The focus of autonomous vehicle research is on developing intelligent vehicles, or artificial intelligence for cars in some sense, while the focus of the blind driver challenge vehicle is developing methods to convey a vast amount of information to the driver through nonvisual means, fast enough and accurately enough for safe driving.

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Power electronics modify the voltage, current or frequency of electricity in applications as diverse as solid-state lighting, intelligent motors and electric vehicles.

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Shall the voters for the City and County of Denver adopt an Initiated Ordinance to require the creation of an extraterrestrial affairs commission to help ensure the health, safety, and cultural awareness of Denver residents and visitors in relation to potential encounters or interactions with extraterrestrial intelligent beings or their vehicles, and fund such commission from grants, gifts and donations?

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The manufacturers are also developing adaptive cruise control, which can automatically maintain a safe speed and distance from other vehicles, and intelligent speed adaptation, which can, in its most active form, prevent a driver exceeding the speed limit.

BBC: How close are we to a crash-proof car?

There will be greater vulnerability with increasing numbers of intelligent systems creating more potential targets, from autonomous vehicles to smart grids.

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During the hours of darkness the intelligent control system prevents dazzle from the headlights of other vehicles.

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And Ford is already marketing its new Focus - with its self-proclaimed "intelligent protection system" - as one of the safest vehicles on the mass market.

BBC: How close are we to a crash-proof car?