open-source, location-aware car !
Smart Mobs: Location-aware, open-source, Blobject cars in Cordoba
What is it about?
Gems (made by Daimler Chrysler) are small, environment friendly, electrical vehicules, perfect for the kind of business this guy in Cordoba (Spain) started. He launched a tourist car rental business in the city of Cordoba and his park is 100% base on Gems. However an enhanced kind of GEMS which come with an onboard computer system with a touch screen, onto which you can plug a USB flash key with local infomation in French, English or Spanish.
Everytime you then drive by a landmarked spot you would receive all the details about it thanks to that open-source, GPS enabled, system in your vehicule. The car + this system constitute a Blobject also the name ot the company.
I especially dig this quote from the inventor and creator of Blobject:
"With proprietary software, innovation comes from the people in marketing,
...
But with open source, innovation comes from the guy who is really in the market. It comes from someone who knows the city."
That is the spirit!
