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Star Trek Actor's Death Inspires Class Action Against Car Manufacturer (cnn.com)
Anton Yelchin, who played Chekov in the new Star Trek movies, was killed Sunday when his own vehicle rolled backwards. Now Slashdot reader ripvlan writes:
It has recently emerged that his vehicle was a Jeep. As discussed on Slashdot previously consumers are having a hard time knowing if the vehicle is in "Park." A new class action lawsuit is gaining momentum... Also Maserati has a similar system and can join the class action.
In fact, Maserati "is recalling about 13,000 sedans that have the same sort of gear shifter that was used in the Jeep that killed Yelchin," according to CNN Money, and Chrysler Fiat had in fact already filed a recall notice with federal regulators in April for Yelchin's band of Jeep, "but owners had only received a warning and not an official recall notice at the time of Yelchin's death". The lawsuit claims Chrysler "fraudulently concealed and failed to remedy a gear shifter design defect affecting 811,000 vehicles and linked to driverless rollaway incidents," including 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees, 2012-2014 Chrysler 300s, and 2012-2014 Dodge Chargers.
In fact, Maserati "is recalling about 13,000 sedans that have the same sort of gear shifter that was used in the Jeep that killed Yelchin," according to CNN Money, and Chrysler Fiat had in fact already filed a recall notice with federal regulators in April for Yelchin's band of Jeep, "but owners had only received a warning and not an official recall notice at the time of Yelchin's death". The lawsuit claims Chrysler "fraudulently concealed and failed to remedy a gear shifter design defect affecting 811,000 vehicles and linked to driverless rollaway incidents," including 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees, 2012-2014 Chrysler 300s, and 2012-2014 Dodge Chargers.
Unfortunately, this is a design issue. A dramatic change from how most people are familiar with selecting gears. There is no tactile feel to knowing your in a certain gear. You have to visually rely on the indicator to know what gear your in. Most people would instinctively think they have selected Park when in fact they have selected Reverse in these cars. What engineer thought this was a good ideal considering the history of gear selection is beyond me. Someone said it was all about making the cup holders bigger? Are you freakin' kidding me? Ford has gone a similar way but with a large dial indicator, which at least gives some tactile feedback along with a selection indicator. Yes, you could argue some of this goes back on the driver incapable of properly operating their vehicle. But the design and function which just doesn't give any physical sense of knowing what gear your in has to bear much of the blame. Chrysler has a major problem on it's hands and a software update won't fix this.
I've been reading about this electronic shifter issue for some time before Anton's unfortunate death and I could not understand the insistence of Chrysler to keep at it for years when there were over 100 documented crashes and so many complaints.
The redesign itself would be an admission of design flaw, thus instigating momentum for an official recall.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Ernest Hemingway
It exists for a reason. Yes this shifter is a dumb design, but it doesn't exactlt require a degree to operate it, its little different to a bike sequential shifter and people manage to operate them ok. This is just dumb fools looking for a payout for their own stupidity. And I feel sorry for this actor and his family - but leaving a car on a hill and not even putting the brake on , never mind checking the gears was just asking for a Darwin award nomination.
I've been reading about this electronic shifter issue for some time before Anton's unfortunate death and I could not understand the insistence of Chrysler to keep at it for years when there were over 100 documented crashes and so many complaints.
Chrysler is keeping at it because it's easier to run a wire than to run a mechanical linkage. Without worrying about the linkage, they can use the same transmission in multiple styles of vehicle. It's probably easier for electronic traction control as well. As far as sales, adding the word "electronic" in front of things boosts sales. Adding bells and whistles is merely an adjustment to the vehicles software. Besides, "over 100 documented crashes" is barely on the radar when it comes to fundamental shifts (if you'll pardon the expression) in technology.
When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
I think that people need to be re-trained to actually use the PARKING BRAKE. It's not supposed to be an 'emergency brake' as it'll do jack all if you're at speed.
But if you set it, your car is a whole lot less likely to move.
I don't read AC A human right
Automatic transmissions were invented for non-drivers. Everyone should have to use a manual transmission equipped car to pass their driving test.
So, you're saying that if you get in an accident, and the other car is an automatic transmission, the person behind the wheel of that vehicle couldn't be held liable? After all, the only driver involved was yourself...
I've driven manual transmission cars. It's not fun or interesting and the benefits are marginal and unimportant to me. Then again, as far as I am concerned, a car is just a tool for getting from one place to another. I'm looking forward to them all being driverless.
Ideology: A tool used primarily to avoid the bother of thinking.
And I am really surprised at the responses, here of all places ...
I thought a basic UI principle evetyone understood is this: "Make it easy to use, and hard to misuse"
Pretending this is my office full of bitter coworkers..
You can still have a gear selector that for all intents and purposes, looks and operates like a mechanical linkage but merely is an electrical switch sending signals through a wire.