A Case of Too Much Wireless
It's ironic really. First we go wireless because there were too many wires. So now what do we do when there's too many wireless?
That's a problem recently highlighted by Nissan's warning. It turns out that the Japanese carmaker's new keys, which let drivers unlock and even start their car by pushing a button, are negatively affected by certain cellphones. If a so-called I-Key touches a mobile, incoming or outgoing calls can actually wipe out the codes needed by the key to interact with the car. Meaning no opening of doors, and no starting of the engine.
This is a relatively minor problem, since Nissan is releasing a new version of the key before September arrives. And drivers can just keep the key and their smartphone or PDA phone separate from each other.
What's interesting to consider is how our increasingly wireless world raises some new concerns. We've already solved the interference of wired transmissions caused by wireless. Like how modern airplane electronics are shielded against such interference.
But, given that there are a lot more factors to consider when transmitting data through radio waves, what happens if we make everything wireless without fully understanding the frequencies involved? What if it turns out my HSDPA-capable PDA phone interferes with my WiFi-enabled coffee maker? Instead of serving me a Cappuccino, it gives me a café latte. Disaster indeed!
