For their final project, second semester Northern Virginia Community College Composition students (ENG 112) work in groups to create presentations that introduce, analyze, and draw a conclusion about a significant American cultural artifact, (a trend, a celebrity, or anything that significantly impacts American culture). Students work together to build a persuasive argument using a combination of text, multimedia, and visual design. Students develop a claim about the negative or positive impact of the artifact on the demographic of American culture it affects. Alternatively, students may discuss what the artifact says about our culture. These students are asked to explore a cultural artifact and determine its significance and/or role in our society. Students are encouraged to present their findings using any media they wish to implement.

1. Intelligent Co-Pilot Cars
An intelligent Co-pilot car is a car that has an
assistive driving system to make driving a lot
safer, and easier

2. History
● In the 1980’s, Ernst Dickmanns and his group at the University of Bundeswehr
Munich, built the world’s first real robot car. He was able to get a Mercedes van to
drive a few hundred miles on its own on the highway.
● 2004-2005, the U.S government’s military research agency DARPA helped
accelerate the advancement of co-pilot cars with the “Grand Challenge”- a
competition where dozens of teams working on autonomous cars could compete
for a $1 million prize. It was not until the second year of these trials where results
really started to show.

3. Thesis
The creation of intelligent co-pilot cars will
benefit driving for beginners, decrease the
number of fatal car accidents, and number of
car accidents in general.

4. Counter Argument
● There is no negative feedback for drivers
learning how to drive, therefore they will
never really learn how to drive without help.
● Drivers will become more dependent on the
the assist system, and less on their own
ability.
● The equipment used to create this assist
system is expensive.

5. With the Assist system, the driver has full
control of the vehicle. The only time the Assist
System steps in, is when there is an
emergency.

6. With this system the vehicle is able to park
itself, and is also very helpful and safe for
people who are just beginning to learn how to
drive

7. With this system it will surely decrease the
number of auto collisions that happen when the
driver is not paying attention or do not have
enough time to react.

8. Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouQYfWxE
mP8

9. Conclusion
Although we are a long way from having this
system as an affordable resource, in the long
run it will definitely have an impact on society,
and the death and crash rates.

10. Citation
Lindsey, Lucy. "An "intelligent Co-pilot" for Cars | MIT Video." MIT Video. Web. 4
May 2015.
Oagana, Alex. "A Short History of Mercedes-Benz Autonomous Driving Technology."
Autoevolution. N.p., 02 10 2013. Web. 3 May 2015.
<http://www.autoevolution.com/news/a-short-history-of-mercedes-benz-autonomous-
driving-technology-68148.html>.