Future Features.. (heated seats, chip, truck, engine)

[Magnum Mike]

Technology has come up with a lot of features on automobiles many of which are very useful, and many of those that don't cost you extra, many of us would probably want automakers to do away with them because they add to the cost of the vehicle, and often in weight, not to mention more things to go wrong later.


My Dodge Dakota has a few such features, one of which is heated seats... yeah we desperately need those here in Phoenix! But, at least they can be switched on and off. Instead of seat heaters, it would be nice if they had seat coolers.

Another feature on my truck is a switch in the middle, on the bottom of the dashboard, which turns off the passenger side airbag... Why?

The hood on the truck has gas struts that hold it up when you open it, these things do go bad after a few years and I'll have to replace them, if I can find them! I'd prefer to keep it simple with a prop rod.

Useful features I'd like to see offered as either standard or optional equipment:
- A module you can use to plug your cell phone in on the dashboard, that makes it safer to talk and drive at the same time. All you have to do when you receive a phone call is press a button on the dashboard and you can talk with both hands on the steering wheel.

- An ignition switch that doesn't have a key, all you need to carry is the remote lock device. All you have to do is enter a password on the switch and press a button to start the engine. There are other variants of this feature, like maybe if somebody breaks in the door, the security feature disables everything on the vehicle, and it might even call the owner or any phone number programmed into the security system.

Can you think of any useless features you can do without, or wish they'd include in automobiles?

[wisconsin woman]

Well, we now have cars that all you need to do is tell it something and it will do it. 'Play something from Tom Petty' and it will put on a Tom Petty tune. 'Call Marlene' and it will call your friend Marlene, at the command of your voice. Wonder what it would do if you said something like 'move it over, old man!!' when youre trying to get someone to move out of your way, you know, those comments you make when someone irritates you? Or even more so, how about when the kids are arguing in the back seat, you tell them 'if you dont stop Im gonna lock you in your room when we get home'....and the car comes to a dead stop on a highway or something.
And what happens when you tell your kids back there 'lets go to Burger King!'...and the car automatically directs itself there?

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Magnum Mike

Technology has come up with a lot of features on automobiles many of which are very useful, and many of those that don't cost you extra, many of us would probably want automakers to do away with them because they add to the cost of the vehicle, and often in weight, not to mention more things to go wrong later.


My Dodge Dakota has a few such features, one of which is heated seats... yeah we desperately need those here in Phoenix! But, at least they can be switched on and off. Instead of seat heaters, it would be nice if they had seat coolers.

Another feature on my truck is a switch in the middle, on the bottom of the dashboard, which turns off the passenger side airbag... Why?

The hood on the truck has gas struts that hold it up when you open it, these things do go bad after a few years and I'll have to replace them, if I can find them! I'd prefer to keep it simple with a prop rod.

Useful features I'd like to see offered as either standard or optional equipment:
- A module you can use to plug your cell phone in on the dashboard, that makes it safer to talk and drive at the same time. All you have to do when you receive a phone call is press a button on the dashboard and you can talk with both hands on the steering wheel.

- An ignition switch that doesn't have a key, all you need to carry is the remote lock device. All you have to do is enter a password on the switch and press a button to start the engine. There are other variants of this feature, like maybe if somebody breaks in the door, the security feature disables everything on the vehicle, and it might even call the owner or any phone number programmed into the security system.

Can you think of any useless features you can do without, or wish they'd include in automobiles?

Mike, all those features you want already exist and then some! Many cars have key fobs that automatically unlock the car and do your seat adjustment before you even get in! Many cars also have push-botton start and stop buttons too (ie Altima). There are several cars (a bit pricey) that offer cooled seats, such as the Lexus LS430. The seats have tiny fans built into the seat back that draw air out, keeping you dry. There are also several cars with hands-free phones built into the car, the newest being Ford using their new system (I forget what its called). You can use voice commands to dial and answer the phone as well as change stations and/or bands. I do agree about the gas struts for the hoods, Im not a fan of them.

Oh yeah, regarding the safety features. There are several cars that have safety programs built in (ie GM's OnStar). If you crash and the airbag is deployed, it automatically calls for emergency help. If the car is stolen, they can track it. If you lock your keys in the car, they can unlock it via satellite. Saab even has a sensor in the car that detects if someone is in there, called the "heartbeat monitor". Its a bit silly, but hey! And regarding your airbag-cutoff switch, they do that as a safety feature for kids who ride in the front seat.

[Magnum Mike]

Thanks Steve, I guess the one feature we could use, is make these features affordable!

I don't know if they already have this feature, but the cup holders always make me think, why can't they have those fold-down trays behind the front seats, like the ones they have on commercial airliners, with cup holders for those times when you pull into a drive-through, pick up the food, and the kids in the back seat want their food right away. That's probably one way to prevent kids, or passengers in the back seat, from making a mess.

[Magnum Mike]

Originally Posted by Power Surge

Well, we now have cars that all you need to do is tell it something and it will do it. 'Play something from Tom Petty' and it will put on a Tom Petty tune. 'Call Marlene' and it will call your friend Marlene, at the command of your voice. Wonder what it would do if you said something like 'move it over, old man!!' when youre trying to get someone to move out of your way, you know, those comments you make when someone irritates you?

LOL.. or foul language recognition technology, like when you say or yell something profane at another driver, a computer comes back at you with a voice that says "Same to you buddy!"

[mr.man]

Whooo boy i'd pay extra money for a security system that would call you when your car is stolen, or better yet shuts down and electocutes the guy right where he sits!

[Magnum Mike]

Originally Posted by mr.man

Whooo boy i'd pay extra money for a security system that would call you when your car is stolen, or better yet shuts down and electrocutes the guy right where he sits!

LOL... electrocutes him, or tasers him!

[Tek_Freek]

Not only do we greatly appreciate our heated seats (both cars), I am jealous of my wife's heated steering wheel!

These features have been used a lot this winter.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Magnum Mike

Thanks Steve, I guess the one feature we could use, is make these features affordable!

I don't know if they already have this feature, but the cup holders always make me think, why can't they have those fold-down trays behind the front seats, like the ones they have on commercial airliners, with cup holders for those times when you pull into a drive-through, pick up the food, and the kids in the back seat want their food right away. That's probably one way to prevent kids, or passengers in the back seat, from making a mess.

They have those on the Jaguar Vanden Plas. Seriously. Its a British thing I guess. The Vanden Plas is the ultimate "gray poupon" car.

Other cool technologies out there: infrared HUD, laser-dynamic cruise control, heated and cooled cupholders, cooled glove boxes, lane-departure warning system, accident avoidance systems, etc.

[ESFP]

Originally Posted by Magnum Mike

Another feature on my truck is a switch in the middle, on the bottom of the dashboard, which turns off the passenger side airbag... Why?

Actually, that is so that when you drive alone and have an accident, thus deploying the airbag, only the occupied seat airbag (driver) needs replaced, saving thousands$.
I'd like to have a ring with a computer chip, like those in the key, that needs to be near the steering wheel for the car to run. Then, if carjacked, or attempted theft, the car won't run. I'd be the only one able to start the car.