I want Android Auto built-in with my Put on OS smartwatch for safer driving

Monitoring my well being has change into a pure a part of my every day life. It offers me peace of thoughts and step by step encourages me to enhance my total bodily situation. I primarily depend on my Put on OS smartwatch to observe my every day exercise, stress ranges, and sleep high quality. Nonetheless, in sure situations, I want it might do extra to deliver any points to my consideration. One such instance can be throughout safety-critical actions, like driving.

Google’s tightly interwoven software program and companies are considered one of its greatest strengths, however its one blind spot is within the automobile. I like that via Android Auto, I can entry my smartphone’s numerous companies. I can play my favourite music via Spotify or entry very important routing info through Google Maps. However what about my vitals? Why can’t my Put on OS watch and Android Auto make the most of my well being knowledge to enhance my security on the highway? On the floor, this in all probability seems like a privateness danger. Why would you need passengers to see your coronary heart fee or stress ranges? Nonetheless, I’m speaking about a lot deeper integration between Android Auto and Put on OS.

A automobile is heavy equipment that requires eager focus and consciousness always. Driving is an exercise influenced by one’s schools, which, in flip, are influenced by latest bodily exercise. In case you had the worst sleep of your life the night time earlier than a giant journey, the standard of your driving might be affected.

In fact, we’re all human. We don’t at all times make the very best choices given the circumstances. We additionally are inclined to consider what we need to consider. That is the place I’d like my Put on OS watch and Android Auto to step in and supply a data-backed serving to hand. These companies might appear to be unlikely bedfellows, however I strongly consider a connection between Put on OS and Android Auto can be an enormous security boon for highway customers.

The advantages of such a system aren’t instantly obvious, so let me paint an image. If my watch senses that I’m drained — maybe it takes under consideration my deep sleep proportion, the present time, declining blood oxygen ranges, or a slowing coronary heart fee — I’d find it irresistible to tell Android Auto, which might then alert me and my passengers of my state.

It might simply situation an audio alert: “Indicators of fatigue detected. Take into account pulling over on the subsequent level of comfort,” or one thing related. Contemplating the roadside services, Google Maps might counsel the place to tug over to relaxation safely. Android Auto might additionally inform my smartwatch how lengthy I’ve been touring. The system might then advocate an acceptable relaxation time primarily based on the day prior to this’s sleep high quality and exercise ranges.

Right here’s one other sensible instance. If I haven’t been driving for an prolonged interval however my watch senses that my stress ranges are rising or my coronary heart fee is spiking, it might ping an audio alert via Android Auto and counsel a sequence of respiration workouts I might take to regain management. I don’t undergo from highway rage (past the odd expletive or two), however consider how helpful such a system can be in these situations.

Android Auto would even be an acceptable dwelling for these nebulous “vitality” scores smartwatches now provide. These may very well be used to foretell how lengthy one might safely drive in a day. A low rating would point out a driver shouldn’t prolong their journey past a sure level, whereas increased scores could also be extra lenient.

Notably, these examples wouldn’t simply profit my driving. Consider those that journey for a residing: long-distance truckers, bus operators, ride-hailing drivers, and even irregular holidaymakers who aren’t as used to touring nice distances in a single journey. Meshing Put on OS and Android Auto would profit an unlimited inhabitants of customers.

Such cooperation between Put on OS and Android Auto additionally dovetails with Google’s security initiatives. The corporate has already rolled out automobile crash detection to Android and its Put on OS units. Bringing Android Auto into the protection fold to assist keep away from crashes fully is smart.

Whereas my description of the service collaboration is maybe an idealized state of affairs, I’m conscious that it’s not so simple as flicking a swap or connecting Android Auto with Put on OS via a digital string.

Put on OS is as fragmented as Android, with numerous health and well being monitoring platforms used throughout the identical working system by completely different producers. Centralizing this info for Android Auto would show a problem. One resolution may very well be utilizing Well being Join as a central hub for this knowledge, however customers must give one other Google product entry to their delicate data. I’m unsure what number of can be snug with that.

Moreover, I’ve to query Google’s long-term dedication to Android Auto. With Android Automotive OS, the baked-in cabin working system, seemingly the way forward for the corporate’s road-going plans, Google is slowly leaning away from Auto. If such a security function have been ever to look, I really feel it might probably grace Automotive first and Auto later (if ever).

Utilizing contextual health knowledge garnered via Put on OS with Android Auto can be all about stopping incidents. I’m nicely conscious that some would argue they don’t want know-how to inform them when to relaxation or how you can drive, however the extra redundant mitigation techniques drivers have, the much less probably they’ll trigger an incident.