One day, the system could detect how many people are in the car and if they were wearing seat belts. The more information available, the more quickly emergency personnel can dispatch the right number of vehicles to an accident and prepare emergency room physicians for what they'll be treating, said Noah Rifkin of Veridian. In four or five years the Veridian system should be offered in new cars and available for older cars, he said. It should take a little less than 10 years before you typically see it on most cars on the road. Those companies sell it to drivers for specific routes.
Commuters can use the information to chart the least troublesome route.
Service isn't widespread but should become more common in the next year, said Pamela Crowley, spokeswoman for Etak. USA Digital Radio Inc. is testing a system that lets drivers listen to the radio and get information on a screen. It could be what song or artist is playing, or traffic and weather reports. The company is testing prototypes in several cities, including Cincinnati. Drivers would require a special radio, which should be available by late 2001, said Bob Struble, president of Maryland-based USA Digital Radio.