Updates 6/6/03
Carpool Manager - Wireless PDA GPS application, Version 8/22/02
This project addresses how to keep carpoolers happy once a carpool is formed, not the equally important matchmaking
task to form carpools.
There are more than 3M Bay Area commuters; 13.8% carpool. Most carpools consist
of people who live at the same address. To make the leap to carpooling between tech workers living within a few
blocks, wireless location technology is needed to create "virtual proximity". Carpool members need to
be "nagged" to get out on the front porch in the morning (requires detecting the carpool car is moving),
need to see the carpool car move towards their house on a map, need end of the day nagging, and need one-touch
access to tasks such as a) delay the carpool X minutes, b) cancel my seat, c) provide me with a taxi ride home.
100% of uncertainty must be removed to bring new carpoolers on.
A prototype should be implemented with at least one three-person carpool with each rider using a wireless PDA with
GPS adapter and a central application server providing coordination.
Meeting report: bravoBrava.com, Luc Julia, 8/13/02. This project is a major undertaking with many hurdles. The PocketPC platform,
GPS devices, and street databases are not quite ready for this application. These challenges lead to the concept
of a de-featured, simpler browser based prototype.
The wireless PDAs are more likely to be "two sleeve" PocketPC than Palm based. PCMCIA GPS cards are
provided by Pretec,
Teletype, Pharos, and TravRoute. Cellular modems are made by various vendors.