Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since this is mainly dealing with the technological side of cars I posted it here rather than the Auto forum...
I agree with this article, the more brake assist/blind spot monitoring etc. that gets put in a car the less a drivers concentration will be on the road...
IMHO the technology for a driverles vehicle is still many decades away...
Quote:
More broadly, the design of automobiles has tended toward insulation, offering an ever less involving driving experience. The animating ideal seems to be that the driver should be a disembodied observer, moving through a world of objects that present themselves as though on a screen.
.
.
What’s more, the information that does get through is presented in a highly mediated way, conveyed by potentiometers and silky smooth servos rather than by the seat of your pants. It is therefore highly discreet, and does not reflect fuzzy, subtle variations. Nor is it sensitive to changes that haven’t been anticipated and coded for ahead of time, for example the vibration that might arise from a brake caliper bracket that has come loose or cracked.
I was thinking the same thing while in my parents new car, it's like getting into the cockpit of a airplane. Too many gadgets and lights to pay attention too. The backup camera is nice for a quick glance to see if anything is directly behind you but I find myself going right to the mirrors.
I was thinking the same thing while in my parents new car, it's like getting into the cockpit of a airplane. Too many gadgets and lights to pay attention too. The backup camera is nice for a quick glance to see if anything is directly behind you but I find myself going right to the mirrors.
I find it interesting that backup cameras have been common in cars for over 10 years but they've only become a topic of discussion as of late due to insurance companies wanting them to be mandatory. The only times I use them is when parallel parking or backing up to a trailer where inches matter. They are not a replacement for older technologies such as mirrors but they are not invasive and do give you the best view of what is directly behind you.
I find it interesting that backup cameras have been common in cars for over 10 years but they've only become a topic of discussion as of late due to insurance companies wanting them to be mandatory. The only times I use them is when parallel parking or backing up to a trailer where inches matter. They are not a replacement for older technologies such as mirrors but they are not invasive and do give you the best view of what is directly behind you.
I used to backup hundreds if not thousands of miles each year and not in straight line either. I'm talking about going through peoples yards around trees, the corner of the house with all kinds of obstacles. I'd tell tell people specifically not give me directions unless they wanted me stop for some reason becsue they didn't realize what I needed to do and think I was going the wrong way often... I'm always aware of what is behind me when I get in a car, it's just habit. I'm so accustomed to using the mirrors I'd never use it for backing up except for a quick check before I start.
You get two responses. Hey, this is great. I get warned if I roam out of my lane and a car is next to me. If I lose concentration my car will slow and stop if I'm going to hit something.
-or-
Get all this distraction out of my car!
And self driving cars aren't decades away. I'm wagering on years.
Just give me a car that starts with the turn of a key and will still drive after an EMP .
My newfangled, push-button start car left me in a bind when the brake sensor went-out. The car will only start when the brake is engaged, but the sensor that indicates the brake is engaged didn't work . I don't want a "smart" car - I want a reliable car.
My car came standard with a backup camera, yes I use it but it's totally useless when backing out of a parking spot where you have cars on either side of you... My camera has a focus field maybe two feet on either side of the car...
Going to be a real long time before a computer in the car is a total substitute for a humans eyes and brain...
I am reminded of when the ABS module died on an SUV that I used to have. The brakes still worked as brakes did before ABS and research revealed that the part was $800 plus freight. Labor would have been additional. That was a turn off, so I put a piece of black tape over the idiot light and forgot about it. That is what happens to high tech old cars. I had been driving for 38 years before ABS came along.
Seems when I was growing up what we wanted in our cars was a 3/4 race cam with 2 4 barrels. a positraction 411 rear, the front end lifted, dual exhaust and a 4 speed manual transmission.
The cars and their owners today want Bluetooth, SMS messaging, backup cameras, lane warnings, parental control, GPS tracking and 8 speed automatic transmission...
Why I say self driving cars are decades away is based on one thing a computer will never have and that is the instinct a good driver has in all driving situations...
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
.
. I don't want a "smart" car - I want a reliable car.
