Auto accidents sometimes seem like an inescapable part of reality, but our roads could soon be made safer with the introduction of a new software developed at the University of Malaga in Spain. The software allows people to evaluate and improve their driving by tracking their driving behaviour.
The basic idea of the technology is simple – the software tracks you through your cell phone, which must have a GPS feature and an accelerometer. When you get home, you can visit a free site like Google Earth and view a map of your drive. Dangerous points in your drive are highlighted by a series of colour-coded polygons.
The software has an impressive variety of potential applications. Evidently, it can help individual drivers receive feedback about their abilities, so it can be used in driving schools. In the bigger picture, it could help municipalities reduce auto accidents, as they could potentially identify dangerous driving spots and erect cautionary road signs. In the future, insurance companies may also consider using the software, as it could help them determine which drivers are safest.
Keep your eye out for more updates about the implementation of this technology. If it successfully reduces auto accidents in Spain, it will likely spread through the European Union, and it could soon be helping Canadians drive more safely and conscientiously.
