I will investigate the introduction and evolution of cruise control in automobiles, representing contemporary society's desire for automation. I will also address the technical advences necessary for cruise control, how it works, what other automation technologies have developed recently, the illusion of control often granted to society and its effects, and where, ultimately, vechiular automation is headed. For example, Stanford's Stanley vehicle that won the DARPA Grand Challenge last year shows what the military has in mind for automated driving.
Please feel free to post comments or ideas!
by Matt Jones
Formatting Notes
This site will be set up for linear browsing (i.e. from one page to the next), but each page will be written to stand on its own, so you're free to jump around using the links below. I will also try to bold the important ideas in each page. I like doing this when I'm reading things - it's sort of like highlighting, so I figured I'd include it in here. If this is annoying, let me know! Just because I like it doesn't mean readers of the site will.
Have fun!
Cruise Control: An Introduction
Cruise Control: An Overview
Cruise Control: Background
Cruise Control: How it Works
Cruise Control: What’s Required in its Absence?
Cruise Control: What's Bad?
Cruise Control: What Does it Say?
Cruise Control: What's Next?
Cruise Control: Bibliography
Back to Ten Things 2006: Projects
Posted at Feb 21/2006 11:23AM:
[Abayomi Fashoro]: I think it would be really interesting if you shared your motivation for choosing cruise control as your research topic since it would add a personal perspective on society's desire for automation.
Posted at Feb 22/2006 01:20PM:
[klfsong]: Could you touch on the accidents that are caused by cruise control? I know that I was almost in one when I nearly fell asleep while my car was on cruise control.
Posted at Feb 23/2006 09:52PM:
Matt Jones: I will definitely touch on the accidents caused by cruise control. The advent of all these even more advanced technologies for cruise control, I'm afraid, will lead to that even more.
Posted at Feb 25/2006 01:45AM:
Tammy Wang: Nice topic! I think cruise control is a great feature- driving to San Diego and back in my teeny car without cruise control nearly killed my right leg from the pain of pressing on the gas pedal for so long. The fact that cruise control exists may indicate that we are becoming a more mobile and efficient people- we are traveling longer distances and thus requiring new innovative technologies to keep up with us. It should be interesting to see the ramifications of such rapid advances.
Posted at Mar 28/2006 11:47PM:
Sebastian De Vivo: Matt, this is an extremely well-researched and cogent project. You explored the many implications cruise-control and such automated features can have in our lives. You laid out your questions and arguments at the outset, followed them through with clear navigation, used many interesting images, and engaged several of the themes discussed in class (and of course, provided a link to the Darwin Awards, always a plus in my book!). This is an excellent project -- great job!
