Onstar

I was talking with the local fire chief/administrator of the 911 dispatch center this evening -- he was telling me how impressed he was with the OnStar system. Apparently, someone recently was involved in a single car accident in the early morning (on an infrequently traveled road, of course). OnStar apparently called the 911 dispatch center with an approximate street address (based on GPS, I guess); the dispatch center called on a State Trooper and the lady, who had been knocked unconscious, was "rescued". Everyone standing around as the chief and I were talking was amazed and pleased.

What's so amazing about this? Except for the fact that the car "called for help" itself, the technology involved is that which should ALREADY have been implemented by wireless carriers. Yes, friends, the day should have already arrived when you dial 911 and the authorities are immediately aware of your exact location. I'm not being critical of the wireless carriers -- they're doing no less than expected in delaying the deployment of expensive equipment and handsets. If anyone deserves criticism (and I'm not certain anyone does), the government is the logical target. Already, they've folded to carriers time and again allowing them more time to deploy the needed technology.