Microsoft's latest patent will let you leave comments on other drivers

With Augmented Reality, there exists the concept of the annotated world, where users and companies would be able to add virtual information to real-world objects and places all over the world and allow other AR users to benefit from their knowledge and experience.

Microsoft’s latest HoloLens-related patent suggests using that feature to let other drivers know how bad they are at driving.

The patent, published on the 17th January, suggests a community of AR users who presumably use the headsets while driving, who will be able to rate their fellow drivers and leave comments on their performance.

Microsoft notes:

Disclosed is an infrastructure to support an augmented reality (AR) based community for drivers. Each driver’s view (eg with an AR device) on other vehicles on the road can be supplemented with virtual information about other drivers in the community. Community riders can express their opinions about the driving behavior of other riders in the community. The opinions of the drivers can be collected and compared to obtain a cumulative rating of a particular behavior for a particular driver. A driver’s view of his AR device is complemented by the community’s assessment of that driver’s driving behavior, which can affect the driver’s future behavior.

A bit less controversially Microsoft also suggests a Waze-like feature where drivers could be warned of danger around them and elements such as your speed and another important telemetry.

While I am sure Microsoft’s intentions are laudable, this feature probably only makes sense once we have self-driving cars, at which point it will hardly matter at all.

What do our readers think of this idea? Let us know below.

Via WindowsUnited.de