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Drivaware announces LaneFX - The First Active Blind Spot Exposure System
Ann Arbor, Mich., June 5, 2006 - Drivaware® Inc. today announced the production release and immediate
availability of its debut driver awareness product: LaneFX™. LaneFX® is an innovative automotive product that transforms a vehicle's power side mirrors into an on-demand Active Blind Spot
Exposure System.
Whenever a turn signal is activated, or at the press of a button, LaneFX® moves the corresponding power mirror outward to sweep and expose the vehicle's blind spot. It pauses long enough for
the driver to scan for any objects that may be lurking in the blind spot zone. Then, it reliably returns the power side mirror back to its original, driver-set position.
LaneFX™'s Patent Pending technology is designed from the ground up to be entirely universal. LaneFX® works with any vehicle equipped with power mirrors, new or pre-owned, domestic or import,
including the most ECU-intensive and multiplexed vehicles on the market today. LaneFX® is packed with driver awareness features and
is highly-customizable to the driver's preferences. Drivers can personalize how far each mirror expands, how long it pauses, and how fast it should move altogether. All customizations can be
made separately to the driver-side and passenger-side power mirrors.
Khaled Malhas, Drivaware Founder & President said: "According to NHTSA, 1 out of 25 collisions on America's highways today is due to
improper lane changes/merges. Further, J.D.
Power & Associates has reported that blind spot systems were the second-most requested automotive technology by consumers in 2005. We recognized that the driver awareness
/ lane change segment is gaining significant momentum. As a result, we designed LaneFX® as a sensor-less blind spot exposure system that is truly universal and that we can drive through multiple
channels including: auto
dealers, mobile
electronics / aftermarket retailers, as well as the OEM and tier-1 supplier channel."
"We're always looking for added revenue opportunities from a every vehicle sale." says Jeff Scott, Principal and General Manager, Dick
Scott Automotive Group based in metro Detroit, Mich.,
"it's always challenging to introduce aftermarket products after a customer has decided on a vehicle. We signed on with the LaneFX® Pilot Dealer Program because I was impressed with how simply
the product can be demonstrated to vehicle buyers and how quickly our customers see value in its impact on their daily commute."
"We've all been taught to turn our heads away from the traffic ahead to check our blind spot. During an average blind spot check, a vehicle travels
more than half of a football field, unattended!"
adds Khaled Malhas, "With LaneFX™, we allow drivers to stay focused on the road ahead while showing the contents of their blind spot zone using a comfortable, familiar interface: The vehicle's
side mirror."
In recently-announced OEM blind spot detection systems (such as ValeoRaytheon Systems' LaneVueT and Volvo's
BLIST systems), a computer and a sensor make the critical decision on whether an
object is present in the blind spot zone. Further, such systems report these results through an interface that is entirely new to the driver. In contrast, LaneFX® is a blind spot exposure system,
not a detector. LaneFX® simply exposes the contents of the blind spot zone to drivers allowing them to make their own informed driving decisions. By using the vehicle's power side mirror, drivers
use a familiar interface that has no learning curve as it is already associated with the act of changing lanes.
LaneFX® is available now through select auto dealers, aftermarket
retailers and directly through LaneFX.com. The current production release of the LaneFX® product
line features a number of Patent Pending innovations, including:
1. Mirror Speed Boost: safely accelerates power mirror motor speeds up to 200% of OEM speed for
maximum responsiveness,
2. Turn Signal Link: with "Normal" and "Sticky" turn signal modes to suit any driving style,
3. Merge Mode: holds a mirror outward for as long as the driver needs to merge into traffic,
4. Intelligent Installs Technology: LaneFX® can self-learn the electrical configuration of the host vehicle with no need for complex programming,
5. ParkFX - Park Assist & Curb Exposure System: tilts one or both side mirrors downwards
when the vehicle is engaged in reverse, and
6. "Mirror-in-Motion" LED indicators.
Drivaware Inc. was founded in 2004 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Drivaware's mission is to produce safe, innovative automotive technologies that enhance drivers' focus and
alleviate common anxieties associated with driving a motor vehicle. In addition to LaneFX® and ParkFX, Drivaware's debut product line includes: LaneXRT (featuring eXtended Reflection: The first
electrochromatic blind spot exposure system for OEM application), and BrakeFX, the first emergency braking awareness system.
Media Contacts:
Kimberly Simpson
Drivaware Inc.
+1.734.649.3949
kimberly.simpson@drivaware.com
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Merging Into Highway Traffic Proves Difficult for Most Drivers
Drivaware reports lane changing on busy highways can be difficult for even the most experienced drivers. The secret is to plan ahead by knowing what other vehicles are doing around you.
In Drivaware's interactive demo on safe lane changes and merges, the car in the right lane is traveling faster than your car. Many impatient drivers will (wrongly) tailgate slower vehicles traveling
in the fast lane. Be proactive! Avoid this situation by staying right as much as is practical. In this example, it would be best to move your vehicle over to the right lane as soon as it is safe.
Be smarter than the other guy! Use your turn signal every time you change lanes along with the new
LaneFX system. Before you make your move, look in your side and rearview mirrors to make sure the
lane is clear. If there is another vehicle in the lane, or if there is another vehicle in the right lane behind you (at a distance) which is overtaking you at a fast speed, stay where you are. Wait
for that vehicle to pass you.
Remember you have blind spots, and that the blind spot on the right is larger than on the left. Before you change lanes, turn your head carefully to check the appropriate blind spot.
When you decide it is safe, turn the steering wheel in the direction you wish to go. Change lanes quickly, but smoothly. Do not wander as you change lanes. You always want to appear confident and
in control of the situation.
Once you've successfully negotiated the lane change, make sure your turn signal is off. This is important. If other drivers see that your turn signal is always on, they may not trust you on the
highway! They will never know when you want to turn and when you don't.
Basic Skills for Safer Commutes
Driving has changed a lot since most of us first got behind the wheel. This section will help you to keep a constant watch on your surroundings, the vehicles and people around you at all times.
An important factor to take into consideration when driving is to check your mirrors frequently, and also check the blind spots, by looking over your shoulders before switching lanes or making
turns. As we age, most of us become less flexible, so check out the information on this site about exercises that will keep you limber and help you drive safely.
Knowing the needs of other traffic like trucks, buses, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians is very important. For example, trucks should be provided with
extra space, as they need wider turning
lanes, watch out for buses, as they need to enter traffic from stopping lanes, and give pedestrians plenty of time to cross the road.
Everyone has one or two problematic areas of driving. Click the links on your right, to the areas that give you trouble. We can all improve our driving. |
More Great Gifts For Car Nuts
Car nuts are tough bunch to understand. Here's a great way to delight them this holiday season.
When they start talking about autos, technical terms such as “co-efficient of drag” and “horsepower per liter” come up. The conversation is spirited. Eyeballs roll. Girlfriends
leave the room. Allegiances are hotly debated. Are you a Porsche lover, or do you prefer Ferraris? New cars or classic cars? Ford trucks or Chevy trucks?
For people who don’t care about cars or don’t understand their loved ones’ obsessions with them, picking out gifts can be a daunting task. Case in point: Executives who love
cars are particularly hard to shop for, because their station demands a luxurious--but appropriate--gift. If you’re not sure what to get your car-obsessed dad, be warned: A new keychain or
an Exxon Mobil (nyse: XOM - news - people )
gift certificate is not going to thrill him.
To help you please even the pickiest auto enthusiast, we have compiled a list that includes such affordable items as the 30th-anniversary edition of Bruce
Springsteen’s Born to Run, as well as Porsche’s new, $120,000 911
Turbo supercar.
If you’ve got the cash, you can always give an actual car as a gift. Multimillionaire entrepreneurs who bleed 93-octane blood will be lusting after the Mercedes-Benz SLR
McLaren (not cheap at $450,000), but the Daimler Chrysler (nyse: DCX - news - people )
Maybach 62 sedan with handcrafted features such as customized leather interiors and monogramming is slightly more affordable at $390,000.
But there are plenty of just as fancy auto-related gifts that are more reasonably priced. Ferrari (nyse: FIA - news - people )
makes chronographs, BMW has a line of clothing and golf accessories and Aston Martin makes chessboards.
It’s also possible to properly indulge kids who love cars. Forget Matchbox. These days, you can buy your son or daughter an $875 toy
Ferrari--an electric car that drives and has a working horn--and give the kid a head start in developing proper cornering, braking and accelerating techniques.
Make no mistake: The world of the car nut can be a world of extravagance and privilege. You may not understand your loved one’s interested in motoring, but that shouldn’t stop you
from pampering him or her. |
Lane FX is not a passive blind spot detector like Valeo Raytheon, Audi
Side Assist or Volvo's BLIS (the latest passive car gadgets from
automakers).
Change lanes by checking your vehicle's power mirrors.  Why
turn your head away from traffic ahead? Turn your mirror instead and stay focused on the road ahead. That's what driving safety is all about and it's a lesson that should be part of any drivers
ed driver training program. The Lane FX system simply shows your vehicle's blind spot zone and is compatible with your SUV's factory and aftermarket mobile electronics like radar detectors and
even factory park assist systems. LaneFX makes a great mobile technology gift for the driving safety of the commuter in your family, even if you own an Audi
Q7 with Lane Assist mobile technology. It's the #1 car gadget and gift idea for auto enthusiasts, SUV owners, and high-mileage commuters. |
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Let me tell you about the coolest product I never reviewed. It's a wonderfully complex solution to a problem that shouldn't
even be a problem. This product, LaneFX, is a microcontroller that interacts with the side mirrors in your car.
You want to change lanes, and you glance in your side mirror. It looks clear. But in your LaneFX-equipped car, you can press a button and the mirror sweeps out to show you the blind spot
beyond the limit of your peripheral vision. Then it returns to its normal position. If you flick on your turn signal, the mirror also does its sweep.
It works on either side of the car, and it also has an extended mode for when you want to keep an eye on traffic alongside and behind you, as when you're merging onto a freeway. Now let's
say you're going to parallel-park. You slip your car into reverse—and the right mirror angles itself downward so you can see the curb.
Although that's the end of the LaneFX's bag of tricks, it's just the beginning of the ways it can be implemented. You can customize how far each mirror moves, how long it pauses, and how
long it takes to get there. You can even make mistakes in hooking up the wires to the mirror motors; the microcontroller has a learn mode so you can teach it which wires to use to control each
motion. An LCD screen prompts you through every step of the procedure.
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Christmas Gift Ideas
For Car Lovers
‘Tis the season, as they say, when we start dreaming up wish lists and dropping hints to our loved ones. For the automotive enthusiast or anyone
on the go, here are some holiday gift ideas to make it a very merry Christmas.
Satellite Radio ($50 and up for radio, subscription $10-15/month)
Becoming more popular all the time, satellite radio is a wonderful gift idea for anyone spending large chunks of time on the road. Portable models can fit onto any vehicle and offer excellent
sound quality through your car’s speakers. With hundreds of channels of listening options, satellite radio is the gift that keeps on giving (provided you keep up with the subscription
fee, of course).
MP3 Player Attachment ($30-99)
For another audio option, consider an MP3 dock. Most plug into your car’s cigarette lighter and transmit an FM signal through the vehicle’s stereo with little to no sacrifice in
sound quality. Some will even recharge your MP3 player during playback. Some models limit the choice of available FM signals, while upscale versions have more options and clearer transmission.
Self-Heating/Cooling Travel Mugs ($15-35)
Does your coffee lose its steam on those long commutes? Is the ice in your soda melting too quickly during the summer? Try a mug that plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter to heat or
cool your beverage as necessary. Most have multiple temperature settings and will emit a small beep when the desired level has been reached.
Roadside Emergency Kit ($35-85)
On the more practical side, another gift idea (and something that should be in the trunk of every vehicle) is an emergency kit. These
supply collections typically include necessities such as jumper cables, a flashlight, and work gloves, but many kits with even more to offer. Some will have a heavy-duty tow rope, first aid
equipment, flares, and a tire pump. Most kits are packaged in a convenient carry-all and don’t take up too much space. If you have a younger driver or live in an unforgiving climate a
roadside kit is a gift that can be a lifesaver.
Portable JumpStarter ($50-125)
No one likes getting stranded with a dead car battery, which have a habit of letting you down at the worst possible moment. A portable JumpStarter can prevent that hassle. Typically less than
20 pounds and about the size of a toaster, JumpStarters vary in available battery life and power, and most need an overnight recharge every couple of months. Some include gauges that display
how much charge they have left to offer, or indicate just when recharging is necessary.
Digital Key Chain Tire Gauge ($5-25)
For a handy stocking stuffer, consider a tire gauge that doubles as a key chain. Tires not inflated properly can hinder a vehicle’s handling capability, increase tire wear, and potentially
be a safety hazard. They will also detract from your vehicle’s gas mileage. These keychains connect to your tire’s air nozzle
and show their psi with a digital display. Check your owner’s manual for your vehicle’s recommended pressure and adjust accordingly.
Remote Starter (Key-FOBs $20-70, Installation varies)
During these cold winter months, a remote starter is an enviable amenity. Sitting cozily in your home, you can ignite and warm your engine before venturing out into an early morning blizzard.
You can buy a remote starter at most auto parts stores but you may need to take your vehicle to a mechanic or dealer to have the transmitter installed.
GPS Navigation System ($200-700)
Portable global positioning systems have been out for a couple of years and have improved in reliability and ease of use. Most provide software updates to account for changing traffic patterns
and are very handy when traveling. More upscale models offer a voice-prompted navigation aid and their maps have more detail. Some systems can also self-adjust their screen’s brightness
based on outside weather conditions. For anyone that is “directionally challenged”, a GPS can be the most useful Christmas gift around.
Automotive gifts are both practical and fun, and some can even keep you out of harm’s way. Treat your favorite road warrior (or yourself)
and above all, have a great holiday. AutoExtra.com: We’re all you need.
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Don't Forget About Your Backup Blind Spots
Available ParkFX is the best park assist system to show you the parking boundaries and dangers around you when you're backing up
Kids ‘N Cars, a consumer organization working to make it safer for children to be around cars, is calling attention to the problem of the blind spot--that area behind the vehicle that you can’t
see from the driver’s seat. The organization notes that at least 58 children were backed over and killed last year alone.
How big can the backup blind spot be? We measured a sedan, minivan, SUV, and pickup to find out. We used a 28-inch-high traffic cone, measuring how far behind the vehicle it would have to be before an
average (5 feet 8 inches) and short (5 feet 1 inch) driver could see it. Larger vehicles tend to have a significantly larger blind spot. (Studies show the length of each blind spot; lighter for an average-height
driver, darker for a shorter driver.)
Later in 2006, tests will be published on backup sensors and rear-view video backup warning cameras that could help to reduce the blind-spot problem. It’s best to always look carefully behind the
vehicle before you get in and again before you put the car in gear. Also, always back up slowly. |
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