Apple Tech May Prevent Cyclist Deaths

[dbnm]

A rather interesting read

https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/09/17/soon-to-launch-apple-tech-may-prevent-cyclist-deaths-and-stymie-bike-theft-but-at-what-ethical-cost/#2faa7d7457b9

[XXtwindad]

The tag makes sense for preventing theft. I was wondering when something like that would come out. Long overdue, it seems.

As far as preventing deaths: not sold. Here's a key takeaway from the article:

"No more road deaths! But hang on, only Tag-owners would ride with this protection? This raises obvious equity issues: rich cyclists would be safe on the roads (that is if all motor vehicles became equipped with UWB tech, which isn’t likely to happen all at once) but poor cyclists, unable to afford iPhones and Tag subscriptions, would continue to be “invisible” and therefore continue to be at risk of road squishings?"

Not only is there an inherent equality issue, but anything that further abdicates the necessity to rely on one's own senses in questionable.

[dbnm]

I view it as another step to protecting us.

Sure, city design and infrastructure, better/harsher laws and tech will help us but ultimately this probably won't help much.

[Blue Jays]

"...Sorry the cyclist was struck and killed, yet the fact remains he/she did not have his/her iTag Awareness Locator switched on..."

[msl819]

The tag makes sense for preventing theft. I was wondering when something like that would come out. Long overdue, it seems.

As far as preventing deaths: not sold. Here's a key takeaway from the article:

"No more road deaths! But hang on, only Tag-owners would ride with this protection? This raises obvious equity issues: rich cyclists would be safe on the roads (that is if all motor vehicles became equipped with UWB tech, which isn’t likely to happen all at once) but poor cyclists, unable to afford iPhones and Tag subscriptions, would continue to be “invisible” and therefore continue to be at risk of road squishings?"

Not only is there an inherent equality issue, but anything that further abdicates the necessity to rely on one's own senses in questionable.

And to this point once we become dependent on the technology we seems to loose the ability to use those senses. Case in point, when we have a phone that gives us turn by turn directions, that can be really handy - we are also quickly loosing the ability to navigate without them.

How long before our perceived confidence in built it tech to help us avoid certain things, like road cyclists, actually make road cyclists more at risk? In that sense those road cyclist who do not have or cannot afford the tag can actually be much more at risk than what they are now because people assume their tech will avoid and automatically correct.