Jetson style driving thanks to wireless

OFCOM has outlined plans or future use of the radio spectrum, which could include the use of wireless technology to manage the UK’s roads.

Currently, the use of cameras across the nation’s motorways manages the complex map of traffic and incidents. Live traffic updates can be found online, on your phone or through the radio. But, after this week’s latest OFCOM report that could all be set to change.

By installing monitors on vehicles wheels it would be possible to monitor and track a cars location, their speed and if they are stuck in traffic. This, in turn, could be transmitted back to the data centre to change the current speed on the roads therefore aiding in eliminating traffic jams.

It is predicted the installation of such devices could save upwards of £1 billion a year, which, we would hope, could go back into maintain the nation’s roads and fixing the never-ending pothole problem?

So, aside from the obvious big brother profiling of the system knowing where your vehicle is… this smarter way of driving could knock hours of your daily commute. Being forewarned of the traffic via a linked app on your phone along with a new route plan pinged to your sat nav, perfect.  Forget about traffic alerts and navigate me round this delay just as I’ve gone past the last junction, this is driving, Jetson style.

But OFCOM’s plans don’t end there. The use of smart pill pots which can monitor if a patient has taken their pills and automatically re-order their prescription? Patient heart rate monitors which deliver test results directly to your doctor? Routine check-up appointments purely for these checks could be eliminated therefore finally freeing up precious doctors appointments and giving you the chance of actually getting an appointment.

Even the energy companies are looking to get on board by managing user’s electricity use and the times of day the usage drops therefore enabling the power companies to perform on a supply and demand basis rather than one constant amount. This, not only saves the energy companies money which can, hopefully, be passed onto the consumer but also, the planet.

And while we’re talking about the planet, there’s also the possibility for farmers to utilise the technology by monitoring water levels within the soil, therefore knowing how much or how little to water and fertilise the crops; a blessing when dealing with organic crops when levels can’t be controlled by pesticides.

So, wireless isn’t just to connect you to the internet, its possibilities and capabilities within nearly every sector are endless. And more often than not, they are also far more economical than traditional monitoring methods saving man power, and associated energy costs.

So save the planet, save money – and go wireless!