It was funny, when I saw the post about American vs. foreign cars, I was thinking “Now VYAZMA is going to jump back in here any second!” and he did.
I just want to ensure a fair and balanced dialog. My statements above, while generalized, are objective. The statements “Foreign cars are better than US cars” is subjective and has no hard data to support it. It really doesn’t.
Likewise, you can’t reference me saying: “American cars are better than foreign cars”. If anything I bowed to the fact that the US industry did have a dark period.
The only thing that remains is for individual consumers to decide where their interests lie. Of course this is a Herculean effort on the part of most US consumers.
I don’t think I’ve EVER owned an American car. My last three cars were Volvo, Volvo, and Benz…of course I live in California, on the outskirts of Bezerkely!!
For just as many Occam stories above about his satisfaction with his Malibu there are an equal number of foreign quality stories.
Just to clarify, I wasn’t putting down American cars. I had nine of them before the Malibu and they were all excellent. Oh, I did forget the one non-American car I bought in 1961, a Sunbeam Alpine. It was a lot of fun until the drive shaft fell out a week after the 90 day warranty ran out (they knew what they were doing with the length of it). It lasted until 4/1/63. I always thought it was poetic justice that it got totalled on April Fools’ Day.
For just as many Occam stories above about his satisfaction with his Malibu there are an equal number of foreign quality stories.
Just to clarify, I wasn’t putting down American cars. I had nine of them before the Malibu and they were all excellent. Oh, I did forget the one non-American car I bought in 1961, a Sunbeam Alpine. It was a lot of fun until the drive shaft fell out a week after the 90 day warranty ran out (they knew what they were doing with the length of it). It lasted until 4/1/63. I always thought it was poetic justice that it got totalled on April Fools’ Day.
Occam
I knew that Occam. I just used your “namesake testimonial” as a “conversational pivot-point”. “Occam Stories”. Have a good evening!
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced Tuesday that his agency has enlisted scientists from NASA to help uncover whether electronic defects are to blame for unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has been criticized for lacking sufficient technological expertise, has recruited nine experts from NASA to help the agency understand how issues such as electromagnetic interference may have contributed to Toyota’s acceleration issues.
Separately, the National Academy of Sciences will conduct a study of unintended acceleration and electronic vehicle controls across the entire automotive industry.
(Bold emphasis mine)
I think that is a good thing - to check out reports of drive-by-wire problems across the board, not just Toyota (where the publicity is focused.)
Jules, in driving home this morning, it seemed like every third or fourth car passing me on the freeway was a Prius. I am suspicious that there are no ‘acceleration’ problems around here, but you find it in areas where these cars are far less popular.
I think it’s good that NASA is going to investigate whether drive-by-wire has the possibility of being dangerous. (Drive-by-wire in general and not just Toyota systems.)
Yes Prius is popular around here too. I see at least a dozen every day during my short commute. Yet no reports around here of sudden acceleration! They seem to be fine.
For certain some genuine cases were caused by those faulty floor mats (now recalled and replaced with different mats) and high mileage vehicles with worn gas pedals that got stuck (now recalled and repaired). Many other cases appear to be driver panic or mistaking gas pedal for brake.
But I’d hear rumors that drive-by-wire was potentially dangerous before these recalls even started, and the concerns were not directed at Toyota but at all cars in general with the feature. (Also concerns about brake-by-wire.) Concerns similar to the article Doug posted about the lack of safeguards, too many lines of code, and ability of the software to mess up. This is what interests me, to see what the NASA engineers find out after testing many makes and models of cars, not just Toyota.
But I’d hear rumors that drive-by-wire was potentially dangerous before these recalls even started, and the concerns were not directed at Toyota but at all cars in general with the feature. (Also concerns about brake-by-wire.) Concerns similar to the article Doug posted about the lack of safeguards, too many lines of code, and ability of the software to mess up. This is what interests me, to see what the NASA engineers find out after testing many makes and models of cars, not just Toyota.
All cars are potentially dangerous. Modern cars are incredibly safe compared with the death traps of my youth. Anyone here remember the Ford Pinto? How about the Corvair? Or any car produced before seat belts, collapsible steering columns and anti-lock brakes. I remember people pointing out the potential dangers of cruise control.
Drive-by-wire does not worry nearly as much as people talking on cell phones while driving. I see people do stupid things every day, and the vast majority of them have a phone to an ear. The cars are not the problem. If the Feds were truly interested in promoting safety they would look at the drivers.
“‘I think that in 10 to 15 years, it could be another world,’ Huber says. He’s not willing to predict exactly what driving will look like then, but he’s certain humans will be doing a lot less of it.”
“‘Driverless’ technology will initially require a driver. And it will creep into everyday use much as airbags did: first as an expensive option in luxury cars, but eventually as a safety feature required by governments. ‘The evolutionary approach is from comfort systems to safety systems to automatic driving,’ says Jürgen Leohold, executive director for research at Volkswagen Group in Wolfsburg, Germany.”
Who could have ever thought that the future of driving would mean that the component that the automakers would re-engineer would be… the driver?! On TV, I saw a BMW that could remember your favorite route and speed, and then drive it for you, ahh the convenience! I don’t know how it handles stop lights, I suppose its meant for the Autobon.
BTW, do cruise controls give you control of the accelerator once you tap the brake pedal? Yes, if they are functioning correctly. But what if it is malfunctioning? You’d better set the switch on the cruise control OFF when you don’t want to use it, as it says in the instructions.
I don’t know how it handles stop lights, I suppose its meant for the Autobon.
