Worried About Getting Old? Get a Robot to Help

From The Globe and Mail - Technology News:

OTTAWA — Sebastian Thrun builds cars that drive themselves. In fact, the Stanford University scientist may do it better than anyone in the world: In 2005, his fully automated Volkswagen Touareg drove itself 212 kilometres across the Nevada desert in less than seven hours to claim a $2-million prize in an international robot off-road race. He predicts that a fully robotic car for consumers is less than 20 years away. But, as Dr. Thrun understands with a personal, still-sharp grief, the aim here is higher than putting an ultra-cool set of wheels in wealthy people's driveways: This is technology that could help save an aging population. Last May, when his elderly father, who lives in Germany, caused a car accident, Dr. Thrun and his brother decided that they had to take away his driver's licence. Their father was furious. Without his freedom, he simply faded away. In November, his sons moved him into a nursing home. By Christmas, he was gone. "It was a very sad episode," says Dr. Thrun, who still blames himself. "I caused it by deciding it would be unethical for my dad to drive." Losing your independence is the nightmare of getting old: "It's a human disaster when it happens."

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