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February 25, 2008
The Safety Dance: Necessary Gadgets, or Things We Can Do Without?
By Jen
Editor
I’m not about to deny my bias against modern automotive gadgetry. Things like keyless entry, 8-way power seats, and traction control are not for me because 1. I appreciate being able to drive my cars myself, 2. I once saw my mom get a bill for over 800 bucks to fix her Volvo’s seat-warmers fixed, and that’s more than I’d pay for a whole car, and 3. I am going to own any car I buy for 5 years or more, and electronics get glitchy way sooner than cars do. Having said that, it’s not as though advanced technologies in cars are without value. Forbes Autos is running a cool article and slide show on the new crop of soon-to-be-standard automotive safety features, which include rollover avoidance, blind-spot warning sensors, and radar-driven crash anticipation and avoidance. It definitely makes sense that, with so many bad drivers on the road—like those who tailgate or who don’t know enough to check their blind spots—some of these things aren’t such a bad idea. Just like self-flushing toilets in public restrooms are the unfortunate but necessary solution to the proliferation of slobs who wouldn’t otherwise flush on their own. I guess my concern has to do with the way the new on-board nannies remove personal responsibility for good, attentive driving; at the extreme end, future drivers could get so over-confident in their dependence on their gizmos that the first malfunction might send them bareling blindly through the nearest red light ("but the warning sensor never told me it was red!"). This sad possibility is summed up in a point buried deep in the article:
"As people spend more time in the car with mobile phones and cups of coffee in one hand, we run the risk of undoing the highest technology improvements with the lowest of human failings — simple distraction."
So what do you think? Are the new electronic safety features good for the sizable majority of mediocre drivers? Or do they just give them further excuse to be passive and inattentive on the road?
Comments
Anonymous
Feb 27, 2008 at 5:10 am
I have the same feelings as Jen: I appreciate being able to drive my car myself.
How about the idiot drivers who get so used to driving their car with a million gadgets, then they borrow someone elses car for whatever reason and it doesnt have those ’safety’ gadgets, an incident may occur and the driver won’t know how to react because the borrowed car wont be braking for them or warning them when they are too close to something like they are used to.
ERIC
Feb 26, 2008 at 6:21 pm
I like the HORN idea from retro man. that and 4 15’s in the back should keep the jackasses from screwin around.
Highspeedhijinks
Feb 26, 2008 at 2:30 pm
These devices are a crutch, just like everything else designed to make our lives easier. If we all drove 1967 Nova’s sportn’ 4 wheel drum brakes, lap belts, and non collapsing steerign wheels I bet ya we’d drive a little slower and a little safer. Think of it as “Evolution of a good driver”.
retroman
Feb 26, 2008 at 12:11 am
Yeah, I hate all the bummed preoccupied road raged idiots on the road(think that’s enough adjectives?). Other than mess with complex electronics though, I decided to upgrade a necessary safety feature, my horn!!! So the next time some one cuts me off, they’ll be listening to 155 decibels of pure screeching earth vibrating locomotive train horn, enough to be heard 4-5 miles away. That’s a little something you wouldn’t expect out of a humble Dodge Spirit, but this way, I can make a statement and keep from a wreck(well, I can’t speak for the idiot caught in my headlights, but hopefully he’ll learn) and still do all my own driving. On a side note, any one hear about the autobots being developed for DARPA this year? Pretty cool to watch a car drive itself, better yet to see one pull in faster track times than most human drivers.
eric
Feb 25, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Well I feel that this more than likely wont really help accidents, too many weird buzzers and shit going off all the time is more of what i would expect. But rear parking sensors were a good idea, This stuff isnt the fix to bad drivers. its all in yourself, The DMV could do more also. In my town I get people ridin close to me all the time, but when thay slam into me who’s at fault. apperently they dont care but I do, cause I spend a little too much on my car I appreciate it, and I appreciate being able to drive it. I also feel I am responsible enough to know how Im driving constantly. where as people who arent really into cars don’t really care, they cant tell the difference between a HUMMER and a COROLLA so when their car is damaged it doesnt matter. Thanks everyone for paying attention and caring so much about everyone using the roads (sarcasm).