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High-tech Cars Replacing Driver Skill?

Posted by samzenpus on from the assisted-parking dept.

Nick writes "What happens when you take a bunch of average drivers, put them in a car with no high-tech systems like anti-lock brakes and traction control, and ask them to drive on a safety test track? 360-degree spins, of course. And not only do today's drivers need ABS and traction control to keep their cars under control, it also turns out most drivers can't even name the high tech safety systems that are continually saving their butts. And to make matters worse, carmakers plan to install automatic radar-based blind-spot checkers so motorists can avoid looking over their shoulders while changing lanes. Even geeks find some of these technologies scary, including Wired's Bruce Gain, who drove Mercedes' S-Class with automatic braking."

5 of 805 comments (clear)

  1. One that wasn't mentioned here: by Phariom · · Score: 3, Informative

    There are few automobiles out there (mainly SUVs) that now have systems installed to let you know if you are leaving the lane via a photo-sensor connected to an alarm inside the vehicle. After all, why should we expect drivers to keep their *!@?% car in their own lane without the aid of a computer? Here's an article that goes perfectly with the theme of this post.

  2. Re:I hate ABS...sometimes by erlando · · Score: 4, Informative
    ABS does shorten stopping distances on wet or snow covered roads, but if the road is dry, the stop time will be much shorter if the wheels lock and you skid.

    ABS is not designed to make the car stop faster. ABS is designed to enable the driver to maintain maximum control over the car while breaking. ABS Q&A. If you skid you don't steer. Though I don't think ABS makes the stopping distance longer so I don't see the need for your proposed kill-switch. Please don't use it if driving behind me..

    Also take into consideration that the development of ABS just might have improved it in the last 13 years..

    I would take my 2005 Skodas ABS, EDS and ESP Electronic Stability Programme over unassisted braking anyday.

    --
    Remember, there are no stupid questions. But there are a lot of inquisitive idiots.
  3. Re:Speaking of S-Class auto brakes... by geminidomino · · Score: 5, Informative

    I think the driver lost his job because he was the "journalist" taking part in rigging the test.

    The test was a fraud in the first place.

    Linky

  4. Re:I hate ABS...sometimes by 49152 · · Score: 5, Informative

    >if the road is dry, the stop time will be much shorter if the wheels lock and you skid.

    This is simply not true. Dynamic friction (skidding) is lower than static friction.

    http://auto.howstuffworks.com/brake4.htm

  5. Re:who cares? by MDMurphy · · Score: 3, Informative

    You could have a GPS based system that knew where it was well enough to stay in a lane. I work with auto-steering tractors that can guide themselves down to an inch. Yep, it would be expensive.

    The bigger barrier is that no one knows where the lanes are. When they put stripes down on all those roads no one surveyed them in to the inch. I dealt with customers in the 90's who wanted their GPS tracking systems to be able to tell them what lane or what mailbox they were in front of. It was hard to convince them that the map didn't exist that had all the lanes and mailboxes mapped out to that accuracy.