I continually underestimate the power of disruptive technology. It's kind of a hobby of mine to predict what the future might hold if certain events come to pass (hence the allure of POET), and yet I still find it challenging to visualize the cascading effects that follow the obvious impacts.

I rather enjoyed this article in G&M today:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/digital-culture/self-driving-cars-will-set-off-an-economic-and-cultural-earthquake/article13456267/

and here's a related video for more context:

http://www.google.ca/about/jobs/lifeatgoogle/self-driving-car-test-steve-mahan.html

So I briefly began thinking about what role POET could play in this technology.

First, I thought about the rotating RADAR on the top of the vehicle and immediately replaced it with a POET-based solid state phased array that scans electonically like the one NASA is working on.

Next, I thought of an "active skin" like the kind described on p34 of the Corporate Overview (CO):

'POET arrays can be constructed to be flexible, allowing them to easily be attached to the surface of complex shapes like aircraft and ships, forming an “active skin”'

Maybe some of the landscaping detection could be passed down to the skin of the vehicle.

I also thought that data could be sent to nearby vehicles to communciate turns, sudden stops, etc. (for example, what if a vehicle could tell the auto driving car in front that it was about to crash into it? Maybe the car about to be impacted could maneuver out of the way automatically or even relax the brakes to absorb the impact minimizing the severity of injury in both vehicles?).

Finally, I thought that the skin of the vehicle could detect cyclists, and then instantly become a directed energy weapon used to destroy it:)

turns, sudden stops, etc. (for example, what if a vehicle could tell the auto driving car in front that it was about to crash into it? Maybe the car about to be impacted could maneuver out of the way automatically or even relax the brakes to absorb the impact minimizing the severity of injury in both vehicles?).

Finally, I thought that the skin of the vehicle could detect cyclists, and then instantly become a directed energy weapon used to destroy it:)