Under state law , Texas, sitting behind the wheel with the keys in the ignition is enough to charge with appropriate conditions. I don't know about other states.
Ford's next Model T
By: Drivers.com staff
Date: Wednesday, 04. February 2009
"What Ford is doing is almost on a par with what they did with the model T that is, taking new technology and making it accessible to everybody."
This is how Brian Mistele, CEO of INRIX characterized the suite of technologies Ford is introducing in its 2009 models in an interview with Ludovic Privat of GPSBusinessnews.com during last weeks Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Predictions for this years show were that it would be a subdued affair due to the economic downturn, but Mistele's vision of Fords technological innovation sounded like it could be a major development for the automotive industry.
Watch video Interview with Brian Mistele, INRIX CEO
Up to now, telematics technologies have been available on a piecemeal basis and mainly in more luxurious models. However, Ford's SYNC telematics system as described by Mistele, takes it to a new level. Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company in 1902, revolutionized the automotive industry with his moving assembly-line system in 1913. He brought automobiles to the masses by reducing the cost of his cars to a level affordable by workers in his own factory.
INRIX is a leading provider of "real-time, historical and predictive traffic information." It is also a provider of other information services such as weather, fuel prices, and other local information.
The company's partnership with Ford and its participation in Ford's SYNC system will help bring leading edge telematics capability such as navigation, traffic information, in-car web access, and traffic routing guidance to every new Ford vehicle by the Summer of 2009.
Ford's SYNC system is a factory-built telematics system that allows drivers to bring most cell phone or digital music systems into their Ford vehicle and operate them using voice commands as well as controls on the steering wheel or radio system.
It was first announced at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007 by Ford CEO Alan Mullaly. Mistele says Ford expects to ship a million of the new SYNC-equipped vehicles during 2009
Ford will offer the traffic services free for the first three years. They are available in 125 cities throughout the U.S.A.
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budman77357,
DK,
Great legal question, if you consider the car tested last November in New York.
http://www.drivers.com/article/1055/
Technically, though, most places it is an offence to even be in charge of a vehicle, whether it is moving or not. One guy got charged with DUI while sitting in a parking lot in his car. Don't recollect if th engine was runing or not.
Ken,
I wonder,if people can set the car on
auto pilot,and climb in the passenger
seat,and not be charged with Dui on
the way home from a bar.
