The TechMobility Podcast
Welcome to The TechMobility Podcast, your ultimate source for authentic insights, news, and perspectives at the nexus of mobility and technology. We're all about REAL FACTS, REAL OPINIONS, and REAL TALK! From personal privacy to space hotels, if it moves or moves you, we're discussing it! Our weekly episodes venture beyond the conventional, offering a unique, unfiltered take on the topics that matter. We're not afraid to color outside the lines, and we believe you'll appreciate our bold approach!
The TechMobility Podcast
Tech on the Road: Anti-Theft Apps, Car Loans, and Traffic Safety
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The automotive world continues to evolve with groundbreaking solutions to age-old problems – theft, affordability, and safety. This week, we dive deep into Ford's innovative approach to vehicle security with their new mobile app engine immobilizer for its F-150 trucks. Imagine being able to prevent your truck from starting even if thieves have your keys, all controlled remotely from anywhere in the world. Ford's comprehensive security package not only offers peace of mind but also includes a substantial $2,500 insurance deductible reimbursement if theft occurs despite these precautions.
Behind the wheel of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI, I discovered a sports sedan that honors its 40-year heritage while embracing modern performance technology. With 228 horsepower from its turbocharged engine and sophisticated handling aids, the GLI delivers driving enjoyment at a price point significantly below comparable crossovers. The elegant, coupe-like profile complemented by distinctive lighting elements makes this Puebla, Mexico-built sedan stand out in an increasingly homogenous automotive landscape.
The conversation takes a sobering turn as we examine the current state of automotive financing, where seven-year loans have become increasingly common – not just for new vehicles but alarmingly for used cars as well. This extension of loan terms represents what many industry experts consider an affordability crisis, with one in ten used car buyers now committing to 84-month financing terms. These extended commitments raise serious questions about financial flexibility and the true cost of vehicle ownership when factoring in insurance requirements and maintenance over such lengthy periods.
Finally, we explore how technology is making work zones safer for both workers and motorists. Queue Warning Systems have demonstrated remarkable effectiveness, reducing injury crashes by 63% according to Wisconsin DOT studies. As these smart work zones continue to evolve, the integration of vehicle-to-infrastructure communication promises even greater safety improvements in the years ahead.
Have thoughts about these automotive developments? Call or text the Tech Mobility hotline at 872-222-9793 or email talk@techmobilityshow.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and podcasts to stay updated on the latest in mobility technology!
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Welcome to the Tech Mobility Podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm Ken Chester On the docket my impressions and review of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI sports sedan, new car loans get longer and traffic safety technology. To add your voice to the conversation, to ask a question, share an opinion or even make a suggestion for a future topic of discussion on the show, call or text the Tech Mobility hotline, that number, 872-222-9793. Or you can email the show directly if that is your preference. Talk at techmobilityshow Also, if you'd be so kind to consider to subscribe, like and follow us on social media, our YouTube channel and our two podcasts the Tech Mobility Podcast and Tech Mobility Topics. And before we go to the Tech Mobility News Desk, let me add this there is original content that I put out to social media that is not part of the weekly show. Some of the things that you will see actually is our one-minute updates for the Tech Mobility Minute, but you'll actually see me as I talk about that, unlike just hear me.
Speaker 2:And then, something that I do just for digital that I do not do on the show is I do my video walk-around. I test drive a lot of cars and trucks and SUVs and crossovers and EVs in the course of a year. I try to pick the best ones, and I do take pictures and do video on every single one, and what I like to do for those of you that follow me digitally is offer what we call a video walk around. I don't talk about it. I set it to music, I put together the stills and the videos so you can experience the vehicle for yourself. And I've driven some pretty cool vehicles and I'm coming up with one that I'm really impressed with. They kind of blew me out of the water because I wasn't expecting to be impressed with it. I'm not going to tell you the name of it, but I do want you to look out for it in social media in the next couple of weeks. When you see it, you'll understand why I was so excited about it.
Speaker 2:But I wanted to add that for you in case you were wondering. There's a lot more going out into our social media and digital world than just what you hear on the show. So check it out, drop us a line and, like I said earlier, please be sure to subscribe, like and follow us on our various platforms. We're trying to get to 1,000 on YouTube. It would be wonderful if you would just go out there and subscribe. That would help us a great deal. Thank you so much. From the Tech Mobility News Desk. The number one vehicle for the last 40-some-odd years from the Tech Mobility News Desk. The number one vehicle for the last 40-some-odd years is also one of the ones most stolen, and I'm talking about the Ford F-150.
Speaker 2:Ford Motor Company decided to add a little something-something to help motorists keep their vehicles and, believe it or not, there's an app for that. Ford app adds remote kill switch to keep thieves from stealing f-150s. And this is straight from ford. It's part of ford's new security package, which includes, on top of that, a 2500 insurance deductible reimbursement for theft. If they steal your truck and you've got this insurance, you will get reimbursed up to $2,500 for your out of pocket from your insurance company. They quote a statistic and you know me, I love statistics and I love putting things in context. Cars get stolen often. In the United States of America how often you ask? Thank you for asking? One gets stolen every 31 seconds. So in the time it's taken me to read this, approximately four vehicles have gotten stolen somewhere in the country.
Speaker 2:Ford is offering all new F-Series trucks this mobile app engine motorizer as part of its new Ford security package, so customers can remotely prevent their truck from starting, no matter where it is. Get it in the world. You're off on a world cruise for a month. Your F-150 is parked in your driveway in the upper Midwest. Somebody sees it hasn't moved in a while and they think they can steal it. Guess what? They activate the app, turn on the mobile engine immobilizer. That vehicle ain't going nowhere. Ford started this package last year on the F-150, but they're going to make it up to the 2025 Super Duty and eventually other future Ford models. So basically they're offering an app that will let you control and help deter people from stealing your vehicle. Ford says it's not just a remote engine immobilizer, it's a comprehensive theft prevention package that they say in a Ford Pass mobile app, owners of properly equipped F-150s can remotely use the start inhibit function, previously available to fleets, but now retail customers can get it.
Speaker 2:It prevents the truck from being started by even somebody with an authorized key. Because you left your keys at home. They broke into your house. They found the keys because you left them in the tray, where you always do by the door, and they think they got your truck. Guess what, they don't, because you turn this on even with the key, they wonder why your truck won't start. Ain't going to happen. It doesn't matter where you are in relation to the vehicle or who's trying to get in, it's locked down. Hmm, you'll love this.
Speaker 2:And for y'all that got teenagers, you can even prevent people in your own house from snagging your keys and going for a joyride until you digitally tell the truck it's okay to start, it ain't starting. Just make sure your kids don't get a hold of your phone and know that you got the app If they know that you're still messed up and teenagers are pretty industrious when they want to be Even if somebody tries to steal your truck, you'll get notifications from the app. The app will tell you somebody's trying to lift your truck. Ford offers a dedicated 800 number to call, to be staffed by real humans who will contact local authorities to help you if you're not near your truck. I like that part. What's more, ford knows that these are clever. Say, maybe someone figures out a way to get around the digital locks and takes the truck anyway. That's where the $2,500 comes in. The security package comes with all of these services for one year for free, and after that it's only $799 a month.
Speaker 2:Now, the only catch. She had to buy a fairly new truck, either 2024, 2025 F-150, or 2025 Super Duty with the SYNC 4 version, and I'm not going to get into the version of the security system. They said that these services may eventually roll out of the nameplates before it is naturally chosen to start with its most popular product. I said in a previous show about stuff they want to sell you at the dealership. If I just spent almost $80,000 for a Ford F-150 Platinum, yeah, $799 a month, sign me up for that that. Yeah, I'm in for that. I'm not against certain digital products if they add value for me or add security that I can't replicate somewhere else.
Speaker 2:This is one of those and honest to goodness, what people are paying and what insurance. The only question I've got is do I get an insurance break from my insurance company for having it? That would be a conversation I'd have both with Ford, and the insurance company said OK, I've got this app, it's on my phone, I actively use it, so where's my discount? I want a discount because they discount just about everything and it would be the insurance company's best interest for you to go that way. So if they knocked off 10%, 20%, 30% off your premium, you've more than paid for the $799 a month big time in multiples, particularly what it would cost to get to insure a $60,000 to $80,000 pickup truck. Yeah, I think that would be an excellent investment.
Speaker 2:Let me talk about battery charging for a minute. In the time we've got left really quick. We're talking BYD and they've got a super e-platform first in China and I will say this because I don't have time to get into it. They're saying they can recharge their vehicles in five minutes. In the time it takes to gas up a vehicle with gasoline, you could recharge one of these and I told you that was coming, told you it was coming, and we'll talk about this probably more another time because I really want to get into it and I don't really have the time to get into it. But they're talking about 249 miles, five minutes of charging, 250 miles, which is most vehicles range now. So if you figure 10, 15 minutes, you've got everything you need in 10 to 15 minutes and you're good to go. Imagine Up next my impressions and review of the 2025 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Sports Sedan. You are listening to the Tech Mobility Show.
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Speaker 2:Social media is the main place to be these days, and we are no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Facebook videos, from my latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary of a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Facebook. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to our Facebook page. Social media is the place to be these days. And're no exception. I'm ken chester of the tech mobility show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly instagram videos, from the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight. You be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.
Speaker 2:For those of you that listen to podcasts, we have just the one for you. Hi, I'm Ken Chester. Tech Mobility Topics is a podcast where I upload topic-specific videos each week. Shorter than a full show. These bite-sized programs are just the thing, particularly if you're interested in a particular topic covered on the weekly radio show, from Apple Podcasts to iHeartRadio and many podcast platforms in between, we got you covered. Just enter Tech Mobility Topics in the search bar, wherever you listen to podcasts 40 years ago, volkswagen came to America and we were different.
Speaker 1:Today, nobody else builds German-engineered, incredibly fun-to-drive cars that are so affordable and so well-protected. So we're still different. Right now, volkswagen's celebrating our 40th anniversary with great values on all our models. To the 10 million Americans who've owned Volkswagens we say come on home. To the rest of you, come experience the difference. Lisa, jetta GL for only $199 a month and zero down at your Volkswagen dealer today.
Speaker 2:That was 1995. Volkswagen had been in America for 40 years by 1995, which means they came to America right after World War II the number one vehicle, the Volkswagen Beetle. They made millions of them and for most people that is all they know. They know Volkswagen Beetle and the Volkswagen bus are the two vehicles that basically in the United States largely defined who Volkswagen was for many, many years, until about 1980. Now I need to back up a little bit. Volkswagen did build other vehicles. One such vehicle I won't get into it, but it was called, and this was the marketable name for this thing, they called it the Thing. If you saw it you'd understand why they called it the thing, and they sold about two or three thousand of them in the United States. They built Scirocco's, they built some other specialty vehicles, but nothing really caught the fire at the volume like the original Beetle and their bus, the Volkswagen bus, till about 1979.
Speaker 2:That is when Volkswagen globally introduced what was called the Jetta in the United States but was under various different names around the world. The Jetta was launched back in 1980 to fill a sedan niche slightly above the firm's golf, then known in America as the Rabbit hatchback, sold globally and known by a variety of model names. The Jetta has grown in size and power with each generation, with millions sold over its model run. The Volkswagen Jetta continues to be popular with motorists. The performance-oriented Jetta GLI was first introduced into the American marketplace for the 1984 model year. After the successful launch of the Golf GTI or, as they probably called it here, the Rabbit GTI, volkswagen decided to create a near and similar sporty version of the Jetta, but unlike the Golf GTI, the top-of-the-line Jetta had a four-door option seating for five, a spacious trunk which better fit the needs of the average American family. As the Jetta evolved through the 1980s and 90s, the GLI underwent several more enhancements to improve its performance and visual appeal, underwent several more enhancements to improve his performance and visual appeal. In 2020, the seventh and current generation of Jetta GLI debuted at the Chicago Auto Show.
Speaker 2:Building from the automaker's successful MQB platform, the Mark VII GLI models feature a VAQ, electronically controlled torque sensing, limited slip differential which hydraulically varies torque to each front wheel, working in tandem with this with the car's xds electronic differential lock to reduce understeer and limit wheel spin, which is a lot of car ease. To say the car is designed to be that you can handle almost any weather it throws, that gets thrown at it with a minimum of loss of control. That's all you need to know about all of that for 2025. The jet is elegant, coupe like profile, is complemented by a revised front fascia, which features a new upper and lower grill designs that emphasize the Jetta's athleticism. New LCD headlights as well as an available light bar provide a distinctive and modern appearance, while a new trunk lid with a standard light bar connecting the taillights adds a touch of elegance to the rear. For the GLI, the illuminated light bar in the grille is standard, with black upper and lower grille. In the grille is standard, with black upper and lower grille featuring honeycomb detailing and a red accent strip which draws a visual connection to its sport-tuned stablemate, the GTI. And, as on the GTI, the GLI lettering sits above and to the left. At the rear, the new light bar elegantly connects taillights, while sharply lined LED taillight clusters emphasize the sedan's impressive width, plus black honeycomb diffuser with a wider dual exhaust.
Speaker 2:And if you haven't figured that out yet, this review is limited to the Jetta GLI models. There's a variety of Jetta models. We're just going to talk about the GLI. Power for the GLI is produced by a 2-liter gasoline turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 228 horsepower and produces 258 foot-pounds of torque. Power is communicated to the front drive wheels via a 6-speed manual or a DSG 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with Tiptronic All-wheel drive is not offered. Epa fuel economy numbers are 26 city 30 highway for the manual gearbox, 25 city 35 highway for the DSG dual clutch automatic. Cargo capacity is 14.1 cubic feet and, just so you know, the EPA classifies the Jetta GLI as a compact car. So here's what I liked about it.
Speaker 2:Like many crossover SUVs on the road today, the Jetta GLI offers the motorist performance options in the way of a drive mode select knob. The driver can choose the mode that best fits the desired driving profile Eco comfort, normal sport and custom Underway. The Jetta GLI was fun to drive, delivering a nuanced interpretation of handling and control Displays, control and switchgear were easy to read and operate. The Jetta and I put this in caps does not have Volkswagen's latest iteration of multifunction steering wheel controls. I find those things awful and confusing. I was introduced to them on the ID.4. I did not like them. The Jetta does not have them. Hooray.
Speaker 2:Seating in the front past seating in the passenger cabin was comfortable for four adults. Front seats were both heated and cooled. Accommodations also included dual usb ports for front seat passengers. A large panoramic sunroof is standard. I got three words for you. Retained accessory power means that the power runs in accessory mode once you turn the vehicle off before you leave the car for up to 10 minutes, and it's really nice.
Speaker 2:As I have come to expect from Volkswagen, the rear cargo area is large, square and very beautiful. The split fold-down rear seats add to Jetta's GLI's ability to accommodate both passengers and cargo. The spare tire is accessible from a storage well under the trunk floor. Here's what I didn't like about the car no wireless phone charger I thought the fuel economy was average at best nowadays. And my question hybrid. There were no rear USB ports. No automatic replay for the radio and let me tell you, once you've experienced it, you will never go back to just a radio. No rear heated seating and this is ironic for Volkswagen, because I've never seen this happen. The split folding rear seats don't fold flat with the cargo floor. They always do on a Volkswagen, I mean the smaller Golf does that easily.
Speaker 2:Now, not that you will ever need to look into the engine compartment, but if you do, I warn you, beware. The engine hood is solid steel and it's heavy. I've got a couple of like-to-haves, because this is a performance car. I'd like a head-up display and a windshield and I'd like fog lights. So here's the bottom line.
Speaker 2:Built by the automaker in a sprawling facility in Pueblo, mexico, the Jetta GLI is one of the last traditional four-door passenger cars in the marketplace. With a sticker price of some $10,000 to $13,000 below comparable size crossover SUVs, it does offer a compelling argument. If you decide you don't need or want the performance edge, you perfectly fine. Jetta sedan can be had for much less. The performance edge perfectly fine. Jetta sedan can be had for much less. The manufacturer suggested retail price for the 2025 volkswagen jetta gli sports sedan starts from 32,715. Destination charges add 1,225 dollars and this is kind of the low 30s is kind of where the midsize passenger sedans are now, and it's right in the middle. Once upon a time, the 36-month car loan ruled supreme. Now it's approaching 84 months. Are we at the edge of affordability?
Speaker 2:This is the Tech Mobility Show. Do you listen to podcasts? Seems that most people do. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. If you've missed any of our weekly episodes on the radio, our podcast is a great way to listen. You can find the Tech Mobility Podcast just about anywhere. You can enjoy podcasts. Be sure to follow us From Apple Podcasts, iheart Radio and many platforms in between. We are there. Just enter the Tech Mobility Podcast in the search bar. Wherever you listen to podcasts, social media, it's the place to be. We're no exception. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. Several times a week I post to TikTok several of the topics that I cover on my weekly radio show. It's another way to keep up on mobility technology news and information. I've built quite a library of short videos for your viewing pleasure, so be sure to watch, like and subscribe. That's the Tech Mobility Show on TikTok. Check it out.
Speaker 2:I know I'm going to date myself terribly, but here it goes. I remember a time when you could purchase a decently equipped new car and this is the 1970s definition for right around $4,000. Don't laugh, honest to God, $4,000. With a monthly payment spreading out over 36 months of about $140 a month. Now, to be fair, a decently equipped mid-1970s car was a three-speed automatic transmission, usually with a six or eight-cylinder engine. Automatic transmission, power steering, power brakes, a single-speaker AM-FM radio the fact you had FM wow. And electric Wernher, window to fogger, which was a big deal. Also worthy of note, build quality was spotty for everybody and I'm being nice it was awful for pretty much everybody, and even the Japanese too.
Speaker 2:And a vehicle. If you brought a vehicle into a dealership in 1977 with almost 100,000 miles on it on the odometer, let's put it to you this way it was overdue at the junkyard. It was awful, it was bad. It was rusted, barely ran. Man, it was bad, they were bad. They usually got crushed after that or they went straight to the junkyard.
Speaker 2:Obviously, today is very different all the way around. The average transaction price is hovering around $50,000, with monthly payments and payment plans extending well into the future. And, honestly, the average vehicle engineered today off the assembly line is engineered to last 250,000 miles on average average if you take care of it. So here's the question Is this what the edge of affordability looks like? This is topic B. What the industry is seeing right now is an increasing percentage of consumers taking seven years, seven years, a payment to pay for the new vehicle. Seven years For the longest time. The five year loan was the supreme, was the gold standard, and even that in some areas was looked at kind of long, but it was five years. We're two years past that.
Speaker 2:Now here's the part that scared me in looking at these numbers in this recent article from Automotive News. Now we talked about the average price of a new car. We said it's around 50 grand and they financed just over 40. Average loan, homogenized together, is just shy of 70 months between 68 and 69 months for a new car and that's average. When I looked at used vehicle loans, I had to pick myself up off the floor. Now this is automotive news. This is a trade publication pulling numbers from their automotive news research and data center.
Speaker 2:Used vehicle loans, would you believe? People average are financing used vehicles fractionally longer than a new car. That blew me out of the water. That's not all. Little over one out of every 10 people who finance a used car are paying for it for almost seven years Seven years One out of ten. This is used by the way people Used cars. What's worse, 77% of the used vehicle loans written are five to six a little over six years. Three months. They're 60 to 75 month loans on a used car A used car.
Speaker 2:The industry says that this is what affordability crisis looks like People taking longer and longer to pay off their vehicles, to get that monthly payment down. And I've always said to anybody who would listen you never, ever, ever, ever Buy a vehicle based on a monthly payment. You look at the total amount of money because you got insurance, maintenance, registration, all of this other stuff that goes into operating a vehicle. Life changes, shoot. Life changes. In two to three years, do you know what you're going to be doing in seven years? Do you know if your used car is going to last that long and you want to finance a used car? I'm surprised there are any banks even writing those things. But one out of 10 loans are written for over for seven years and that's used cars. Two out of 10 new car loans are written at that level and that number has been growing. In 2019, first quarter of 19,. It was 13% Last year. Beginning of 2024, it was 16% this year. It's 20%. That's on new cars.
Speaker 2:At some point, consumers are going to run out of their bag of tricks for financing. Right now they're playing the game. They said if I can push it out there, push it out there, push it out there, but you're adding a fixed overhead on top of insurance, on top of maintenance on top of basically commandeering a part of your income for the next seven years. So it makes you very unable to do things, to make changes, change jobs, buy or sell a new home. All of that stuff gets impacted when you are making these kind of payments this long. And this is assuming you take care of the vehicle and maintenance is on top of that, insurance and registration is on top of that Insurance and registration is on top of that payment.
Speaker 2:And oh, by the way, because you borrowed money, the bank's going to make you carry full insurance on that vehicle as part of the loan requirement. So even if you had gotten six, seven years out, or even five, six years out, and you said you know what, I'm comfortable, because we live rural or whatever, we don't drive it much or much traffic, we can back down the insurance a little bit, save a little bit of money. No, you can't. If you borrowed the money, your credit union, bank or whatever is going to require you carry full insurance, full insurance. And if you're spending all of that money on a seven-year loan, chances are you're probably not carrying gap insurance, which, by the way, in that loan you definitely need to be doing that Because instead of three years you're going to be closer to five years before you break even, and how much interest is wrapped up in that over that period of time. You would cringe if you see the loan agreement actually see, because they're required by law to show you how much interest you will pay over the life of that loan. And even if you were fortunate enough, lock in a decent rate, say below 7% rate on a new vehicle, that's a lot of money because chances are you're looking at if the numbers be true, you're financing $40,000 for seven years on top of every other expense.
Speaker 2:You've got Any unknowns? Will you be healthy? Will your family be healthy? Is your job that secure? Will you be able to make these payments? Your family be healthy? Is your job that secure? Will you be able to make these payments? What happens if you're five and a half years in and you lose your job or you get hurt or you can't work? Now what, yeah, the most, the most shocking part of this to me. While 84 months for new cars a long time, one out of every 10 used car loans written was for that length of time and the average loan term first quarter of this year for a used vehicle was longer by two months than the new cars. That blew me away. It's the thing going on for used cars, and this is even before all the other stuff going on in the market right now, which means this could even be worse, because used cars will go up like they did just during the pandemic, depending on how this goes.
Speaker 2:Highway safety isn't just for motorists and pedestrians, it's also for those who work in work zones. A look at traffic safety technology. We are the Tech Mobility Show. To learn more about the Tech Mobility Show, start by visiting our website. Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the Tech Mobility Show. The website is a treasure trove of information about me and the show, as well as where to find it on the radio across the country. Keep up with the happenings at the Tech Mobility Show by visiting techmobilityshow. That's techmobilityshow.
Speaker 2:You can also drop us a line at talk at techmobilityshow. Did you know that Tech Mobility has a YouTube channel? Hi, I'm Ken Chester, host of the TechMobility Show. Each week I upload a few short videos of some of the hot topics that I cover during my weekly radio program. I've designed these videos to be informative and entertaining. It's another way to keep up on current mobility and technology news and information. Be sure to watch, like and subscribe to my channel. That's the TechM Mobility Show on YouTube. Check it out.
Speaker 3:Are you tired of juggling multiple apps and platforms for meetings, webinars and staying connected? Look no further than AONmeetingscom, the all-in-one browser-based platform that does it all. With AON Meetings, you can effortlessly communicate with clients, host virtual meetings and webinars and stay in touch with family and friends all in one place and for one price. Here's the best part you can endure a 30-day free trial. It's time to simplify your life and boost your productivity. Aonmeetingscom, where innovation meets connection. Get started today and revolutionize the way you communicate.
Speaker 2:Social media is the place to be these days, and we're no exception. I'm Ken Chester of the Tech Mobility Show. If you enjoy my program, then you will also enjoy my weekly Instagram videos From the latest vehicle reviews to timely commentary on a variety of mobility and technology-related topics. These short features are designed to inform and delight you. Be sure to watch, like and follow us on Instagram. You can find us by typing the Tech Mobility Show in the search bar.
Speaker 2:According to the National Safety Council, 891 people were killed and 37,701 were injured in work zone crashes, and that was in 2022. Would you believe? Most of those deaths in work zones were motorists. Technology is being deployed to reduce both the severity and frequency of these collisions. This is topic C. We talk about safety. We talk about safety. We talk about technology. A lot of this happens to be what rear-end collisions people not paying attention, being distracted, misjudging speed, going into a work zone and crashing into the vehicle in front of them. By comparison, of all those numbers, 54 of those people killed were people that worked in work zones, and this is work zone deaths in the United States as reported into the National Highway Transit Safety Federal Accident Reporting System. This is the data. It's not perfect data, but it gives you a snapshot.
Speaker 2:Let me give an example. I'll talk about my state. I've got it here. In 2022, in the state of Iowa, for example, there were six work zone deaths, five of which were motorists. One was a person that worked in the zone People. There is a reason when you see signs, that number one speeding in a work zone costs you so much more. If you're in Illinois, they tell you what happens if you hit or kill a work zone worker and it's dire for the motorist. They want you to slow down and they want you to pay attention.
Speaker 2:But, like everything else in our society, this technology that they're working to develop to help that and what they call it let me make sure I've got it it's called a queue warning system and it's designed to alert drivers of upcoming traffic conditions, and it's typically made up of a series of portable changeable message signs used to display messages to motorists upstream of the work zone beyond the maximum queue cue. Traffic sensors detect real-time traffic speeds and an automated traffic system which stores the data turns the warning message on or off, based on a set of algorithms, typically what they're looking at if the upstream speed is 40 miles an hour or less, it will trigger these signs. What they're doing is they're using progressive information to motorists to mitigate speed, to get them to pay more attention and to mitigate their behaviors coming into and out of work zones. To reduce traffic situations, to reduce injuries, to reduce death. Wisconsin Johnson did a study on these Q warning systems they're called QWSs and this is what they found out. They did the study in 2017, and they compared Q-rated crashes compared to ones that with and without a Q warning system installed. When a QWS was installed, the number of crashes decreased by 15% and the number of injury crashes decreased by a whopping 63%. A cost-benefit analysis found that the QWS reduced Q-related work zone crash costs by 13% and reduced driver anxiety was another benefit of utilizing a QWS. The good news is that Wisconsin's experience was consistent with other studies and experiences in other states.
Speaker 2:We live in a technology-heavy environment. We live in a technology-heavy environment. Work zones are tedious, can be tricky, requires a lot of attention and usually and we are all guilty of it at one time or another probably rolling through there way too fast. They decided that scaring you with fines wasn't enough. They decided that scaring you with the consequences of injuring or killing a worker wasn't enough. Those were the sticks. Now they're trying some carrots, saying, gee, what if we communicated with the drivers in real time before they got there through signage Another benefit of technology I can imagine, as vehicle-to-vehicle communication takes hold, it starts to get a grip in the next 10 years that you wouldn't even need the signage.
Speaker 2:The systems would inform you in car itself, and there's a variety of ways it could do it. It could do it audio, it could do it visual, it could let you know whatever you need to know about that situation and, if it's a semi-autonomous vehicle, might even program the vehicle to react in certain ways, coming into a work zone to where driver interaction is not even necessary anymore. But speed is an issue always is and one of the things that I have a problem with that they want to do is intelligent speed mitigation, where the car is very basically has a system to automatically, without your interaction, reduce speed in certain cases Down the speed limit. Road construction situations, things like that, I don't know. I think that's the nanny state going a little too far. I'd like to think that I am a decent driver that pays attention. Apparently, not enough of us do that and that's unfortunate, but here's something to think about.
Speaker 2:They call them smart work zones. These smart work zones continue to improve communication, to reduce delays, and the big thing is what they're going to is travel time. Information can be reported to the time it takes to get through the end of the work zone or provide travel time along an alternate route. Not only will they communicate with the driver, and maybe even with the vehicle eventually, but they can give you alternative routes if the time in the queue was more time than you wanted, which means they would have to educate you in enough time so you could take that off-ramp or take the alternative route as an option. You wouldn't have to wait until you started backing up in traffic or got into the work zone to find out oh, if I had gotten off five miles ago, I could have went around. Communication, education are the big deals they feel would make both working folks in these areas safer and protect drivers from themselves and each other from rear-ending folks and causing all sorts of trouble.
Speaker 2:Technology marches on and I fully see the fact and see the opportunity where this will all be automated. Your vehicle won't even need to interact with you and it will react accordingly. All the piece parts are there, particularly with these cars. Now that got whatever you want to call it autopilot, co-pilot, various supercruise the basics to put this stuff in there are already in the cars it's coming. The question is how, when and, more importantly, how much? And are they any good? All the piece parts are there and they're building on these piece parts to go to the next level. That's how they get it done in a way that makes some sense with proven technologies. Not all of it's ready, though. We've come to the end of our visit. Be sure to join me again next time, right here. This has been a Tech Mobility Show.
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