Technology to improve car safety. Bloomberg Boot Camp, a report on today's technology. Okay…so technology doesn't always work in favor of safety behind the wheel. Glance over at the driver next to you on the highway….and odds are you'll see a mobile phone up against the ear……or worse….the driver trying to check email on a Blackberry….or even trying to send a text message. But some kinds of technology can improve safety. ST Microelectronics and Mobileye have announced an updated version of the vehicle safety system on a chip…called EyeQ2. The first version…used camera and chip technology to warn drivers when would drive out of a lane…or got to close to another vehicle. Martin Duncan, innovative systems manager at the automotive group at ST Micro…says the second generation is much more powerful…
"The second generation of product from EyeQ, from Mobileye and ST, can also add pedestrian protection. We're able to track 75 pedestrians in a moving area, signal them, and you can avoid having a crash when one of these pedestrians moves into a dangerous area. So it is life saving technology."
Duncan says Volvo, GM and BMW are among those that have used the first generation safety chips…offering the systems as options on some car models. The company contends it's clear the high tech safety systems can save lives. Bloomberg Boot Camp, I'm Fred Fishkin.