Embrace Smart Pedestrian Wearables for Safer Crossings!

My friends and I were discussing self-driving cars, and the issue of pedestrian safety was raised. If a driver of a self-driving car is not paying attention and a pedestrian darts in front of the car and is hit who is responsible. We talked about the need for pedestrians to take some responsibility for their own actions. As I am curious I did some research and found out that a lot of people have considered the situation and there are some intriguing solutions coming.  I suspect there are solutions for all age groups, but my focus is on seniors so this post is about solutions for senior pedestrians. 

As the automotive landscape evolves rapidly, with up to 30% of new cars expected to be autonomous or self-driving vehicles by 2030, concerns about pedestrian safety have been growing. The loss of traditional driver cues poses a challenge for pedestrians trying to navigate the streets safely. However, there's good news on the horizon that can help address these concerns – smart pedestrian wearables!

According to a recent study by the University of Victoria and the University of Calgary, pedestrian wearables are specially designed clothing and accessories-based devices that serve a crucial purpose – to alert pedestrians of relevant information, such as oncoming autonomous vehicles and their intentions.

Smart pedestrian wearables act as external human-machine interfaces (eHMIs) that directly communicate with autonomous vehicles. This means you'll be instantly informed about approaching self-driving cars, giving you ample time to make safe street crossing decisions.

The wearables have been thoughtfully designed by considering human movement and comfort. The devices are easily moldable, conforming seamlessly to the shape of your body. This ensures a smooth and comfortable fit, allowing for dynamic mobility without any discomfort.

Many of these wearables, like squeezing socks, constricting bands, and alerting headphones, are designed to be discreet and hidden. You won't have to worry about bulky or awkward accessories; instead, they'll blend seamlessly with your clothing and adapt to your personal style.

The devices activate alerts using different senses, such as sight, hearing, or touch. Whether you prefer visual cues, audible signals, or haptic feedback, there's a wearable that caters to your preferences, ensuring you never miss an important warning. You'll have no trouble recognizing alerts, even in busy environments, ensuring your safety during street crossings.

The study highlights the consideration of shared spaces among road users, making sure that the wearables benefit a diverse range of pedestrians. Seniors, in particular, stand to gain significantly from these devices, enabling safer navigation in an increasingly autonomous vehicle-filled world.

Smart pedestrian wearables come in various designs, offering you a wide range of options to choose from. Whether it's a light-projecting necklace, an inflating jacket, or a shape-changing scarf, you can find a wearable that suits your style and preferences.

In conclusion, the research emphasizes that pedestrian wearables represent a promising technology to facilitate communication between pedestrians and autonomous vehicles. By adopting these devices, seniors can significantly enhance their safety and confidently navigate the streets amidst the changing automotive landscape.

So, to all seniors out there, stay ahead of the curve and embrace smart pedestrian wearables – a simple step towards a safer and 

Senior-Friendly Features to Consider when buying a car

The following is from a discussion of the Longevity Circle, which is a group that I belong to and the topic was seniors and car safety. The following safety features can keep seniors feeling safe and comfortable behind the wheel:

Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). This system uses special sensors to maintain a safe distance between your car and the one in front of you. The control is especially useful for long-distance trips on the highway. A car with this type of cruise control can automatically brake or accelerate to let you safely follow other drivers. This includes slamming on the brakes if needed to avoid an unexpected accident.

Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB). The purpose of an AEB system is to help drivers react more quickly to emergencies. If sensors detect a potential collision, they apply the brakes right away. The brake isn’t supposed to replace staying awake at the wheel, but it can help older adults to improve response times in emergencies.

Lane Departure Warning. This system lets you know if the vehicle is starting to drift. It keeps track of the white lines on the road and sounds an alert if it notices the car leaving its lane.

Rear-View Cameras. This safety feature can be a huge help for older adults who may experience pain when repeatedly turning their neck to look back. A screen shows what’s behind the automobile to help prevent collisions when backing up.

Blind Spot Detection. Blindspot detection uses sensors to warn drivers when there’s a vehicle in the car’s blind spot. Usually, small lights appear on the door mirrors when other cars approach from behind.

Accessibility

Many older adults find it difficult to squat and move sideways to get into a seat. You may want a vehicle with a low step-in height, a tall roofline, and wide-opening doors. Some seniors need to back up to a vehicle, put their rear ends on the seat, and then slide in. If that's the case for you, non-fabric seats may work best.

Thanks to their height, SUVs are easy to get in and out of. Low-slung sedans tend to be a little less accessible.

Visibility

Drivers need to be able to see from every angle: front, side, and back. Big windows and backup cameras are very helpful in that regard. Higher seats are also useful, which is why SUVs tend to offer better sightlines than sedans.

Controls

Large, easy-to-read dashboard controls are easier on aging eyes. Touchscreens can be confusing and difficult for older fingers to use, so make sure you test them out. The best ones have large fonts, intuitive graphics, and high contrast displays. Voice controls are becoming more widespread and can be very helpful for seniors with dexterity challenges.

Safety features

Perform well in car safety tests. Safety is a key concern for any driver, but especially for older adults, who tend to be more fragile and prone to injuries.

Comfort

A comfortable ride is important to keep you from getting sore or fatigued. Heated seats can be good for people with stiff hips, lower back pain, or cold sensitivity. Some models allow you to set the temperature of the seat bottom and seat back separately.

Power seats that adjust in multiple ways make it easy to accommodate different situations. For instance, perhaps you need to keep the seat further back to get in and out, but then move it closer to the wheel to drive. Or maybe your spouse needs different seat positioning. It's especially handy if the seats have memory settings so that you don't have to reconfigure them every time.

Adjustable pedals and steering columns can also be useful in ensuring that you get a good fit. And a power liftgate on an SUV can save you from having to manually open or close the heavy door; all you need to do is press a button or, in some cases, just wave your foot under the rear bumper.

Overall fit

Everyone's needs are different, and it's important to find the car that is best suited to you. CarFit (https://www.car-fit.org/) is a program in the United States that allows seniors to have a trained technician or health professional evaluate how well their vehicles fit them. The process involves looking at factors like how you are positioned in relation to the steering wheel, seat belt, mirrors, pedals, and so on. Since the program's inception, surveys have revealed that 10 percent of participating seniors were sitting too close to the wheel, and 20 percent could not see at least three inches over it.

Will you drive after 65?

Misunderstandings are always caused by the inability of appreciating one another's point of view. Boomers still drive after age 65, according to Stats Canada 79% of men and 44% of women, use their cars as their main source of transportation. Public Transportation is not an option for our age group.

A minority of us use a primary means of transportation other than a car (public transit, walking, accessible transit or taxi). According to a report by Called Profile of Seniors’ Transportation Habits by Martin Turcotte published in 2012 by Stats Canada, among men aged 65 to 74, 84% got around mainly by driving their car, and 9% by being a passenger in a car That left 4% using public transit, 3% walking or bicycling, and the rest using accessible transit or taxis.

As people get older, travelling as a passenger in a private vehicle becomes their main form of transportation; this is the case for about one-half of seniors aged 85 and over (with or without a licence). This was even more common among women of this age group, as 52% travelled primarily as passengers and had no licence while another 7% had a licence but travelled mainly as passengers.

Seniors do not use public transit more often as their main form of transportation as they get older. Nor does occasional use increase with age. Part of the decline in the use of public transit with age is due to the fact that on average, seniors go out less often than we used to go out.

Public transportation, unless you live in Metro Vancouver is relatively infrequent in low residential density neighbourhoods. In those neighbourhoods, public transit, if any, is designed primarily to meet the needs of workers (rush-hour service to key destinations such as the downtown core or main work areas).

 In addition, being unable to drive may mean being unable to use regular public transit. Some seniors with reduced mobility could use accessible transit services, but these are not available in every city or every neighbourhood.

Most people probably consider accessible transit and taxis as options of last resort, and people who depend on such forms of transportation may have reduced mobility. On the other hand, accessible transit and taxis may be very important to people who cannot drive and whose relatives do not live nearby or are not always available.

The research shows that before the age of 85, a very small minority of seniors use either of these types of transportation. The picture is different for people aged 85 and over, especially women: 9% of them used accessible transit or taxis as their primary means of transportation.

Outside census metropolitan areas, alternatives to the car are virtually non-existent as primary means of travel. Only 1% of seniors living outside census metropolitan report that their primary form of transportation was accessible transit or taxis, compared with 3% in a major metro area of Canada.

This inability to get around on one’s own makes it difficult to age at home, which is an idea supported by all levels of government, at least in theory. There is growing acceptance of the idea that leading an active life and participating in social activities promotes good health and successful ageing. Consequently, governments are encouraging such behaviours and activities, and are also developing policies to eliminate barriers to participation.

Seniors whose main form of transportation was driving their car were the most likely to have taken part in a social activity during the previous week (73%), with passengers who had a driver’s licence close behind (69%). Public transit users and seniors who walked were a little less likely to participate (61% and 66% respectively). People who were mainly passengers and did not have a licence (53%) and people who used accessible transit or taxis (46%) had the lowest participation rates.

Women, particularly those 85 and over, were much more likely to be in the last two groups. When all other factors affecting social participation were kept constant (age, health status, sex, income level, household status, mental health, type of place of residence), the conclusion was the same: seniors who travelled mostly by driving their car were more likely to participate than those who used any other form of transportation (except passengers with a licence, who were not significantly different from driver.

A majority of seniors live in areas where the car is the primary form of transportation. So, it is not surprising to find that the majority of seniors, even those of more advanced ages, travel mostly by car. I suspect that the majority of us have no intention of moving and plan to remain where we live as long as possible. The number and proportion of seniors who drive can, therefore, be expected to increase over the coming years. 

In 2009, three-quarters of all seniors had a driver’s licence. For men, being an older senior is not an obstacle to driving. In the 85-and over age group, 67% of men and 26% of women had a licence. This large gap between men and women aged 85 and over is expected to diminish in the future since almost as many women as men aged 55 to 64 had a driver’s licence.

If all levels of government are serious about helping seniors age in place, then they have to start looking at ways to improve public transit for seniors.