World’s First: Door-to-Door Navigation with Google Glass & the Digital DriveStyle App
Google Glass is a wearable computer with functionalities of a smartphone that resembles eyeglasses. The user looks through a lens; the information hovers in their field of view. The display is head-worn; the Glass can be controlled by voice or a touch sensor on the side. Google Glass is being developed by Google within the “Project Glass”. Currently it is only available for developers.
he team at Mercedes-Benz works on future use cases such as Door-to-Door navigation. Via a wireless connection, the navigation destination is seamlessly passed between vehicle navigation system and Google Glass so that the whole door to door navigation does not require user interaction. The only user interaction throughout should be the initial start of navigation with Google Glass:
- User enters a destination into Glass navigation, either through voice or other means.
- Glass navigates them to their car via pedestrian routing (first mile navigation with CarFinder).
- Glass automatically passes the destination to the in-vehicle navigation system when the user enters the vehicle. The Glass navigation session is canceled, and vehicle navigation system guides user to its destination.
- After parking and leaving the car, the car automatically sends the final destination address (e.g. a store in a mall) to Glass which starts a Glass navigation session with pedestrian routing (last mile navigation).
Pebble smart watch integration with Digital DriveStyle
The Pebble smartwatch was developed by a startup based in Palo Alto, California. It is part of a growing trend in which customers use smartwatches or wrist bands for immediate access to information without having to take one’s smartphone out.
Mercedes engineers work on future use cases for integrating smartwatch inside the vehicle and after leaving the vehicle. While driving, Car-to-X warnings could vibrate the watch to warn the driver of break-downs, accidents, severe weather, emergency vehicles, wrong-way drivers, road work and general road hazards. To dismiss the alert, the driver can simply shake the wrist. When there are no alerts, the current speed is displayed.
Also while driving, the watch buttons can be pressed to trigger shortcuts: the top button to activate Siri, the center button to pause and resume media playback or to confirm a selection, and the bottom button to display the Car-to-X menu.
After leaving the vehicle, vehicle information is displayed on the watch, e.g. the address where the vehicle is parked, the fuel level and current tank range, service information (time till next service is due, tire pressure, check engine light, oil warning, coolant level low), and vehicle warnings (doors open, sunroof open, convertible roof open).
