Navigation systems employing global positioning systems have had some successes, notably in Japan. However, they certainly haven't created a stampede in the United States. Another telematics area is entertainment. In the communications arena, a driver can make hands-free phone calls by placing a regular cell phone in a cradle and using voice controls to initiate the call. The Internet can be accessed, for instance, to hear one's e-mail, stock quotes or traffic reports.
Vehicles also can monitor and diagnose themselves.
For instance, they may present warnings, suggest appointment times at a local service center or even display maintenance manuals. All these options, however, overwhelm the typical driver. During product demonstrations, even the industry's own telematics program managers get lost navigating through their thicket of menus. These demo snafus occur even in a stationary vehicle. One can only imagine how hard these systems would be to operate while dodging vehicles at freeway speeds.