Cars of the future..

[kryten2001]

Hi All -

There was an interesting story last night on Perth's "Today Tonight" show about the so called "cars of the future".

A new Toyota (Don't recall it's name) was retrofitted by some Aussie technological company with all these new high-tech doo-dads which are supposedly the wave of the future.

These extras included :

. A series of cameras that watch your eyes to see if you're dozing off, and warning you to do something about it if you are...

. The cameras also track your face and eyes to make sure you're keeping your eyes on the road, and not looking down at your phone/stereo etc..

. Automatic warning if you're tailgating the car in front (Sort of like a rolling rear parking sensor!)

. Download of info from local wireless data feeds for road conditions and speed limits, and they adjust the "speed limiter" in your car accordingly (!!)

. "Auto park" feature for people who can't parallel park or negotiate tight parking conditions.

. Proximity sensors to unlock the doors & start the car (assuming you have your key on you).

I dunno what you guys reckon (or maybe I'm just getting a bit old and set in my ways), but all of this seems to greatly detract from the fun of driving.

Let's just hope manufacturers have the good sense to put 300kw engines in these things!...

One idea that did appear to be incredibly smart though, was the application of this technology into trucks.. Can't say I can argue with something that prevents the truckies from nodding off.

[VZSS250]

There is unfortunately a need for a car that speed limits itself according to the limit. Maybe the Government should use all its revenue from fines to equip speed limit signs with equipment to send out a signal for use by receivers in a car to allow the car to set the speed limiter. Ofcourse an overide button should be required.

[chevypower]

Despite it seeming like an American philosophy, I believe in the freedom of people in the land ahead of safety. You can't live in a bubble wrap, we're all proned to die somehow or another, I think just use and teach common sense and respect for others (and on the road) live in peace, enjoy live, let each live their own beliefs, religion, values or whatever providing they dont have negative consequences on others, enjoy life.... Theres no way i can enjoy life, with these new ways of forcing behavior even though i try to be a good person and stick to the speed limit most of the time. Any others agree with that?

[Phido]

Starlin would be proud.. Infact, I don't think starlin himself restricted people in such a way.

Most of these technologies are already kind of in use. Look at merceedes, they have had distronic front radar, which although doesn't completely stop you from tailgating, can lock onto cars infront and keep a safe distance. They have a speed limiter (at a nice and safe 250 kmph). keyless entry (talks to your security card in your wallet). GPS systems to give you directions etc.
They also have presafe, which prepairs a car for a accident. Not to mention a full compliment of other more conventional safety devices.

They are also avalible with over 600Hp from the showroom floor. They don't need special eye motion detectors because at 250 kmph drousyness usually isn't a big problem and either is focusing on the road.

I know once they start mandating overriding kind of idiotic devices is the day I hand in my Australian passport and move to germany permanently.

[Nawdy]

I watched the same segment as well, and I think some of these ideas are quite good, and should be made available to people who want to take less responsibilty for their actions on the road or need assistance to operate their vehicle correctly,

but:

1. the various state/territory governments would resist the introduction of this new technology because it would severly affect the revenue raised from speed cameras ect; and

2. it still side-steps the real issue that needs most attention - proper driver education.

I wonder if they could invent automatic indicators, and fit them to expensive cars and all 4wds.....

[chevypower]

How would automatic indicators work? Good if they can make them pre-emptive, but redundant if they can't. Mind you, most people signal at the last second anyway, which is stupid, cos that's the point where they no longer need to indicate.

[Phido]

You could make automatic indicators to operate with GPS systems so that they automatically operate well before a turn.

I have no idea why people don't indicate, you move your figure, thats it, requires minimal thought that is already required to turn a corner. If you need a computer to do that for you, I think you should be taken off the road.

[cutter bob]

talk about big bother

i hope all these things will be optional because i sure as hell dont want to pay for them!!!!! and why the hell are they wasting time on this when they should be focusing all there energy on making my car go faster!!! :stick:

now time for a rant :cussing:

i know a lot of poeple cant drive, but if someone needs a computer to parallel park a car, maybe we should be asking ourself " should these people be driving at all !!!." i dont know if things have changed since i went for my licence, but when i went for it one of the tests was to parallel park a car??? :confused:

[kryten2001]

talk about big bother

i hope all these things will be optional because i sure as hell dont want to pay for them!!!!! and why the hell are they wasting time on this when they should be focusing all there energy on making my car go faster!!! :stick:

now time for a rant :cussing:

i know a lot of poeple cant drive, but if someone needs a computer to parallel park a car, maybe we should be asking ourself " should these people be driving at all !!!." i dont know if things have changed since i went for my licence, but when i went for it one of the tests was to parallel park a car??? :confused:

Mmm, well if I were investing in building new automotive technologies, it would be developing alternative energy sources.... Real ones, not "we pretend to love the environment" 20kw electric hybrid buzz boxes.

I'm sure I heard of a mob somewhere over in the eastern states who had developed a wonderful LPG system that developed huge horsepower. Why these ideas don't become mainstream is beyond me - surely GMH must realise that they'd get a huge part of the market if they introduced a 300kw LS1 which ran on pure LPG with 100% integration, not a "slice and hack" job...

[HSVCYA]

wonder what something like that would be worth!

[cutter bob]

would a LPG LS1 sound the same???

[ralcool]

cutterbob

As an owner of a dual fuel Holden V8. Two things.

The silence of the injectors being shut off in gas mode is pleasant. Reduced ticking from the engine bay. Noticably.

As for the V8 note... slightly heavier induction growl, but sings a normal tune at full noise. No difference to speak of compared to petrol for me generally.

Hope this helps...

[chevypower]

Only thing with LPG V8s, i can always tell when i am within a 50 meter radius from one by the smell

[slickholden]

Even if we don't like our cars to be limeted or if these ideas are U.S like, If i can save lifes ours of loved one's we would all do it:D

[VYBerlinaV8]

Things like anti-tail gating sensors are no prob - I only push it when there's noone else around anyway. Speed limiters? Throw em a bone - happy to have em in town, but won't it be a shame when the signal doesn't reach to the open road, and you can do whatever you want anyway?

It's all irrelevant, as far as I'm concerned. Taking a decision away from a human driver simply reduces that person's responsibility accordingly. The idea is to make people MORE responsible behind the wheel. That means more education, better skills training, higher testing (and retesting standards), and less 'regulation' of driving speed.

It'll become like anti-pollution gear on older vehicles. Everyone connects it for the yearly rego inspection, then off it comes again. This stuff is just a bunch of electronic gear and mechnical servos. It can be disconnected. So once more we stupid rules that everyone spends more time and effort getting around, rather than getting down to the business of driving.

[chevypower]

I agree, you can't teach people to be responsible, if you take away their responsibility and freedom.

[RICHO]

I can see it now...

A person made a paraplegic after an accident goes to court. And wins!!! $20,000,000 from Ford / Holden / Toyota and why?

Because your honor..

The car should have stopped me from getting into it pissed..and it certainly shouldn't have let me speed, I mean I know I'd disabled that feature but surely that shouldn't have been possible and you'd really expect the car to have stopped me from driving off the road and into a tree even though I didn't fall asleep.
None of it was my fault your honor! I shouldn't have to take any responsibility at all for my actions, nor should I ever have to learn to drive properly, everything should be done for me because I'm lazy, ignorant and stupid....Now...when can I pick up my cheque from that evil car company that tried everything to stop me from being a danger to myself and the rest of the community......

And remarkably....our legislators and those that could make driver training mandatory are nowhere to be seen!!!

[slickholden]

My mother was knocked unconscious at work the place where it happened was a shit hole so dangerous and no body wanted to do anything, So it was only a matter of time before someone got injured, And it just had to be my mum :(. She got $22,000 and will never work again, A guy brakes his arm at work He had been there 4 months gets a payout of $65,000. Another guy has his leg pinned under a pallet sue's and gets $380,000 and works around with only a slight limp that doesn't stop him from working, And he also drives a 2003 Jag, And has a 2003 Lancer that's the shopping car :(
The system is crap it.
My uncle caught legionaries in Melbourne you all herd about that, He died this year from it and never seen one cent.