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Complacency. New safety tech is making drivers more complacent to their driving and personal safety. Add to that distractions like phones, infotainment apps, and you get more accidents and deaths. It also results in longer and more expensive repair cost because of computer diagnostics, software updates, and getting tech support from vehicle makers for new systems.
People I talk to who have EV cars enjoy that they are so “zippy”. Put your foot on the gas and ZOOM they take off with no hesitation. And it shows. Some cars are whipping in and out of traffic passing on the left then the right then across two lanes. Because they are invincible.
And meanwhile the rest of the cars may be forced into reactive measures, not all of which end well. I find myself driving much more defensively these days.
What it might look like when more and more EV come on line is a little scary. Unless cars can be monitored individually online by highway patrol in the future. Will we bring it on ourselves?
Temporarily. Fancy features use more energy and have long supply chains of very specific parts. When supply chains break, excessively complex cars with irreplaceable parts will be simplified or scrapped. The zippy EV is a very short term hazard, since the total energy cost of the car is higher than gas cars.
I always thought that even automatic transmission have lowered the skill bar amongst drivers and also made it much easier to accelerate faster which is a horrible combo especially with the current of distractions available.
Imagine how much more mechanical involvement (both hands and feet!), time and attention a stick shift requires. Such a vehicle would have inherently made it much much harder for anyone to be distracted for long but more importantly when you lack the skills and attention as a driver, the last thing you should have is a "zippy" vehicle.
Some high tech features may be a distraction, while some are good safety features that can help you avoid accidents, or even save lives.
I was an automotive purist for the longest time, I didn't care for all the bells and whistles and high tech gadgetry, and my 2011 Mustang GT was a good example of that. However, that all changed in 2015 when I bought a Hellcat with all the high tech features I could ever want. I honestly don't know how I made it all this time without backup Camera.
These infotainment screens meant to control everything through multiple steps for the sake of being minimalist and appealing to the "flashy gadget" crowd that throws their 2 year old iphone in the trash for the next bling bling, to me is more lazy engineering and does pose a safety threat for something that could easily be controlled by a switch. I remember when cars were reviewed based on the comfort and convenience features: how easily the air conditioning controls/radio/etc operated. Tesla is a huge offender of the lazy engineering for the sake of minimalist design in my opinion. Someone should clue them in that it is supposed to be a car, not a loft in Manhattan.
I can see that some people don't really understand ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), and basically trust them to catch everything and almost drive for them, and pay less attention, which is a mistake. Primary responsibility for piloting is always with the driver and the ADAS is your backup.
That said, I have a top trim 2019 Forester which came with their Eyesight system and all the other electronic bells and whistles, and I like pretty much everything to be honest. Adaptive Cruise Control really reduces fatigue on the interstate - great for longer drives. Forward Collision Warning and Automated Emergency Braking have each saved my bacon once. Blind Spot Detection really helps when on the highway in traffic, in situations where you basically need to be able to look forward at vehicles in front of you as well as backward to see what's behind and to the side - impossible to really do both at once and it can be dangerous to try in tricky traffic situations. The Backup Camera, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Reverse Automatic Braking are all helpful when backing up. Steering Responsive LED projector headlamps help to see ahead when cornering at night - great with these older eyes.
The Lane Departure Warning and Driver Monitoring System are less important, but I don't have any issue with them.
Last edited by OutdoorLover; 04-10-2022 at 07:39 AM..
I always thought that even automatic transmission have lowered the skill bar amongst drivers and also made it much easier to accelerate faster which is a horrible combo especially with the current of distractions available.
Imagine how much more mechanical involvement (both hands and feet!), time and attention a stick shift requires. Such a vehicle would have inherently made it much much harder for anyone to be distracted for long but more importantly when you lack the skills and attention as a driver, the last thing you should have is a "zippy" vehicle.
I can't disagree there.
Manual transmissions should have always remained standard. Everyone who wanted to drive should have been required to learn how to drive manuals.
Can't figure it out? Well, driving is serious business and if you can't figure out a manual transmission then I'm not sure I can trust you with much else behind the wheel.
I can't disagree there.
Manual transmissions should have always remained standard. Everyone who wanted to drive should have been required to learn how to drive manuals.
Can't figure it out? Well, driving is serious business and if you can't figure out a manual transmission then I'm not sure I can trust you with much else behind the wheel.
That’s fine for the vast majority of drivers. But what about those with health issues, like missing a leg for example, who physically can’t operate two sets of pedals at the same time? My wife has multiple spinal conditions as well as arthritis (knees replaced before she was 50). She tried to operate the clutch and gas pedals in a parked car and it was severely painful on her spine.
It seems that all the new automated, computerized safety systems on autos turn lousey drivers into mediocre drivers....but they also turn good drivers into mediocre drivers too.
I've wondered, with all that torque and acceleration in EVs, how do they handle on wet or icy roads? If they have automated cut-out on wheel spin, how do you save yourself once you've broken loose? Are you just another ballistic missile waiting to hit something?
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