How would your dream car help you ride to perfect weather?

“Hey Car! Take me where the sun is shining.” 

Colder weather and shorter days tend to make us feel somewhat gray and gloomy, so this is a perfect time for some sunny-road-trip daydreaming. Let’s think outside the box and dream a bit for a while: How could a future of on-wheels-weather look? 

Previously, we discussed how weather impacts safety for road users, as well as how road weather differs from traditional weather forecasting and its value for automotive use. We learned about the hazards adverse weather conditions cause for road users and how Vaisala can help mitigate risks for drivers as well as vehicle systems in the future. 

Daydreaming in your car
We would love to get a discussion started with you. Share your best, funniest and most innovative ideas: What could it look like to have the weather connected with your car, bike or other transportation? Would it happen tomorrow or maybe in 10 years? Don’t let the cold winter limit your imagination. 

For inspiration, I’ll start by sharing one of my favorites: 

I want to know what activities the weather will allow me to undertake today. I have the day off from work and I would love to go for a swim, play a round of golf, or fly a kite with my kids — but when? Where? What if it starts to rain? My smart assistant would give me some great suggestions, perfect for the weather no matter what time I want to go.

Why do we care about the weather?
Why are people so interested in weather forecasts in the first place? Why it is an almost obsession for most of us to look for the forecast first thing in the morning or as last before going to sleep? I would argue for many of us it is first and foremost an effort to figure out what to do today or tomorrow. 

The beauty of having access to a car (or any personal vehicle for that matter) is that it gives you freedom of movement. By design, the vehicle transports the operator and passengers to a destination. Yet we’re already living in the age of connected and smart vehicles. Our cars are equipped with helpful services that act like digital assistants (think Hey BMW, Alexa, Siri) and other clever features. 

Where imagination hits the road
Imagine if you could change the centuries-old paradigm where the weather forecast determines your day. Instead of the weather deciding what you can and cannot do, you can take back control and only you decide what to do. 

Your smart car’s assistant would be there to help you: Just tell your car what you want to do, and the car does more than take you there (manually or autonomously), but also helps you find the perfect location: 

“Hey Car, I want to play golf today and I am willing to drive up to 90 minutes to get there.”

Your personal digital assistant thinks for a second or two and comes up with a few suggestions based on a combination of real-time traffic, user reviews for golf courses, online availability of tee times, and of course the optimal weather conditions for a full 18-hole round. In this imaginary example you’d need to remember to pack your golf gear, jump in, ask your car’s advice and head out to enjoy the game (sorry, it won’t guarantee you’ll avoid those nasty triple-bogeys). 

What would your smart weather-assistant-on-wheels look like? 

Please let us know your ideas on LinkedIn — maybe we can help make those sunny daydreams come true!