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Nissan and Microsoft Create Videogame Car

Posted by samzenpus on from the drive-and-play dept.

pnewhook writes "The Register reports that Microsoft and Nissan have created the first integrated gaming system within a vehicle. Not just in the vehicle, but the vehicle becomes part of the gaming system. From the article: "Conceived by Nissan Design America Inc. (NDA) and equipped with the Xbox 360 next-generation video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the Nissan URGE concept car allows drivers (while parked) to play 'Project Gotham Racing 3' using the car's own steering wheel, gas pedal and brake pedal while viewing the game on a flip-down seven-inch LCD screen," Nissan and Microsoft said in a statement."

24 of 254 comments (clear)

  1. Been there, done that, this worries me! by dada21 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I probably shouldn't admit this. In my 1999 Subaru RS (now long sold, unfortunately, it was my favorite car) I had a Pioneer flip-out LCD screen (about 7" widescreen format). I modified a Sega Dreamcast to run off 12V DC (no inverter), and I made a Dreamcast controller port above the steering column.

    I never played while driving, err, never much, that is. It wasn't hard to avoid the "no screen while driving" safety feature. My girlfriend (who later I married) forced me to rip it out, as I had always tempted fate. Hey, I was only 25 years old!

    To get to the topic, I'm not sure how much I trust any safety features they might embed in the car to prevent someone from finding a really wide open piece of tarmac and actually playing while driving. In fact, I don't even trust MYSELF to try it. How much is the car, again?

    By the way, it was really awesome driving an RS while playing as an older WRX on the mini screen. I never caused an accident, but I did get a lot of honked horns. And they say men are safer drivers over once they hit 25?

    1. Re:Been there, done that, this worries me! by Geoffreyerffoeg · · Score: 4, Informative

      To get to the topic, I'm not sure how much I trust any safety features they might embed in the car to prevent someone from finding a really wide open piece of tarmac and actually playing while driving.

      The safety feature is that this is a drive-by-wire system, there are no controller ports, and the steering wheel and stuff either controls the car (if it's on) or the game (if the car's off). It can't control two things at once. If you're controlling the car, there isn't a controller for the video game - and if you're controlling the video game, the gear's in park, the engine's off, and the parking brake is set.

      The only way you might be able to play while the car was in motion is if someone was pushing the car from behind.

    2. Re:Been there, done that, this worries me! by mikiN · · Score: 5, Funny

      The safety feature is that this is a drive-by-wire system

      [blink, read again, funny feeling in stomach, then do utmost to quench a severe gag reflex...]

      Drive by wire...steering wheel, gas AND brake...controlled by an Xbox 360??

      Hell knows I want to be outside a 100 mile radius when a beast like that is in motion on a f*ing road. Serious!

      This must be a safety engineer's nightmare come true.

      --
      The Hacker's Guide To The Kernel: Don't panic()!
    3. Re:Been there, done that, this worries me! by krakelohm · · Score: 5, Funny

      "The only way you might be able to play while the car was in motion is if someone was pushing the car from behind."

       Its a Nissan, it is expected to be pushed from behind :).

      --
      You are all a bunch of idots.
    4. Re:Been there, done that, this worries me! by colinbrash · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's electrical, and therefore can be modified. I can't imagine a reasonable scenario in which both cannot be controlled at the same time, given the right (fairly simple, seeing as it is electrical) modifications.

      On the other hand, I'm not too worried about people modifying it to play while driving. You can modify your car not to beep when your selt belt is off (assuming you have this feature), but not a lot of people do this. Why? Because (a) it takes time, and (b) it is dumb. Most people are going to get caught by these two hindrances when it comes to any sort of modification to play and drive at the same time.

      What I am worried about, however, is people playing this game for a couple hours while their kid has soccer practice or whatever, and then driving around on real streets. While we all like to pretend video games don't affect reality, the truth is that our brains take time to switch from one scenario to another. I've experienced it, and I'm sure others have as well. Who left the theater after seeing Gone in 60 Seconds or The Fast and the Furious and didn't drive at least a bit more dangeriously than they normally would have?

      This doesn't mean people are suddenly going to be racing down streets as if in a video game, but that urge to drive just a little faster, take that turn just a little sharper, etc. etc. etc. -- that urge is going to be a lot fresher and more tempting if you go driving directly after playing the game, and more importantly, in the the exact same environment in which you just played the game.

    5. Re:Been there, done that, this worries me! by cgenman · · Score: 4, Funny

      The safety feature is that this is a drive-by-wire system,

      The safety feature is that this is an Xbox 360: there isn't enough juice to both play the system and power the car.

      --
      The ______ Agenda
    6. Re:Been there, done that, this worries me! by hugzz · · Score: 3, Informative
      Its a Nissan, it is expected to be pushed from behind :).

      Looking at a reliability test.. "Number of failures per 100 policies", Nissan is 8th best, with 23.44 per 100. While this may sound high, it's better than mercedes with 24.30, volvo with 31.09, ford with 32.16 and bmw with 33.16 (well it also beats a LOT of other cars but those are just a select few that I chose for their prestige ie bmw and merc, their reputation ie volvo, and how damn common they are ie ford)

      While you were probably joking, ./ is a sciency site after all so we should have some reality and facts hidden deep somewhere

    7. Re:Been there, done that, this worries me! by hugzz · · Score: 3, Informative
      23.44/100 really isn't large at all. A "failure" isn't the engine exploding. It's the hinge on your cig lighter coming out of place.

      Consider how many parts are on a car. In 23 out of every 100 nissans, one of those parts will fail.

      That said, the best results on the survey in question were mazda (17.88), toyota (18.62), honda (19.41)

  2. Oh, good by Eli+Gottlieb · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now I can finally make a fool of myself in public by playing a driving game when I should be speaking to the police officer knocking on the window!

  3. popular science by User+956 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Popular science did a cool article where they had pro racers race in Forza motorsport, and then on the actual track.

    The consensus was that it's easier to take corners at speed in the game because there's a lower penalty for crash.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  4. Re:Oh super idea guys by dada21 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'd play you but I spilled some Hot Coffee in my lap going through the drive thru.

  5. Sounds dangerous to me by Aussie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What happens when a child decides to play the car game by themselves ?
    Seems like lawsuit heaven in the making.

  6. Racing from game to reality... by Erik_ · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is so dangerous. People who play good racing games and leave to take their car, will so quickly think they are back in their game and speed up. This has happenend to a good friend of mine. Never had a speeding ticket... plays one long session of Gotham racing. Heads home... and get's his driving license suspended due to his speed.

    1. Re:Racing from game to reality... by MidnightBrewer · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I don't think that would apply to everybody, though. There is still a distinct difference between reality and a video game. However, putting a video game in a car is definitely tempting fate, and making your car into a video game is just stupid.

      --
      "Give a man fire, and he'll be warm for a day; set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life
    2. Re:Racing from game to reality... by Awptimus+Prime · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This is so dangerous. People who play good racing games and leave to take their car, will so quickly think they are back in their game and speed up. This has happenend to a good friend of mine. Never had a speeding ticket... plays one long session of Gotham racing. Heads home... and get's his driving license suspended due to his speed.

      Yeah, I often take my 12 gauge out and shoot a bunch of people right after a good game of counter-strike. Then, I go play some Monopoly and find myself buying out all the local businesses the next morning. :rollseyes:

      Your friend is a moron if he was that easily influenced. I play console racers for hours and hours at a time, then when I drive home, I obey the speed limit. Just because you feel slower in a real car, doesn't mean you have also lost your vision and can no longer read the gauges.

  7. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 3, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  8. Re:Ack by datafr0g · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sure! Just drive at 100mph head on into a blue wall!

    Now you know how a PC running Windows 98 feels.

    --
    "Who says nothing is impossible? Some people do it every day!" - Alfred E. Neuman
  9. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning by pHatidic · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I hope the game won't run if the engine is on. Otherwise people might play it in the garage with the engine running and the car in park, and end up asphyxiating themselves.

  10. Top Gear did the same thing the other day... by s-gen · · Score: 4, Informative

    They sent Clarkson round Laguna Seca in an NSX on Gran Turisimo 4 then sent him off to see if he could get the same time in the same car on the actual track.

    He couldn't... its too scary in real life.

  11. Hail to the king, baby. by radiotyler · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Nissan conducted an Internet survey of 2,000 echo boomers, a majority of which said technology and gaming are among the most important attributes in their first car," said Bruce Campbell, vice president of design at Nissan Design America.

    Holy crap! Bruce Cambell is the vice president of design at Nissan TOO!?!?! This is my BOOMSTICK!, indeed!

    --
    hi mom!
  12. fortunately its just a concept car by olddotter · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If this were for sale for real, I'd say it was asking for a lawsuit.

    --
    Think Deeply. ...
  13. Driving is not interactive enough by gooman · · Score: 4, Funny

    Now it might just be me, but when I'm driving I barely have the attention to drink my coffee, talk on the cellphone and shave in the rearview mirror.
    I'm not sure I could devote proper attention to PGR3.
    Of course, you never know until you try.

    --
    "Kittens give Morbo gas!"
  14. And in other news... by tverbeek · · Score: 4, Funny
    And in other news, Smith & Wesson and Sony have announced the development of a handgun which shoots live ammunition, but can also be used as a controller in first-person-shooter games.

    Nintendo and Acme Sex Toys have scheduled a press conference for tomorrow, but are keeping hush-hush about their joint hardware/gaming venture, except to confirm that it would likely be rated "A" (for adults only).

    --
    http://alternatives.rzero.com/
  15. haha, good ole' slashdot by I'm+Don+Giovanni · · Score: 3, Insightful

    This is something that most geeks would think quite cool, but because Microsoft is involved, this thread is filled with negative comments. Oh, it's too dangerous!! Good grief...

    --
    -- "I never gave these stories much credence." - HAL 9000