BMW is developing a navigation system that "learns" owners' driving habits and analyzes a car's current location to predict where the driver may want to go next. Called ILENA, an acronym for Intelligent Learning Navigation, BMW claims it has 80 percent accuracy in guessing the car's next possible destination, which is displayed on the nav screen.
In addition to the convenience factor, BMW claims ILENA increases efficiency since the car's computer and systems will be able to automatically adjust performance and power relative to the next-destination info it gathers, which can lower driving costs by between 5 and 10 percent.
But BMW owners will have to decide if the small savings and convenience ILENA offers is worth giving up a large amount of privacy, and they'll have time to decide since BMW says the system won't be road-ready for about five years or so.
We wonder if ILENA will have a face like Ford's EVA avatar.
minibro77 says:
02:11 PM, 02/25/09
Well why would you consider this an issue with privacy? The only time it may become an issue is if someone were to steal your car but that is so very difficult to do these days. I am sure once you sell it you can reset it's "cookies" somehow.
billt9 says:
02:30 PM, 02/25/09
My god hasn't BMW seen iRobot?
Soon after it gains your trust, it will direct you nicely like your best friend OFF A CLIFF!
THIS WORLD IS FOR ROBOTS! BE GONE HUMANS!
dougnewcomb says:
03:37 PM, 02/25/09
minibro77: Because it can leave a digital trail showing where you've been. Authorities have been increasingly using nav system data to catch and prosecute bad guys, but privacy advocates have suggested that the info should be protected under the Fourth Amendment: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-08-28-4111938886_x.htm.
dougnewcomb says:
03:39 PM, 02/25/09
Let's try that again: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-08-28-4111938886_x.htm.
billt9 says:
03:47 PM, 02/25/09
dougnewcomb uh did you kill someone? Why would you want to protect murderers?
dougnewcomb says:
03:52 PM, 02/25/09
No, I'm not a privacy advocate and have nothing to hide. Not even this troublesome link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-08-28-4111938886_x.htm
altimadude00 says:
06:21 PM, 02/25/09
Even murderers are protected by law.
But this is kind of creepy. Isn't the steering wheel in my hands? Wouldn't drivers acquiesce to an "intelligent" navigation system telling them where to go based solely on the belief that the nav knows better than the person driving the car on where they are going and how to get there?
Or are we there already?
blueguydotcom says:
08:11 AM, 02/26/09
After living with navi in my car for a bit and using my sister's car occasionally over the past year (also with navi) I wonder why anyone would ever pay for it. My cell phone is much better, has faster search times and better information. Really the navi in my BMW is worthless. It's all for bling and no functionality.
bbechtel16 says:
08:49 AM, 02/27/09
What the crap BMW? This is stupid. If it predicts my destination based on where I'm driving, wouldn't I already know where I'm going? I mean I guess it might be marginally helpful, providing an ETA and directions for those places that you remember the first half of how to get to.
As far as adjusting blah blah blah for better economy and performance, that's ridiculous. This is a BMW, put the driver in control! It already has a throttle, brake, clutch, and steering wheel. That's all you need!