4. Even older people will be able to drive a car in spite of the fact of their illnesses or disabilities.
5. The cost of public transport will be lower, because a big number of drivers won't be necessary.
6. There will be the reduction of costs of a freight transport by lowering the number of drivers.
7. Many people will save some money, because they could borrow I-Cars instead of buying it
8. Each borrowed I-Car will fulfill the requirements of the borrower. It may be a luxurious limousine or a minibus depends what you want
9. Problems with parking places will disappear. After getting out of the car, it would find a place himself.
10. Thanks to the navigating system, I-Car would never get lost. It will reach the destination in spite of bed weather conditions or the fact that we don't know the city well.
