Aida – the Affective Intelligent Driving Agent. Everyone’s mother-in-law must have one

Aida – the Affective Intelligent Driving Agent – is boasting to replace your wife, mother-in-law or teenage child come driving expert as the backseat driver of the future. I must warn you guys that Aida is very likely to become your public enemy number one. I will give you some of the details in a moment but first some history. The back seat driver was first invented in the Stone Age. Bubba Bubba – the figure  with the big flabby breasts who took over the caveman’s life, calls out one morning to her caveman: “Take Mama Mia to have her beard cut.” This is the first recorded medical case of BSDF (back seat driver fatality). The cavemen returned home to Bubba Bubba and reported that her mother had been eaten by a pestosaurus but of course we historians have proved otherwise. Ever since the Stone Age, the back seat driver has been known for its limited vocabulary. It is found to be at home with the following phrases repeated as often as possible
1.”Your driving to fast” often used when the car is in a stationary position
2. “Your too close to the car in front” used in the Nevada desert when you need a telescope to even see the car in front
3. “You need to take a right here” also used while driving through the Nevada desert.

   Modern science replaced the back seat driver with the GPS. Now it is not necessary to have an annoying BSD aboard, you have an Italian speaking woman to tell you which way to drive. My first experience with a GPS started in the Malpensa Airport,  just outside Milan, Italy. I got it working in no time and was really pleased with myself until the girl with the heavy Italian accent, hidden behind the minute screen started arguing with me. To leave the airport  by car you have to follow a longish unlisted road which Ms GPS failed to recognize.
“In two, no three hundred meters take the second right on the roundabout.”
 The wife and I searched in all directions but there was no roundabout to be seen. The only turnoff in sight was a small road to the left.
“Maybe she’s got  her directions mixed up” my other half offered.
I took the left turn.
“Recalculating” Great they’ve given me a mathematician.
“In twenty seven meters take the third exit from the roundabout.”
“Look there’s a sort of roundabout ahead” my wife said helpfully.
“But it only has two exits and a dirt path.”

Two hours later and numerous recalculations later we finally hit our hotel (almost literally). Our confused Ms. GPS gave a deep sign and exclaimed “You have reached your destination. Please turn me off it is time for my siesta.” Then she murmured something under her breath that sounded like “che idioti che hanno insegnato loro come guidare” though I could be mistaken.
Now, as we approach the second decade of the new Millennium, MIT have invented the ultimate back seat driver, only like Ms. GPS it demands to ride in the front. This new robot, looking like a remake of I.T., is a collaboration between MIT and Volkswagen.

   Assaf Biderman, associate director of the SENSEable City Lab explains that “Within a week AIDA will have figured out your home and work location. Soon afterwards the system will be able to direct you to your preferred grocery store, suggesting a route that avoids a street fair-induced traffic jam. On the way AIDA might recommend a stop to fill up your tank, upon noticing that you are getting low on gas,” says Biderman. “AIDA can also give you feedback on your driving, helping you achieve more energy efficiency and safer behavior.”  It also has facial expressions used  as behavior support. Well that’s already one better than my  back seat mother-in-law.