Filed under: Products and services, Marketing and advertising, Toyota Motor Corp. (TM)
You might think this sounds weird, but if you live in Florida or any other state with a lot of seniors, it’s an idea whose time has come. The Associated Press reports today that Prof. Ryuta Kawashima, who helped develop Nintendo’s Brain Age, is working with Toyota (NYSE: TM) to develop automobiles that help seniors drive safely. “Brain Age” is a popular game that helps people stimulate brain activity and improve brain health. Millions of copies of “Brain Age” have been sold.
Ideas being considered for this project include developing technology that can monitor a driver’s driving pattern and curb hazardous activity. An example cited in the AP story indicates that Toyota wants to develop technology that would be able to slow a automobile if it senses the driver is hitting the gas pedal for no reason. Have you heard those stories of seniors hitting the gas accidenally instead of the brakes? Unfortunately, there have been some horrific stories where people waiting at a corner for a bus or in a mall location, were plowed down because of this type of error by a senior driver. Anything that could help prevent this is sorely needed.
Kawashima told the AP that “Ultimately, we hope to develop automobiles that stimulate brain activity, so that driving itself becomes a form of brain training.” Hmm . . . I’m not sure about that one. It reminds me of those SciFi movies where people are essentially plugged in with plates in their brains. What do you think?
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