When does a car become too computer controlled for you?

[jtvang125]

We have cars today that can actually park itself. There's traction control and stability control to help drivers from loosing control of the car. There's cruise control that can sense a car ahead and shut itself off or slow down and pace with the car ahead. How much control is too much control for you?

Personally I wouldn't mind if the car was fully automated and self driven. BUT give you the option to take over whenever you feel like driving. Something similiar to in Demolition Man.

 

[Corporate Thug]

never, i wish i can get a car that drives itself so i can nap during commutes.


edit: your Lexo looks very clean

 

[DaShen]

When it starts controlling me or deciding where I am supposed to go (Asimov), otherwise innovation is nice

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: jtvang125
We have cars today that can actually park itself. There's traction control and stability control to help drivers from loosing control of the car. There's cruise control that can sense a car ahead and shut itself off or slow down and pace with the car ahead. How much control is too much control for you?

Personally I wouldn't mind if the car was fully automated and self driven. BUT give you the option to take over whenever you feel like driving. Something similiar to in Demolition Man.

Speaking of Demolition Man, I'm the guy who's Oldsmobile got stolen

 

[LtPage1]

When there are only two pedals.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

I think cars like the MB E55 AMG are too computer controlled. They are fly-by-wire in almost everything. You think that throttle and brake pedal are physically connected to butterfly valves or brake assemblies? They're not. Both pedals merely attach to an electronic box which sends the pedal inputs to the proper place. They've included a second car battery for the sole purpose of backing up the brake system in case the electronics fail.

The E55 also knows when it is stolen and will call the police; it will call MB; and it will call you all at the same time, unbeknownst to the thief. You can plug your cellphone into the armrest and place or receive calls through your radio and steering wheel buttons. The car can raise or lower itself with the push of a button, varying ride height up to 2 inches. Of course, there's 85-way power seats, seat warmers, seat a/c, automatically raising and lowering rear headrests, three different ways to shift gears.... climate control for all four seats, independently controllable from either front or back.

A lot of these amenities are real nice... but it's scary that it's all computer controlled, especially the throttle and brake system. Electrical gremlins have plagued those cars, especially the W211's that rolled out starting in 2003. That car is too computer-controlled for me.

 

[sswingle]

When there are transmittors in the road that tell the car what the speed limit is and wont let me go faster than that.

 

[Zolty]

I want to wake up walk to my car tell it where I want to go and be able to nap or read on the way there. I also want internet access and satalite tv on the way.

so to answer your question, when entering my car makes me part of the matrix that might be to far.

 

[vi edit]

When it lets me know that my windshield wiper fluid is low. Oh, and tire pressure sensors suck too.

You know what I find frustrating?

They can build in a sensor that sends off an ear drum piercing BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP when my damn wiper fluid gets low or my tire pressure is .00002756 pounds off but I still have to climb out of the car, pop open the hood, and pull out a freaking dipstick to check oil levels.

What gives?

 

[nakedfrog]

Pretty much anything after 1990.

 

[Cristatus]

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
I think cars like the MB E55 AMG are too computer controlled. They are fly-by-wire in almost everything. You think that throttle and brake pedal are physically connected to butterfly valves or brake assemblies? They're not. Both pedals merely attach to an electronic box which sends the pedal inputs to the proper place. They've included a second car battery for the sole purpose of backing up the brake system in case the electronics fail.

The E55 also knows when it is stolen and will call the police; it will call MB; and it will call you all at the same time, unbeknownst to the thief. You can plug your cellphone into the armrest and place or receive calls through your radio and steering wheel buttons. The car can raise or lower itself with the push of a button, varying ride height up to 2 inches. Of course, there's 85-way power seats, seat warmers, seat a/c, automatically raising and lowering rear headrests, three different ways to shift gears.... climate control for all four seats, independently controllable from either front or back.

A lot of these amenities are real nice... but it's scary that it's all computer controlled, especially the throttle and brake system. Electrical gremlins have plagued those cars, especially the W211's that rolled out starting in 2003. That car is too computer-controlled for me.

Quite a few of these options can be had in a non-AMG Mercedes as well. I can't be bothered to point out which ones though.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
When it lets me know that my windshield wiper fluid is low. Oh, and tire pressure sensors suck too.

You know what I find frustrating?

They can build in a sensor that sends off an ear drum piercing BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP when my damn wiper fluid gets low or my tire pressure is .00002756 pounds off but I still have to climb out of the car, pop open the hood, and pull out a freaking dipstick to check oil levels.

What gives?

:laugh:
That's a good point.

 

[Shawn]

They already are. I am thankful that my car is only OBD-I.

 

[Cristatus]

Originally posted by: vi_edit
When it lets me know that my windshield wiper fluid is low. Oh, and tire pressure sensors suck too.

You know what I find frustrating?

They can build in a sensor that sends off an ear drum piercing BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP when my damn wiper fluid gets low or my tire pressure is .00002756 pounds off but I still have to climb out of the car, pop open the hood, and pull out a freaking dipstick to check oil levels.

What gives?

That can be had too, in some luxury, and "near luxury" cars this is an option.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Originally posted by: logic1485

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
I think cars like the MB E55 AMG are too computer controlled. They are fly-by-wire in almost everything. You think that throttle and brake pedal are physically connected to butterfly valves or brake assemblies? They're not. Both pedals merely attach to an electronic box which sends the pedal inputs to the proper place. They've included a second car battery for the sole purpose of backing up the brake system in case the electronics fail.

The E55 also knows when it is stolen and will call the police; it will call MB; and it will call you all at the same time, unbeknownst to the thief. You can plug your cellphone into the armrest and place or receive calls through your radio and steering wheel buttons. The car can raise or lower itself with the push of a button, varying ride height up to 2 inches. Of course, there's 85-way power seats, seat warmers, seat a/c, automatically raising and lowering rear headrests, three different ways to shift gears.... climate control for all four seats, independently controllable from either front or back.

A lot of these amenities are real nice... but it's scary that it's all computer controlled, especially the throttle and brake system. Electrical gremlins have plagued those cars, especially the W211's that rolled out starting in 2003. That car is too computer-controlled for me.

Quite a few of these options can be had in a non-AMG Mercedes as well. I can't be bothered to point out which ones though.

Yeah, I'm sure you're right. But the E55 is the only one I know much about. We had one in the family for a year before suing Mercedes under the CA lemon law to take the car back. My dad had it for 18 months, and it spent 127 days in the shop. Electrical issues, whodathunk?

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Originally posted by: logic1485

Originally posted by: vi_edit
When it lets me know that my windshield wiper fluid is low. Oh, and tire pressure sensors suck too.

You know what I find frustrating?

They can build in a sensor that sends off an ear drum piercing BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP when my damn wiper fluid gets low or my tire pressure is .00002756 pounds off but I still have to climb out of the car, pop open the hood, and pull out a freaking dipstick to check oil levels.

What gives?

That can be had too, in some luxury, and "near luxury" cars this is an option.

If I remember right... the E55 not only tells you how much oil you have (it pretty much HAS to because there isn't even a dipstick (!) but it also tells you when it has become dirty enough to necessitate an oil change.

 

[Zenmervolt]

When it turns the headlights on automatically.

ZV

 

[Syringer]

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead

Originally posted by: logic1485

Originally posted by: vi_edit
When it lets me know that my windshield wiper fluid is low. Oh, and tire pressure sensors suck too.

You know what I find frustrating?

They can build in a sensor that sends off an ear drum piercing BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP when my damn wiper fluid gets low or my tire pressure is .00002756 pounds off but I still have to climb out of the car, pop open the hood, and pull out a freaking dipstick to check oil levels.

What gives?

That can be had too, in some luxury, and "near luxury" cars this is an option.

If I remember right... the E55 not only tells you how much oil you have (it pretty much HAS to because there isn't even a dipstick (!) but it also tells you when it has become dirty enough to necessitate an oil change.

Pwned.

 

[DanTMWTMP]

all fighter jets go by like quadrupal redundant systems that the pilot inputs controls with....

Aren't fighter jets these days extremely computerized? It still requires human input, but eliminates rash decisions that may be harmful. Driver wants to do something, computer outputs it in the best way possible to save fuel, less stress on frame, less brakes, with the fastest speed possible. I see no problem here. Interesting engineered cars.

 

[FeuerFrei]

All the brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire, gas-by-wire or whatever, systems are waaayyy too much. It's technology for technology's sake and is totally unnecessary. All those circuit-enhanced driver functions should be redundant and easily overridden by the driver. Otherwise, they may as well make a remote control and eliminate steering wheels and pedals.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei
All the brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire, gas-by-wire or whatever, systems are waaayyy too much. It's technology for technology's sake and is totally unnecessary. All those circuit-enhanced driver functions should be redundant and easily overridden by the driver. Otherwise, they may as well make a remote control and eliminate steering wheels and pedals.

Shhh! Don't give them any ideas!

Well said.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei
All the brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire, gas-by-wire or whatever, systems are waaayyy too much. It's technology for technology's sake and is totally unnecessary. All those circuit-enhanced driver functions should be redundant and easily overridden by the driver. Otherwise, they may as well make a remote control and eliminate steering wheels and pedals.

electric steering and electronic throttle have certain benefits and are not totally unnecessary;

electric power steering deletes the power steering pulley off the accessory set, thus giving approximately 5 WHP. The side benefit of this is also slight fuel economy increase. Because the steering is now just driven by an electric motor, the reliability can be increased over traditional pressurized hydraulic power steering system (nothing to leak).

electronic throttle makes it easier and cheaper to incorporate cruise control and traction/stability control.

 

[Colt45]

I like EFI and electronic ignition, but everything else i prefer oldschool. hydraulic brake and clutch, an actual cable to the throttle.. none of that drive by wire ******.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: OS

Originally posted by: FeuerFrei
All the brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire, gas-by-wire or whatever, systems are waaayyy too much. It's technology for technology's sake and is totally unnecessary. All those circuit-enhanced driver functions should be redundant and easily overridden by the driver. Otherwise, they may as well make a remote control and eliminate steering wheels and pedals.

electric steering and electronic throttle have certain benefits and are not totally unnecessary;

electric power steering deletes the power steering pulley off the accessory set, thus giving approximately 5 WHP. The side benefit of this is also slight fuel economy increase. Because the steering is now just driven by an electric motor, the reliability can be increased over traditional pressurized hydraulic power steering system (nothing to leak).

electronic throttle makes it easier and cheaper to incorporate cruise control and traction/stability control.

He's not talking about electrically assisted steering. There are steering systems where the steering wheel is not connected to anything other than an eletronic sensor and the wheels are then steered by a computer-controlled electric motor.

As for electronic throttle, I hate it. Stock electronic throttle systems in road cars have horrible throttle lag.

ZV

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
He's not talking about electrically assisted steering. There are steering systems where the steering wheel is not connected to anything other than an eletronic sensor and the wheels are then steered by a computer-controlled electric motor.

As for electronic throttle, I hate it. Stock electronic throttle systems in road cars have horrible throttle lag.

ZV

A completely electric steering still retains all the accessory/power benefit I mentioned above. The feeling will suck of course though.

The lag in electronic throttle is probably just too much signal filtering in the implementation, as the technology/processing improves, it'll likely disappear.

electronic throttle also has one more benefit in that under low rpm/low engine loads, the throttle plate can be set wide open reducing pumping losses and thus increasing fuel economy.