How does technology help your commute?

On a good commute I can relax, listening to my ipod or catching up on a good book on my kindle but on a bad commute I desparately look for new houses in the country on my iPhone, imagining myself anywhere but on a packed train - thank goodness for technology. But how else has technology impacted on our journey to work? And what's next? 

 

Self-improving while moving
“reading” on a electronic device, download a book that will help you in your chosen field, or start reading for enjoyment.

Get woken up at the right train station
Android phones include Transit Navigation, which follows you around via GPS. Tell it where you’re going, and it'll estimate the time of arrival and even send you a reminder to get off to disembark. For iPhone users see the iNap: Arrival Alert is much the same, it even stays working while you listen to music.

TransitTracker
For commuters who have to choose between breakfast and catching the bus,  TransitTracker follows your ride's actual location so you know exactly when it will arrive at your station or stop so you can track them online or on your cell phone.

Self-parking cars
If you do find an open spot, you still have to make your way in. Ford has self-parking technology and plans to equip two of its 2010 models with cameras and sensors that let their Lincolns do the work for you.

LightLane
Bicyclists need not worry about being run off the road by cars, a proposed system called LightLane would clearly mark, in bright red lights, where car lanes end and bike lanes begin, helping keep cyclists safe even at night when reflective devices don't quite cut it.

Attention Assist
Mercedes is launching new Attention Assist technology tool in its 2010 E-Series models which reads telltale signals, such as the way you're steering and braking, monitoring your sleepiness and flashing an alert if you seem too tired.

Biomimetic Robot
Nissan, which is developing a program that will sense obstacles and incoming vehicles, instantly reacting to avert a crash. It uses a laser to give it 360 degrees of protection, modeled on a bumblebee's compound eyes that can see in most directions.

IntelliDrive
The government is working on IntelliDrive technology which plans to allow vehicle-to-vehicle interaction, so that if a car brakes suddenly, it can transmit a signal to cars behind, allowing drivers or computers to brake in time.

Travolution
Audi is sponsoring technology that lets your car communicate with traffic systems and determine when lights will turn green, allowing you to coast through intersections. It even calculates the speed you should maintain to get to lights at the right time.

Meter-Mail
San Francisco has designed high-tech parking spots that alert you when they're empty, sending e-mails or text messages when they become vacant.

How does technology help your commute?