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智慧型汽車的時代即將來臨!
想像一下，30年後，汽車會有什麼新功能與新樣貌？BMW正在為新車款配置SIM卡，讓汽車不僅能夠連線上網，還可以即時收到交通情報。賓士則推出在時速60公里以下讓汽車自動駕駛的精密裝置，為您省去開車時的勞心勞力。 智慧型汽車裝置的問世，將劇烈改變人與車之間的傳統關係。
進入本文前，請先想想如何表達以下單字：
a) 躲密
b) 自動駕駛車
c) 危險
In a generation from now, your journey home may go a bit like this: As you leave your office, an empty car 1) rolls up. On the way home, you 2) let your hair down and have a good time, like listening to pleasant music or watching a television show. You barely notice as the car slows down or speeds up to a) shun other vehicles. Your journey time is much faster, even though the traffic is heavier than in 2014.
30年後，你回家的路途會有點像：走出辦公室時，一輛空無一人的汽車開了過來。回家途中，你放鬆心情來享受美好時光，像是聆聽美妙的音樂或觀看電視節目。當車子放慢或加快來閃避其他車輛時，你幾乎不會留意到。你的行程變快很多，即使路上車子比2014年還多。
Because of the rise of the “connected” car, the above scenario will sound realistic before long. The coming together of communication technologies, information systems and safety devices will provide vehicles with higher levels of sophistication and automation.
由於「連線」汽車的問世，前述情節不久後即會成真。通訊技術、資訊系統與安全裝置的結合，將為汽車提供更多的精密度與自動化。
Several car manufacturers are 2) jumping on the b) autonomous carbandwagon. Mercedes-Benz’s new “Intelligent Drive” package has a feature which, in congested traffic moving at less than 60 kph, allows the driver to let the car steer, brake and accelerate by itself. Audi, part of the Volkswagen group, is working on a system that would allow a driver to use his smartphone to instruct the vehicle to park itself.
數家車廠正趕上自動駕駛汽車的潮流。賓士新推出的「智能駕駛」裝置，能讓車子在時速低於60公里的交通中，自動導向、煞車與加速。隸屬福斯集團的奧迪車廠則在研發一套新系統，可讓駕駛人以智慧型手機指示車輛停入車位。
By 2020, approximately a quarter of all cars will be online. BMW has been embedding SIM cards for mobile connectivity in all its new cars since April. By 2020, around 90% of all manufacturers’ new models are likely to have them, according to consulting firm Machina Research.
到了2020年，大約四分之一車輛皆能夠上網。今年四月起，BMW開始為新車款安裝SIM卡，使其具備行動連線能力。根據顧問公司Machina Research的說法，到了2020年，大約九成車廠的新車款皆會配置SIM卡。
With increased connectivity between cars, driver aids will become much more sophisticated. A connected car would, for instance, receive not just information about a c) hazard detected by its own sensors, but also alerts from a vehicle farther along the road. And better yet, there will be less need to have to own or drive these vehicles yourself.
由於汽車之間的連線能力提昇，駕駛輔助系統將變得更為精密。舉例來說，一輛連線汽車不僅能夠獲知自身感應器所偵測的危險，還可以接收前方遠處另一輛汽車傳來的警告。更棒的是，你將更不用擁有汽車或自己開車。
口語詞彙:
- Roll up 捲起來; 到現場; 到達
Roll up 原意有把..捲起來之意，捲起袖子 roll sleeves up; 捲起褲子 roll pants up. 引申有車子到達現場的意思。 The limousine just rolled up to the Kodak Theatre, and the celebrity got out. 一輛禮車到達柯達劇院(奧斯卡頒獎典禮現場)，而一位巨星從禮車走出來。
- Let one’s hair down 放鬆心情
把頭髮放下，表示有放鬆的意味。 Going for a bike ride is just a good way to let your hair down and have fun. 騎自行車是一個讓你放鬆心情、享受人生的好方法。
- Jump on the bandwagon 趕上潮流
bandwagon 原意為樂隊車，延伸為趕上潮流的意思。
A lot of cities are jumping on the bandwagon and trying their best to improve their public services. 許多城市正趕上潮流，盡力改善他們所提供給公眾服務。
參考資料：Economist