Tiran Dagan of Scattered Atoms recently posted about an interesting experiment in viral marketing: Honda carved grooves on a section of road in Lancaster, California so that when you drive over it, the tires generate musical sound effects.

The grooves have been repaved since then, due to complaints from nearby neighbors. I guess they (the neighbors) should've been consulted on the musical selection. A little bit of interactivity would not have hurt in this instance. And everyone would've lived happily ever after.

Next time you are stuck in traffic in the non-carpool lanes, imagine how the slow version of the latest rap song would sound, now that you can make out the words.

Wouldn't it be easier if Honda simply provided a transponder, complete with a glow-in-the-dark Honda sticker, so that the lucky beta demographic pool would get to drive the toll road shortcut for free, especially during these hard times?