I saw that this week in Dallas, the National Federation of the Blind is holding their annual convention. A vehicle has been designed in a joint venture for the federation and Virginia Tech. A Ford Escape has been built that operates by nonvisual interface technology using a pair of gloves equipped with vibrating motors that tell the driver which way to steer. This technology will allow a blind person to drive.
Plans are to demonstrate the vehicle in January at the Daytona International Speedway.
My first reaction was, I am all for enriching the lives of those less fortunate. I see how the thought of this technology would raise the hopes of the blind to become more independent. I just don't see how this could really be used on public streets. I see that this could work if the environment the vehicle is travelling in is static like an empty race track. It is not practical in the real world. There are far too many risks involved. It is crazy to think a blind person could be driving down the road at you and relying on sensors to avoid you and other moving objects.
Then I thought about it a while and realized... women are allowed to drive. Can a blind person be any more dangerous?
Just wait till the ADA gets ahold of this.... It'll be required on all vehicles.
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