Unintended consequences of technology: In-car nav systems were a godsend for the directionally-challenged driver, but they were also a windfall for a handful of criminals. I'd first heard about this happening in L.A., where a thief would steal a nav-equipped car out of a restaurant parking lot; s/he could then punch up the owner's address on the nav system; and being certain that the owner was dining in the restaurant, the thief could drive to their empty home, gain access using the garage remote, and rob the place blind.
Chevrolet's latest Impala model is thus designed with a "valet mode" that provides both digital and physical security. A touchscreen in the center of the dashboard allows the car's owner to enter a passcode that locks up the nav's database. Even cooler, the entire panel slides upwards, revealing a small in-dash safe where you can lock up that garage remote.
The in-car safe is also touted as a place where you can leave your phone and wallet, which I thought was kinda strange; is it just a New York thing that we typically empty the car of all valuables whenever we park it? In any case, there's also a charging port for your phone inside, making it a handy storage spot while driving. If Chevy combines this with their Eyes Free Integration, drivers won't mind being separated from their phones while driving, and in fact it'll probably be safer for all of us.
(more...)
 |  |