Decided Against Elio

[Coss]

My daughter in law just bought the smaller Subaru model with the Eyesight. I have to say, after taking a test drive and seeing what it can do, I'd have a hard time buying a new 4-wheel vehicle without such a system. The safety implications are astounding.

We pulled out onto a traffic-choked interstate and set the speed for 60. Could we go 60? Nope, but Eyesight kept us at a safe distance from the next car and moving along at the speed of traffic. When another car entered down a ramp, it automatically slid back to maintain a safe distance from the new car. As traffic thinned and sped up, we gradually reached 60. And when traffic moved faster, we stayed at 60. When things thickened up again, it brought us right down to the speed of traffic, keeping a few car lengths back. We even turned off onto a ramp and I drove right up behind a car at a stoplight without ever touching the brake. It was just amazing.

It showed me that self-driving cars, at least for the Interstate, can't be far off.

But what happens when that on-board computer decides to have a bad day and you're expecting it to work?
That's one of the items that bother me on today's cars. A number of them are computer dependent and those computers have not hit a real consistent operational rate yet. Friend of mine bought a new Mercedes SL550, she drove it 2 months, then it sat in the shop for 4 months, she got it back, drove it 2 weeks, another month in the shop, back one more time, it died on the way home. She told them to stuff it, they asked for another chance, gave her a top of the line BMW and within a month the Beemer had computer problems. These were not cheap cars. German cars are usually way over engineered, these were too, but they are also very computer dependent.
So what does she drive now? A used 1998 Honda Accord that has been bulletproof and she took the extra money to upgrade some nav gear in her jet (she has a Citation M2)

 

[WilliamH]

But what happens when that on-board computer decides to have a bad day and you're expecting it to work?
That's one of the items that bother me on today's cars. A number of them are computer dependent and those computers have not hit a real consistent operational rate yet. Friend of mine bought a new Mercedes SL550, she drove it 2 months, then it sat in the shop for 4 months, she got it back, drove it 2 weeks, another month in the shop, back one more time, it died on the way home. She told them to stuff it, they asked for another chance, gave her a top of the line BMW and within a month the Beemer had computer problems. These were not cheap cars. German cars are usually way over engineered, these were too, but they are also very computer dependent.
So what does she drive now? A used 1998 Honda Accord that has been bulletproof and she took the extra money to upgrade some nav gear in her jet (she has a Citation M2)

That reminds me of the old words of wisdom from my days at Bell Labs...........
"To err is human! To really screw things up requires a computer!"
Oh for the good old days when you could tune up a car with an emery board and a feeler gauge.

 

[BaldGuy]

So what does she drive now? A used 1998 Honda Accord that has been bulletproof and she took the extra money to upgrade some nav gear in her jet (she has a Citation M2)

If she can afford a Citation M2 and the upkeep/crew, then I doubt she needs to impress anyone with a nice car. What's funny is if you go around to nice houses, you will see "Normal vehicle" as a rule, yet if you go to trailer parks, you will see the expensive stuff.

 

[raybonz]

If she can afford a Citation M2 and the upkeep/crew, then I doubt she needs to impress anyone with a nice car. What's funny is if you go around to nice houses, you will see "Normal vehicle" as a rule, yet if you go to trailer parks, you will see the expensive stuff.

Just proves you can't have everything.. Though some people will go into debt above their heads to keep up with the Joneses..

 

[raybonz]

But what happens when that on-board computer decides to have a bad day and you're expecting it to work?
That's one of the items that bother me on today's cars. A number of them are computer dependent and those computers have not hit a real consistent operational rate yet. Friend of mine bought a new Mercedes SL550, she drove it 2 months, then it sat in the shop for 4 months, she got it back, drove it 2 weeks, another month in the shop, back one more time, it died on the way home. She told them to stuff it, they asked for another chance, gave her a top of the line BMW and within a month the Beemer had computer problems. These were not cheap cars. German cars are usually way over engineered, these were too, but they are also very computer dependent.
So what does she drive now? A used 1998 Honda Accord that has been bulletproof and she took the extra money to upgrade some nav gear in her jet (she has a Citation M2)

Generally speaking electronics and computers are in everything around you.. My 2008 Sentra has plenty of them and has been good up to 158,000 miles so far.. Electronics follow mechanical and that tends to fail more often than the electronics and computers.. Cars run so well and so efficient due to the computers and electronics.. Remember when you had points in your distributor and you had to change them every 12K miles maximum and set them? Now you just run and the vast majority of cars today run way better than the cars years ago and have more power and higher MPG's as well..

 

[Coss]

Generally speaking electronics and computers are in everything around you.. My 2008 Sentra has plenty of them and has been good up to 158,000 miles so far.. Electronics follow mechanical and that tends to fail more often than the electronics and computers.. Cars run so well and so efficient due to the computers and electronics.. Remember when you had points in your distributor and you had to change them every 12K miles maximum and set them? Now you just run and the vast majority of cars today run way better than the cars years ago and have more power and higher MPG's as well..

Wasn't so much concerned with the computers for those functions; was aiming at the avoidance and "self-driving" control of them.
It's a great possibility once the majority of cars on the road have them, and we have an highway system that will be interactive with them; but we are a long way away from that day.

 

[raybonz]

My view on technology is lead, follow or get out of the way.. May as well embrace it as it's not going away.. I lean on my woodstove and charcoal grills for simplicity but that's just about it.. Oh I love fishing and camping too and that's low to no tech..

 

[Smitty901]

You hear this same topic with motorcycles. I get so tried of hearing "going old school". Old school meant working on the darn thing nearly as much as riding. Spoke wheels, Chains, drum brakes, tube tire. Changing spark plugs and playing with the carbs.,
Aug 27 I traded off a 2013 RGU with almost 50K on it. never a break down , tires and brake pads and ride. At one time I never left home with out a tool kit and plug wrench. Now on a 2 week 4000 mile plus trip I carry a fold up tool kit looks like a weather man almost. Use it to open packages if the wife buys something.
I have never had an electronic part fail in any of our cars. In 2007 crank sensor failed on one bike it was a know issue and the bike told me what was wrong . replaced it sold that bike with 75K on it never another problem
These new cars except for some of them just keep running . Friend just went over 250 K on his ford tarsus .

 

[W. WIllie]

Newer electronics are great, 362K on the LRR and no electronics failure since purchasing in2001. I had 2 warranty "recalls" for electronics updates within the first 2 years shortly after purchase and nothing since.
The problem arrives is when they go "Above and Beyond".
Then it is up to the purchasers to be the "Test Bed".
What's in the "future"....Plug and Play Drivers?

Willie