doorunrun

As if cell phones weren't bad enough, it seems automakers want to bring the great and mighty Internet to the dashboard and enhance the driving experience.

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/te...istracted.html

Here's a little blurb from the article that should make us feel a lot safer:
"One system on the way this fall from Audi lets drivers pull up information as they drive........ A notice that pops up when the Audi system is turned on reads: “Please only use the online services when traffic conditions allow you to do so safely.”"

Right.................

thompsonpost

As in never.

neil

There should be a law - any dashboard touchscreen must be disabled if the car is in motion.

MNBikeguy

I enjoy crusing down the interstate watching "Bullitt" from my pull down DVD screen....

thompsonpost

Another feature to consider. Let the screen remain illuminated, but as soon as it is touched it goes black and can not be restored until the vehicle is put into 'Park.' Less temptation.

|3iker

I miss cars when they were simpler without all these electronic gizmos. I miss the pure driving experience without the nanny gadgets telling me what to do. I miss the days when driving means, turning on the ignition, manually shift the gears, work the clutch and gas pedals and steer. Just me, the car and the road. I miss my old NA Miata.

thompsonpost

The 1963 Plymouth Valiant 4 door 225 cu in ruled in my life.

RogerB

Ford showed a system like this at Detroit and it was disabled except when the car was in "Park."

I'm not really sure why this technology is even necessary. I mean, there's an app for that, right? If there's tech like this in the car that doesn't contribute to the driving experience, it's just going to be obsolete in a few months, anyway. I prefer portable devices that can go from car to car, or travel with me.

Brian Sorrell

It occurs to me that they keep adding more and more entertainment gadgets to cars because people don't acutally want to drive. They want to be entertained.

The wife and I had this great idea --- how about a giant car that has electricity and big comfy seats, air conditioning, beverage service, Internet access, etc., and runs very very fast on a dedicated path so it doesn't have to stop for other giant cars just like it.

We suggest calling it a "train".

thompsonpost

It'll never catch on.

thompsonpost

Here's the first flag in the copy in the article in the Times link. I quit reading after. "They see vast opportunity for profit in working with automakers to create the next generation of irresistible devices."

Brian Sorrell

I like this one:

"We are trying to make that driving experience one that is very engaging,” said Jim Buczkowski, the director of global electrical and electronics systems engineering at Ford.

You mean it isn't already?

thompsonpost

The up side for NASCAR. Put this garbage in their cars. More crashes, higher ticket sales. Win/win.

Artkansas 

When I was learning to drive, my Mother informed me during one lesson, "40 miles an hour deserves more attention than that."

daredevil

What is funny is watching the car PR people claiming that research shows that these devices will not present any additional distractions or problems.

mtnwalker

All I ask for is a license to shoot people when they are on the phone while driving.

Not to kill, mind you. Just to maim.

Booger1

Ahh, a slant six Dodge.Best engine on the planet,not fast but runs forever.A trans you can do neutral drops in all day long,all rolled up in a car so ugly you can keep the keys in it,with the windows rolled down and nobody will steal it. The perfect car.

Jonahhobbes

Unbelievable I actually thought it an April the 1st joke.

Bioflamingo

What I don't get is how a person is going to be able to text someone on their phone while they're browsing the web on their dash and changing mp3s on their steering wheel. And then there's that extremely annoying distraction called "paying attention to the road."

One thing auto makers need to start doing is making the driver's seat a toilet, because when I get a set of 4 car horns mounted on a bike inattentive drivers are going to **** themselves.

Grim

Airzound is louder then most car horns.

genec

I have to agree with you... even in dash GPSs can be expensive to update, and thus render themselves useless in just a few years. I can buy a whole new handheld for the price of upgrading an in dash unit.

Artkansas 

Could be that people who buy a car with so little forethought that they end up getting upside down with their payments, probably won't think ahead that the fancy new computer included with their car is as obsolete as soon as they drive it off the lot.

Atol

To be honest, I think the progression of car technology has been lagging pretty badly. I'm glad someone is bringing forward online services for automobiles.

exile

Sorry officer I didn't mean to hit the guy on the bike. I was browsing Bike Forums Advocacy & Safety forum so I know what I should look out for. I see posts for "helmets", "reflective clothing", "lights", "being predictable", and "obeying traffic rules". Unfortunately the thread "Driver, pay attention to the road" didn't come up until after the accident. So it's really not my fault but rather the guys on the forum. Perhaps the guy I hit should have posted something while he was riding. I mean he was doing everything else correctly. (/sarcasm)

thompsonpost

Oddly, I used to do that. I left them stuck to a magnet on the dash board because the dash board was made of STEEL. Yeah, STEEL. Weird, eh? It did get stolen, but was retrieved about ten minutes later. This was in Seattle near the Coliseum at the time. I really didn't have to tell them there was a dent on the front bumper, left side.

My friends and I called her Steg, as in stegosaurus. I have a '99 Camry now, but would trade it for a steg in a heartbeat. Best rig I have ever owned.