After reading a previous idea about a GPS-linked accident statistic database with real-time reporting, I thought it would be a good idea if your car could provide feedback on the safety of your driving and the potential comfort of your passengers in a positive and easy to understand way.
This system
works by having a display on the dashboard or centre console that is able to display icons which change in relation to the potential comfort of your passengers and the safety of your driving. It could also beep or speak. It could have different paranoia modes too. Paranoid wife, even more paranoid mother, family drive with the kids, drunk mate cheering you on etc.
This would be linked to the aforementioned GPS-linked accident statistics system as well as sensors receiving input about the state of the car and outside conditions. (In other words, a "what is the probability of me killing us" display and a "will my passenger shit themselves, jump out and walk home" given the current input display.).
For example:
You are driving along a clear road at 45mph with no other traffic on a sunny day. The sun is not in your eyes. You are looking ahead and responding well in time, not getting too close to the vehicle in front and not braking or accelerating sharply. Your feedback display shows an icon of a smiley happy person (possibly even a sleeping person?) and a safety rating of 10.
It starts to rain. The sky clouds over. Your safety rating drops to 9 (more dangerous road conditions). Your virtual passenger is still smiling.
Suddenly, you look down to fiddle with the stereo (safety rating drops a couple of points, your virtual passenger starts to look a little nervous).
You look up. A warning sign appears for a tight right-hander. Your accident statistics monitor picks up data for this corner, it is dangerous and it should be taken at 40 mph. You accelerate to 50mph. Your virtual passenger begins to look decidedly jumpy, you safety rating drops another couple of points.
You round the bend and accelerate out onto the straight following the bend. The road looks clear. You are looking carefully and there is good visibility. You safety score climbs to 8 again. Your virtual passenger looks happy once more.
You accelerate again to 100mph. Your passenger gets more nervous. Your safety rating drops to 6 as this road has hazards that are not negotiable safely at this speed.
Suddenly, some fog rolls in. You continue. Your safety rating drops another couple of points.
You see a lorry (truck) too late and slam on the brakes and swerve, narrowly missing a head-on collision. Your safety monitor drops to 2. Your passenger looks like he is going to be sick and is hanging on for dear life.
You continue to accelerate, 140mph and rising. Your safety monitor drops to one.
Your warning device shows a sharp lefthander imminent with a long drop into a steep-sided gorge off of one side. Recommended speed 20mph. Stopping distance, too much! Your passenger is now in the brace position, hands on head, head between knees. He shouts and swears at you. Your safety rating drops to 0, an absolute certainty of a bad accident. You fly off of the edge of the bend, your virtual passenger screams. In that couple of seconds of freefall you just have time to think "oh fuck, I wish I’d listened to that guy on my dashboa..........".
CRUNCH!!