The average American driver spends up to 12 percent of his or her waking hours in a car. For Realtors -- many of whom spend a significant portion of their workdays in the car, showing homes to clients -- that percentage is higher. Regardless of who you are or what you do, however, time in the car is usually wasted time.

Imagine you're a Realtor showing homes to a couple and their two young children. You've piled them all into your sports utility vehicle, and you've hit the road for a long afternoon of house-hunting. Chances are good the two children in the back seat aren't going to be fixated on homes the way their parents will be. Or suppose that later in the afternoon, you need a piece of information for your clients that you can only obtain online. Ordinarily, you'd have to make a lengthy detour back to your office if you didn't carry a laptop with you. But, as is often the case in the world of technology, wait five minutes, and an industry leader is sure to deliver the technology that's sure to make your life easier in a way you never thought possible.

Earlier this month, Intel Corporation introduced its in-car computer technology, opening up several new innovative possibilities for Realtors on the road. Intel installed such services as satellite-based navigation, Internet access, cellular phones, computer games and DVD movies -- all of them loaded on a Pentium processor with MMX technology-based platform -- in a Ford Expedition, which made its debut at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The Ford Expedition model contains a voice-activated navigational system in its front seat. Before departure, drivers may enter their destination. As they approach their destinations, a voice indicates proper places to turn, and corresponding visual cues appear on the computer screen (so that passengers may help navigate). Drivers may also make cellular phone calls via the in-car computer. In the car's back seat, passengers may surf the Internet, watch movies on Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs) with Dolby Surround Sound Stereo, or play computer games on CD-ROM. "We're trying to get rid of the dreaded question, 'Are we there yet?,'" says Mike Iannitti, market development engineer for Intel.

Whether you're tracking down a house for a client, your client needs to call home, or your client's children need a distraction, this prototype solves more than a few headaches for Realtors and clients alike. "Real estate agents do spend a fair amount of time in their cars and often do business in their cars, real estate will be an appropriate market for this technology," Iannitti says. MLS listings may be downloaded from the Internet, and the car's navigational system may then help track down each listing. Intel representatives say that by 1999, versions of this system will be made available for customers who wish to have it installed in their vehicles, and by 2000 and beyond, the technology should be available in factory vehicles.

A recent Reuters report questioned the safety of having too many technological devices in cars, contending they could be a dangerous distractions for drivers. The report made reference to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)'s concern about the skyrocketing popularity of cellular phones (from 345,000 in 1985 to 50 million today), navigation systems, portable faxes, and other distracting technologies. In fact, a study released last year concluded that the risk of having an accident while using a cellular phone was equal to the accident risk while driving drunk -- a quadrupling of the typical accident risk. NHTSA representatives say that conversation, not the act of dialing, presents a greater risk for accidents. The administration did note, however, that cellular phones have several safety benefits, such as faster notification of emergency services.

Intel's Connected Car PC Technology attempts to reduce the inherent risks of in-car technology by using voice activation for many of the prototype's features, including a text-to-speech converter that reads incoming e-mail, then allows the driver to dictate a reply. "We're focusing on making in-car computing safe by enabling drivers to keep their eyes on the road," Iannitti says. The Radio Data Broadcast System (RDBS) verbally delivers breaking news, weather, and traffic reports. Information on tourism, stocks, local entertainment, products, services, and more may be downloaded from the Internet, and home security systems may be monitored and operated from the car through voice commands. In addition, the PC's global positioning system enables emergency services to locate a vehicle following an accident. In cases where the driver is incapacitated and the car's airbags were activated, a signal is sent via the PC to emergency services.

Iannitti says the average cost of Intel's in-car PC technology is comparable to the average cost of a PC, between $1,000 and $2,500. Intel isn't alone in its pursuit of the ultimate in-car conveniences; Sony Corporation, for example, just released its own prototype for a van containing multiple movie screens -- and a $75,000 price tag. "Over the course of 1998, we'll be looking at a lot of other companies trying out new types of technology," Iannitti says. It's going to be an exciting year. We're only at the tip of the iceberg for the latest on-road technologies, and Realtors stand to benefit perhaps more than any other type of consumer.

Published: February 10, 1998

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