Home to Car

[MichaelD]

I don't feel up to the job of fitting a PC in my car, although a 7" UMPC would be a big headstart on screen, connectivity, software etc.

Was thinking though, that cars are what, 20? years ahead of houses, so what can we learn from them.

First point is that they stopped using central relays and wires to every point, they now have distributed controllers, so in the Audi A8, each door has its own controller, for windows, locks, electronic child lock logic etc. By distributing controllers, they were able to reduce the amount of copper in the car, so now the wiring loom only weighs about 50kg! In houses, we are just starting to go this way, with IP relays and sensors, but we still like a heavyweight Node0 with everything in there. It feels like we won't be doing that in 20 years.

For entertainment, (radio, MP3, TV, CD) there is a fibre-optic network, for engine data, another discrete but wired network, and for 'convenience' there is a third network. This prevents problems on one network from interfering with the others. A gateway module links the network, so that diagnostics can connect to everything. Not sure we ever think about multiple networks

Some of the functions we take for granted in cars would be great in houses, e.g. central locking, lights on when we open the door, power closedown when we go out, lights come on when it goes dark, when it rains it wipes the windows. And this stuff is so robust you can jump over a hump back bridge and it still works fine. I'm very impressed

[chris_j_hunter]

yep, agree - seems strange now to drive a car in which 'have to think about lights & wipers etc ...

other features include things like SIM-card in-dash for integrated 'phone functions, auto-news reports, automatic monitoring of engine & systems & tyres & doors & outside conditions, with appropriate diagnosis & feedback & warnings & maintenance requests, fuel consumption data & analysis, clock-synchronisation, presence sensing (via seats & doors etc), eyes-free AV controls at work-station, automatic seats & mirrors & air-con, manoeuvre assistance, plus a smooth & quiet & fresh environment to keep people in relaxed mood, and v.good reliability ... all things that would be good to have also in the house !

[MichaelD]

But we buy a car that has all these fabulous features, then pretty much throw it away after 10 years or so. A house that we might live in for 20 years doesn't get the same features, most don't even turn on the lights when you open a door.

That seems completely out-of-balance

[Andrew Millne]

My prediction for the next 50 years will see an increase in the number of "engineered homes" with more thought towards automation and multimedia in the home. In the past future-proofing meant running sufficient coax and telephone sockets but a well thought out system of cavities and conduits is surely the better solution. We are already starting to see it with the likes of the German Huf Haus and Ikea fitted furniture culture.

The PC in the car is now not so much of a challenge as it was. While it has always been achievable there has almost always been some bodging of dashboards and compromises. There are now several ready made PCs built into standard double Din style enclosures for anywhere between $500-1400 and there are countless Chinese suppliers and clones. These units come with wiring harnesses ready to plug into the stock harness. No more need for seperate power supplies, screens and amplifiers.

There's also a few very good applications such as centrafuse which gives you a very car friendly GUI with all the navigation, media, OBD-II functions. I'll definately be considering this for the near future. Take a look at this for quite a well specced car PC all in.

http://www.revo-sys.com/revosys_x500_dual_core_2din_car_pc.php

[chris_j_hunter]

yep, agree, very much out of balance, and the Huf Haus approach does indeed make a lot of sense - engineered, pre-fabricated, efficient ... cavities & conduits, too - sometimes think we'll have a go at a house that has an outer shell to fit with the scene, enclosing an inner super-modern house, with the gap between arranged to allow us to add & subtract pipes & cables & whatever else, as & when necessar, to keep things up-to-date & relevant ... perhaps something like this (but a whole house, not just a visitor centre, and on a much smaller scale, obviously) :

http://www.architecture.com/UseAnArchitect/FindAnArchitect/Competitions/CaseStudiesNew/Cultureandleisure/VisitorCentres/WycollerVisitorCentre/WycollerVisitorCentre2.aspx

the car-PC looks quite something, interesting - wonder how many they've sold & if they have helped with productivity in their target market ? Not sure how they'd fit with European cars, with their anti-theft / unique-to-the-car front-panels ...

[toscal]

For more car type computers have a look here
http://www.cartft.com/catalog/il/993 and they are a lot cheaper.

[chris_j_hunter]

wonder if any of the car-PCs would make a good HA server - list of features looks OK, and the power supply side of things might be well suited to a UPS basis ...