Amazing Things Your Automobile Can't Do

dslmodem submitted this NYT story on nifty automobile technology that isn't coming to the United States. The report suggests that legal liability is a significant reason for not offering various driver-distracting options in the U.S.

Comments

Stuff British cars have

[Xpilot]

I haven't read the article, but I assume American cars won't have ejection seats, machine guns and rocket launchers hidden with a flip of a switch like those British Aston Martins have.

Re:Stuff British cars have

[dcphoenix]

.....American cars won't have ejection seats, machine guns and rocket launchers.....

Why bother using a foreign car to blow stuff up and get tossed into the air? Buy American - get a Pinto!!

Re:Stuff British cars have

[Erik Hollensbe]

I had a buddy who was a gear head and use to race drag when we were in high school...

His car? A pinto. The car is so damned light that it beats a lot of muscle cars for the 1/4, and nothing, I mean nothing, is worth more than the look on the face of someone who was just beaten by a car known far as wide for it's lack of anything worthy.

I get a similar feeling when people realize they were just owned by my wife at CS. :)

Re:Stuff British cars have

[neolith]

His car? A pinto. The car is so damned light that it beats a lot of muscle cars for the 1/4, and nothing, I mean nothing, is worth more than the look on the face of someone who was just beaten by a car known far as wide for it's lack of anything worthy.

I get a similar feeling when people realize they were just owned by my wife at CS. :)

I personally can't wait to find out what happens when your geeky wife logs onto slashdot and finds you implicitly comparing her to something known far and wide for its lack of anything worthy. Buddy, are you in for the "-1, flamebait" of your life...

Here's something amazing my car doesn't do

[The_Rippa]

Here's something amazing my car doesn't do...it doesn't wrap itself around a tree while I try to check my email and read a fax at the same time.

Re:Wow... point and click parallel parking... COOL

[StevenHenderson]

To activate it, the driver first pulls alongside the forward vehicle, then drags a picture of a flag marker

...Sounds like Minesweeper. :)

Re:Glad

[SlamMan]

But I have to admit, people around DC drive like they're trying to play Dance Dance Revolution.

Re::: fingers crossed ::

[Anonymous Coward]

What, you don't approve of autoeroticism?

Gets rid of those #&%! kids and their soccer b

[wsanders]

Also it can run over any annoying kids and soccer balls if they get in the way of your urban assault vehicle. Guess you don't get sued for that in Europe or Japan. Damn US legal system!

People in Europe or Japan spend most of their time crawling in traffic anyway, in their toaster size cars with 700 cc engines. I *like* that about Europe and Japan. Isn't there a nationwide 50 mph / 80 kph speed limit in Japan?

Slashdot user != USA resident

[sicking]

I'm not living in the US you insensitive clod! My Automobile will be able to do those things!

Re:good!

[Eccles]

i dont want the people passing me watching TV while they're driving.

The European system shuts off if the car is going more than 3 MPH. If you're getting passed by someone going 3 MPH, perhaps you should just pedal your Big Wheel a bit faster?

Re:good, we don't need that crap.

[The_K4]

Jest this weekend I was driving a stick shift truck with a UHAUL trailer behind it when my cell phone rang. I had to use the same hand for my Egg McMuffin and the wheel, while using my other hand for the speaker phone and the stick shift. Considering the pooring rain and my broekn foot i thought I was doing pretty well.

Discrimination!

[TiggertheMad]

You read those comments by the Europeans in the article! Inflamitory! They are suggestiong that, we Americans, are irate little hot heads that would litigate for trifiling nusances. I won't stand for it, I'm going to sue them for slander!

...uh..never mind....

Re:Wow... point and click parallel parking... COOL

[DG]

Does it play "The Blue Danube"?

DG

Re:good, we don't need that crap.

[Idarubicin]

(Score: -1, Didn't Get Joke)

Though to be fair, I have to agree--the McWhatsit family of breakfast products are pretty gross....

Re:It's too easy

[SmurfButcher Bob]

Yeah, well you left out the hardest part -

The damned tests are written entirely in German!

Re:good, we don't need that crap.

[grammar fascist]

Though to be fair, I have to agree--the McWhatsit family of breakfast products are pretty gross....

I dunno. I kinda like the McGuessBurger and the Mystery Meat Salad.