Powerarranger

Seems that car manufacturers, specifically Ford in this case, are more interested in the bottom line than people's safety:

https://www.latimes.com/business/la-f...,4905917.story

Quote from the article:

"At the same time, some wonder whether the added options would distract drivers from driving."

Well, DUH!!!

"Ford maintains that Sync's voice-command feature lets drivers keep their eyes on the road instead of fumbling with their phones. Ford also built in some safeguards, such as disabling the car's Wi-Fi connection once the car is shifted out of park so as not to encourage Web surfing while driving. It also said it would allow only applications that would not endanger drivers, so playing video games would be out.

Sync is strategic to Ford in another way, Lindland said.

In five years, 57% of the car-buying public will be under 50 years old, she said. "That means there will be an awful lot of people out there multi-tasking while they're driving. That is the reality of people's lives, so why not be proactive and let people do those things as safely as possible?"'

We're doomed. HSA et al. need to kill this NOW.

AdamDZ

" "That means there will be an awful lot of people out there multi-tasking while they're driving."

Insurance companies may not like that part very much... Geez, most people can't walk and talk on the phone at the same time

Adam

ItsJustMe

Already covered:
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...5#post10240155

CliftonGK1

Insurance companies will love this, because with the studies showing the dangers of multi-tasking and driving, they'll be able to jack the rates of anyone who buys a vehicle with these features. 22 y/o male driving a 2-door convertible with a Sync system? Your insurance payment will probably be more than your car payment each month.

AdamDZ

LOL, I haven't looked at it this way!

Adam

Darth_Firebolt

this is already true. but i do have a pretty low car payment...

Pscyclepath

The new Ford pick-'em-up truck that's my alternative to the bike has Sync installed in it, and I've been using it from time to time for the past three months, in the hands-free phone mode. So far, I like it and it hasn't been a distraction... but then I'm not much in the habit of cell-phoning and driving...

Arcanum

Classic example of something useful when used properly, but potentially dangerous when not.

I'm not going to dump on Ford, though. They're developing and deploying a lot of cool, useful new technologies and designs to their fleet, and they didn't take government aid either. That goes a long way to making them look good to me.

X-LinkedRider

Agreed, I have never been into Fords, though I always like their trucks. But being the only domestic company to not even want federal aid, I will show them much of the respect I believe they recently deserve. They have come a long way with keeping up the luxury in line with import cars. However I will disagree that any of these features will help make driving safer. In my eyes, every gadget added to assist the driver is taking a a basic and primary need to pay attention to all these things while driving. Instead people become dependent on such features and whenever problems happen it is always the technologies fault.

HardyWeinberg

I keep hoping that insurance companies can be the free market regulating dumb-asses but it never seems to take, dumbasses always have the resources to devote.

thdave

Kit does it.

The National Transportaion Safety Board needs to act on this kind of crap. It's very unsafe and needs to be disabled when the car is not in park.

Powerarranger

Woops - sorry about that, ItsJust Me. It was early. Hadn't had my coffee yet...

Pscyclepath

The old truck had to be traded when I got right-hooked by another pickup, coming back from a century ride back in October. I've been a Dodge guy since 1994 or so, but I bought a Ford this time in large part since they weren't lining up with GM and others to suckle at the teat of the taxpayers' bailout money. As it turned out, It was about $4000 cheaper than an equivalent Dodge, and a lot more truck for the money. Didn't realize the Sync was in there until they demonstrated it to me while they serviced the truck out, but it does make life a lot easier (and much safer) when I do have to use the iPhone.

The 2010 version of Sync that I have doesn't do wifi (at least not that I know of)... Sync works on Bluetooth, essentially making the truck itself your "hands free device." There's a little button on the dash panel to answer and hang up with, or you can use the voice command to dial with. Essentially it does the same thing that Onstar does in GM vehicles, except it works with the cell phone you already have, and doesn't need an addtional subscription to a paid service.

Artkansas 

That's hardly news...

Ford Pinto Exploding Gas Tank Video

kmcrawford111

Here's a question for everyone praising how much "safer" it is to be "handsfree" while using their phone: what is so damn urgent that you "have" to use the phone in the car while driving, like it's some kind of birthright? I'm only 29, but even I remember the days where people lived perfectly healthy and probably more healthy lives without being attached to their portable electronics with a Bluetooth umbilical cord.

You know, I'm big on personal responsibility, but it saddens me to say that I think it's safe to conclude now that people simply aren't responsible enough for this kind of thing. Statistics clearly demonstrate just this. Safety is more important than watching catching up with Twitter on the road, so if it was up to me all of this kind of thing would be illegal. It is a distraction whether you're holding a device or not - why is this so hard to understand? Distracted driving is now a part of popular culture. I see it all the time in movies. It's unbelievable, and it's no wonder so many Americans are afraid to commute on bike. We are truly nuts.

I too was giving Ford credit for not crying for money, but this has pretty much nullified that feeling.

Peak Oil couldn't come soon enough, as far as I'm concerned.

woodway

What nobody has talked about is that the genie is out of the bottle, and there is no putting it back in. You guys commute by bike...how many drivers do you see talking on the phone, texting, reading email, etc. while they drive? I see many every day. No amount of legislation or *****ing in these forums is gong to get people to put down their phones when they drive. I say kudos to Ford for taking a leadership position on deploying handsfree technology to minimize distraction.

Snowman219

It also said it would allow only applications that would not endanger drivers, so playing video games would be out.

WHY GOD WHY! HEY COOL MY TXT IS RED!

Artkansas 

But sadly, distraction is in the mind, not in the hands. Hand's free is a whitewash. It does little to reduce distraction.

You are right about legislation not stopping this, no more than it stops gambling, drinking or drugs. People are addicted to talking. (Though not to listening it seems )

The far side of this situation I suspect will be that no one drives. Rather they will get in their car, punch in where they want to go and a networked gps/roadway system will move their car to its destination.

BarracksSi

As one example, maybe you need to speak to the office during your hour-long commute. That can be a definite need, especially since the people on the other end now expect that they'll be able to reach you at any time of day, and some work activities can be time-sensitive.

I don't like cell phones as they're a tether, always putting me at someone else's beck and call. I wish I could get to the point where I don't have to carry a phone.

About Ford -- has everyone missed that they'll switch off various Sync features once the car starts moving? WiFi turns off when the transmission is shifted out of Park, etc? If a phone has to be used, hands-free voice control is definitely the way to go.

jsmonet

after actually reading the article, and having read up on these new features i'm driven to ask this one simple question of you people

how does this change anything...at all?

here, i'll answer that for you: it doesn't. unbunch the panties, ok? voice-op control in a car is *fantastic* hit a button, tell the car what you want, it does it.

kmcrawford: do you find yourself distracted while driving and talking to people in the car? if yes, then you're a great example of someone who shouldn't use a hands-free setup, or ever talk to people in the car. I treat my calls exactly as I would a convo in a car. if things get hairy, i'll tell people in both situations to chill and let me drive.

the WHAT'S SO DARN IMPORTANT! argument is tired and useless. stop it. some people actually have things going on. I do believe that people should learn how to use their equipment, but that's a whole other story.

BarracksSi

Exactly. No, I don't have voice control in my car, but one of my friends from work does, and it's really no worse of a distraction than when talking to someone inside the car.

And the line about more distracted drivers in the future? That's saying two things -- that the people who do it the least, i.e. old people, won't be around forever, so the basic percentage of gadget users will increase. And, because more people will be trying to multitask, it's going to depend upon the automakers to do what they can to reduce distractions inside the car while it's in motion.

All the legislation under consideration regarding distracted driving is getting support from automakers, too, not resistance. If BF should have a reaction to what Ford is working on, it should be a positive one instead of this knee-jerk ranting.

But, it's bikeforums.net. It wouldn't be as busy without reactionary, ill-informed complaining.

kmcrawford111

Pull over and have the conversation while you're parked? It's not like there's not plenty of free parking in the US all over the place. Where'd we get the idea that it's OK to be distracted? Safety should be the top priority, period.

BarracksSi

Are you serious?

Okay, YOU pull over and park to have a half-hour conversation with your boss on a crowded freeway while you've got forty miles left to drive and an hour to get there. Just how well do you think that will work out?

This thread is just about stupid and ignorant enough to qualify for A&S.

Artkansas 

Actually, studies have shown that it is a greater distraction. The passenger apparently serves as a second set of eyes and ears and compensates to some extent for the extra distraction of the conversation.

Pscyclepath

Bingo... it's the act of having the conversation that is the greatest distraction from steering, not handling or holding the phone... unless of course you're trying to dial or text...