Motoring - present & future

[robert.saunders]

Because, as I understand it, many drivers are useless, there are many aids to driving, and some have been highlighted on various threads here recently:

ESP
We're all too good a driver to need this

ABS
As ESP

BAS
As ESP

Road Angel-type devices
We're all too busy driving to see our speedometer

COMAND/TomTom-type devices
We're all too useless to read a map and road signs

Cruise control
We are unable to maintain a speed

Radar-cruise control
We are unable to keep a distance

Speedtronic
As Road Angel-type devices

Aside from these recent developments, we have had over the years:

seat belts;
power steering;
synchronized transmission;
air conditioning;
adaptive transmission/suspension;
parking sensors;
electric windows/sunroof/seats/steering wheel;
heated rear windows;
heated front windows;
heaters!

and so on....

The point I'm making is that some of these features were I'm sure treated with scorn when they appeared and now are commonplace and indeed expected.

Are we turning into monkeys who just steer? What's next - cars that follow the road by themselves? I've seen technology trials of such a thing, which seems science fiction but is this the true course of future motoring?

[imadoofus]

This is exactly the point I was making a few weeks ago, when I scoffed at parking sensors.

I haven't got them, and yet I can park just fine, and I've never crashed when doing so.

PJ

[imadoofus]

Originally Posted by robert.saunders

What's next - cars that follow the road by themselves? I've seen technology trials of such a thing, which seems science fiction but is this the true course of future motoring?

They were playing with this 50 years ago, and it won't go away so, yes, I think we can expect it in the future.

My solution? Drive a classic car! It's greener than buying a new one every three years, and you get to actually drive it yourself.

[glojo]

Okay let's look in our houses.

Washing machine
Modern cooker
Micro-wave
Central heating
Fitted carpets
shower
Video Recorder

The lists are endless and we all move with the times. Many years ago I was given a BMW motorcycle to play with. This bike had something called ABS and I was asked tgo evaluate it.

My opinion could have been it was a waste of money because a competant rider would never need it but surely any life saving aid is a huge benefit?

John

[Ted]

Originally Posted by glojo

The lists are endless and we all move with the times. Many years ago I was given a BMW motorcycle to play with. This bike had something called ABS and I was asked tgo evaluate it.

John

And to think that I was amazed at the stopping power when I fitted a twin leading shoe arrangement on my old Triumph Thunderbird (1959 vintage)!

ABS! who needs it!

[verytalldave]

With the acceleration and speed that modern inventions are being pushed into the market place in all areas, I doubt whether any of us would recognise a future world 100 years hence. Future generations will look back in disbelief at the level of freedom we had. Freedom to speed, to drink and drive, go wherever you want, whenever you want. Without government permission. To be free to buy any food you can afford and live where you want to live - again without government permission.
I have little doubt in my mind that we would not like to live in those times. Our minds could not accept the control that we would all be subjected too. We are but products of the current times and we would be like fish out of water if put either into the past - or the future.
Of course, thats providing mankind survives long enought to reach that state of nirvana.
Zager and Evans summed it all up quite nicely in the song "In the year 2525".

If you had asked someone 100 years ago what would the motor car be like in 2007, I doubt whether anybody would have been able to guess what we have now. And I dare say the same is true for 2107. I think "cars" will still be around, although what fuel they will be using is anyones guess. I would put my money on solar with battery backup for night use. Speeds will be dictated by satnav and not the driver, if indeed driver is the correct term. Its entirely possible all journeys will be controlled from a control centre and not individual cars.
I can still recall a drawing in "Arthur Mees Childrens Encyclopedia" that I had from about 1910. The drawing attempted to portray "modern" life in 100 years time - ie - 3 years from now. It was a long way out from reality and with todays knowledge, quite amusing. Predicting the future with any degree of accuracy is virtually impossible.

[fredfloggle]

Originally Posted by verytalldave

With the acceleration and speed that modern inventions are being pushed into the market place in all areas, I doubt whether any of us would recognise a future world 100 years hence. Future generations will look back in disbelief at the level of freedom we had. Freedom to speed, to drink and drive, go wherever you want, whenever you want. Without government permission. To be free to buy any food you can afford and live where you want to live - again without government permission.
I have little doubt in my mind that we would not like to live in those times. Our minds could not accept the control that we would all be subjected too. We are but products of the current times and we would be like fish out of water if put either into the past - or the future.
Of course, thats providing mankind survives long enought to reach that state of nirvana.
Zager and Evans summed it all up quite nicely in the song "In the year 2525".

More like :-
Good News Week
- Hedgehoppers Anonymous-

It's Good News Week
Someone dropped a bomb somewhere contaminating atmosphere
and blackening the sky

It's Good News Week
Someone's found a way to give the rotting dead a will to live,
go on and never die

Have you heard the news?
What did it say?

Who's won that race?
What's the weather like today?

It's Good News Week
Lots of blood in Asia now they've butchered up the sacred cow,
they've got a lot to eat

It's Good News Week
Doctors finding many ways of wrapping brains on metal trays
to keep us from the heat

[verytalldave]

Thanks for that cheerful glimpse into the future.
Almost as heart warming as Barry McGuire, "Eve of destruction".

Actually quite an accurate prediction if you take heed of the lyrics.........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39ESOKkU1ho

[Bobby Dazzler]

As a means of transportation there really isn't any need for a driver - even to steer. It would probably be safer and more efficient if a computer took control our personal transportation.

As a play thing - no human control and all computer control means no fun. But some control and some computer control means near-as-damn-it as much fun, but more safely than the driver can manage alone, and with the ability to look and feel like a hero when steering mega powerful cars!!

What will the future look like? I've seen it. My TV occasionally shows me - business models change by the hour, cars fly and everything, and cars cross junctions with the driver looking away. Taxis will be Johnny Cabs with robotised driver.

[television]

Why stop woth ESP and ABS, lets go back a bit further.

My1928 Rolls had servo brakes. one of the only car in that time to have a servo.
At 40MPH it took 55ft 6" to stop.

An Austin 7 took 130ft to stop from 40MPH.

So even then you paid your money and took your choice.
The Rolls cost £1850 the Austin £97

No BAS either

[robert.saunders]

6" makes a big difference

[MBManInKen]

Originally Posted by robert.saunders

6" makes a big difference

Now, now, Rob, this is a family forum!

And I never thought you would be a size queen

[robert.saunders]

Originally Posted by MBManInKen

And I never thought you would be a size queen

Not sure what you mean

However, regarding technology improvements, I understand development and that "things move on" but isn't some of this 'stuff' just complete waffle, and invented for perhaps the wrong reasons? Looks good and very clever it is too; do we really need it?

[MBManInKen]

Originally Posted by robert.saunders

Not sure what you mean

However, regarding technology improvements, I understand development and that "things move on" but isn't some of this 'stuff' just complete waffle, and invented for perhaps the wrong reasons? Looks good and very clever it is too; do we really need it?

Well, we don't need crazy frog ringtones, or another bloody tv soap, but things like abs or esp, or even satnav are great tools. We didn't need to develop central heating, modern medicine, airplanes or anything like that either - our species has survived well for most of its history without any of that. However, a lot of these things persist because in the end they make our lives more comfortable, more pleasurable, more healthy or a combination of these. And other things just happen because they're a fashion.

As long as enough people want it, it'll likely happen. I must say that all the toys of my modern car have increased my enjoyment of driving, but then again I'm a geek, so I would say that, wouldn't I?

[television]

Originally Posted by robert.saunders

Not sure what you mean

However, regarding technology improvements, I understand development and that "things move on" but isn't some of this 'stuff' just complete waffle, and invented for perhaps the wrong reasons? Looks good and very clever it is too; do we really need it?

They did not say "I do not want a starter motor,I prefer to wind it by hand"

Who is the judge and jury as to where it all stops