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Smart Cars for Dumb Drivers
16 years ago
General
Cars do more and more these days. They do so much more than just get us where we're going. It's almost as if even the most basic models can get you where you're going so now manufacturers need to pepper their cars with crazy new technology to make them stand apart from rivals. Actually, I'm sure of it, but that's another journal for another time.
I used to sneer at features like stability control, because let's face it, you should know your car well enough to not push it over the limit. Or if you do, you should know how to recover when you get into trouble. But we're not all race car drivers with fine-tuned senses and fast reflexes. And I'm sure all my SoCal friends can agree that the freeway is hundreds of times more dangerous than the track, even when you're doing 110 at the track at 65 on the freeway, You all know my enthusiasm for racing, but even I've been saved by anti-lock brakes and the R32's stability program has reeled me in from trouble now and again.
What I absolutely cannot accept are safety features that make up for basic defects in driver skill or sense. I'm not thrilled with the latest round of ads from Mercedes-Benz touting the features of their car. The reminder to stop and take a break every two hours isn't a bad one, but it's something any of us should keep in mind while on long-distance drives. I can give that one a pass.
But I have always been bugged by cars that have an alert for when you're drifting out of your lane. Anyone who is distracted enough that they can't keep their car in their own lane should not be driving! I don't care if it's a phone call, the kids in the back seat or a Victoria's Secret model on a billboard. You drift out of your lane, you're not paying enough attention. End of story. Sure, I'm guilty of drifting out of my own lane. I'm not a perfect driver. But I don't need something in my car to remind me about it. I start paying attention again, realize my mistake and correct it.
And they go on to tout how the car will help you come to a stop if you're going to rear-end someone or something. They show the Benz at what can't possibly be more than a car-length behind a tanker-trailer. And of course the tanker has to brake for something, and the people in the Benz are "saved" by the wonderful new safety feature. Yeah, guess what? Maybe if you weren't riding the tanker's ass you'd have more time to react and safely stop!
The bigger issue I have is I'm afraid these safety features that intervene on behalf of the driver make people think they're invincible. They're good to have when you get in an unexpected jam (like a wild animal or a wild lunatic behind the wheel), but you can't drive around doing whatever you like because you know the system is going to save you. And is it me, or is that the vibe I get in the latest round of ads for Ford's AWD vehicles? That with their AWD, you can master the elements! Tell me this isn't encouraging people in Ford AWD vehicles to drive "normally" when it's pouring rain? AWD is fun and makes a car handle better, but it does not make you invincible or give you a free pass to drive like a hoon.
One of the features I like about VW's ESP and ASR systems is that a light flashes on the dash to let you know it's saving your ass. If you have some sort of stability program that quietly does it's job, how are you ever going to know you're over-driving the limits of your vehicle? I doubt you will... until you step into a new vehicle that doesn't save you. And then what are you going to do?
I used to sneer at features like stability control, because let's face it, you should know your car well enough to not push it over the limit. Or if you do, you should know how to recover when you get into trouble. But we're not all race car drivers with fine-tuned senses and fast reflexes. And I'm sure all my SoCal friends can agree that the freeway is hundreds of times more dangerous than the track, even when you're doing 110 at the track at 65 on the freeway, You all know my enthusiasm for racing, but even I've been saved by anti-lock brakes and the R32's stability program has reeled me in from trouble now and again.
What I absolutely cannot accept are safety features that make up for basic defects in driver skill or sense. I'm not thrilled with the latest round of ads from Mercedes-Benz touting the features of their car. The reminder to stop and take a break every two hours isn't a bad one, but it's something any of us should keep in mind while on long-distance drives. I can give that one a pass.
But I have always been bugged by cars that have an alert for when you're drifting out of your lane. Anyone who is distracted enough that they can't keep their car in their own lane should not be driving! I don't care if it's a phone call, the kids in the back seat or a Victoria's Secret model on a billboard. You drift out of your lane, you're not paying enough attention. End of story. Sure, I'm guilty of drifting out of my own lane. I'm not a perfect driver. But I don't need something in my car to remind me about it. I start paying attention again, realize my mistake and correct it.
And they go on to tout how the car will help you come to a stop if you're going to rear-end someone or something. They show the Benz at what can't possibly be more than a car-length behind a tanker-trailer. And of course the tanker has to brake for something, and the people in the Benz are "saved" by the wonderful new safety feature. Yeah, guess what? Maybe if you weren't riding the tanker's ass you'd have more time to react and safely stop!
The bigger issue I have is I'm afraid these safety features that intervene on behalf of the driver make people think they're invincible. They're good to have when you get in an unexpected jam (like a wild animal or a wild lunatic behind the wheel), but you can't drive around doing whatever you like because you know the system is going to save you. And is it me, or is that the vibe I get in the latest round of ads for Ford's AWD vehicles? That with their AWD, you can master the elements! Tell me this isn't encouraging people in Ford AWD vehicles to drive "normally" when it's pouring rain? AWD is fun and makes a car handle better, but it does not make you invincible or give you a free pass to drive like a hoon.
One of the features I like about VW's ESP and ASR systems is that a light flashes on the dash to let you know it's saving your ass. If you have some sort of stability program that quietly does it's job, how are you ever going to know you're over-driving the limits of your vehicle? I doubt you will... until you step into a new vehicle that doesn't save you. And then what are you going to do?
But in regards to your post. Yeah, as cars get smarter, and there's more and more 'safety features' I can't help but be a little nervous of them. Particularly the on board computers(since.. my PC is a twitchy POS).. I'm not sure I could really trust steer-by-wire systems or that kinda thing.
Seriously, who WOULDN'T want something like that? It'd be awesome in other aspects of life.
"Beep beep beep! Don't answer C on this SAT question, you won't get a scholarship!"
"Beep beep beep! Do you want to get AIDS? Don't sleep with him!"
"Beep beep beep! Keep your eyes on the road, dumbass!"
So I'll attempt to describe it in hopes that maybe you had seen it.
Long time ago I think there used to be a running joke about Jeeps or something to the effect that its 4WD could get you out of any situation. So picture the comic, there is a simple jungle scene, and a very large hole. At the bottom of the hole, is a Jeep, *upside down*, and wedged in with no possible way for the passengers to get out.
The caption says, "Don't worry, let me just put it in gear..."
I think some of the safety stuff has definitely improved driving, but seriously when you need your car to brake for you because you're going to ram the car ahead of you? Hell, they should just make completely automated cars for those people, with automated stops that let you know where you are. Oh wait, it's called THE BUS!!!
Darwinism could be applied to motorists, if you can't drive with the drivers then you are roadkill. All those fancy (unneeded IMO) safety features give the stupid people too many advantages to cover their lack of skills.
ASR sucks. I'd rather light up the tires and make it where I want to go than have the motor bog when I'm trying to make it go. So its always off in my car.
ESP is pretty awesome (except that they MAKE you use ASR when its on). Then again, ESP does absolutely nothing on ice, as my friend learned when tossing his GTI around a corner in winter weather. Oops curb.
My car dosen't even have stability control. I hate driving with it on (on any other cars), because it tries to do the same things I try to do, and I end up forcing the car to overcorrect. The only exception being what comes in my friend's Z51 Vette - it has multi-mode controls. Normal mode, competition mode, and off (AKA do lots of donuts). Normal mode almost planted us into a curb once, off mode really is made for doing donuts. Competition mode just limits rear wheelspin, and pretty much nothing else.
Also, I still hate ASR. If you're pushing the car to a point where the wheels are not getting the same amount of traction on both sides, you are either at WOT, or are doing something stupid like driving through puddles on the tollway at 80 on bald tires. I need to get new damn tires.