Mixing social tech/ apps and new cars, is this just asking for a huge cluster

[JamesMayberryIII]

It seems todays vehicle can link to most of your fav. app's your phone, your tablet, your home garage door..
With the speed of technology in personal computers/cell phones and tablets, is putting this linkable features going to make vehicles outdated even faster..
I think we are going to see a bunch of 7-8" screens in vehicles with a bunch of icons that will just



With the rate that android and apple update/change their o/s I can see vehicles having a 1500.oo entertainment/nav unit that is just a place to put a wallpaper photo..
Thoughts?

[Beagle]

I applaud the robustness of the original EFI computers, so many 30 year old boxes that continue to boot instantly and run pretty much flawlessly every day. I avoid cars with a Microsoft logo anywhere in it though. Anything that needs to phone home for an update makes me nervous.

There's this giant entertainment screen in the front of the car that's good enough for me. It will even clean itself with a button most of the time. We called it a windshield when I was a kid.

[DanStokes]

As an SAE member I get the monthly mag. The stuff I see in there is appalling but I'm sure represents what's coming down the pike. A great deal of the future electronics are designed to save disinterested drivers from each other. Sadly, that takes us few engaged drivers more or less out of the driver's seat. Last month's issue had an article referring to cars as "things" and in "the Internet of things". How sad is THAT?

BTW - the industry term is "infotainment".

Dan

[JamesMayberryIII]

As an SAE member I get the monthly mag. The stuff I see in there is appalling but I'm sure represents what's coming down the pike. A great deal of the future electronics are designed to save disinterested drivers from each other. Sadly, that takes us few engaged drivers more or less out of the driver's seat. Last month's issue had an article referring to cars as "things" and in "the Internet of things". How sad is THAT?

BTW - the industry term is "infotainment".

Dan

I think the first time a high profile case hits the courts, and the person being charged and or sued for killing someone.. puts the claim that because the vehicle took control out of they're hands they are not responsible for the wreck..

I have no idea how much of the drivers aids even have made it to the road, as the drivers lic. manual states, very clearly, that you the driver are to keep complete control of your vehicle at all time..
This is something no one can do anymore.. It started with ABS that thinks it's smarter than the driver, now it's endless..

I hate to say this, but I think that type case is the best way to bring the control of vehicles back to the driver, and stop the madness..

[TheSilverBuick]

I'm just angry my Silverado won't friend me on Facebook.

[Deaf Bob]

KISS principle!
Example..Squirrel's toys! (except the robots)

[Thumpin455]

I like tech, have been using it in my builds for some time now. wideband O2, now a cheap EFI, overdrive automatics, electric fans, and my lastest thing is swapping LEDs in place of the old incandescent bulbs.

However, having a big screen in my car that does whatever the hell they do, will not be an addition. Good luck getting my old Pontiacs to drive themselves, it'll never happen while I own them. I think 2006 or thereabout will be the newest vehicle I get when they're old enough to be dirt cheap. Too much crap I don't want or need on the new stuff, and I have no plans to pay $30k or more for a car that in five years will be worth at most $15k.

The idea that your car has to phone home with microsoft crap is annoying. I've only recently upgraded to Win 7, no plans for 10 unless I have no other choice. The way the software is going in the phones, I can see the automotive screens and crap being worthless every four years, because the phones only last a year and a half before they die. Planned obsolescence. So you will have an expensive back up camera that displays the dealer logo from where you bought it, because the software will move past your antiquated blackberry in the dash..

[squirrel]

I think the automakers noticed that people have to trade in their phones every two years...the want us to do that with cars (as they always have), and figured out putting a phone into the dash is a good way to do it.

My new Edsel is getting an 8 track player, I think that's as much technology as it can stand.

[JamesMayberryIII]

I think the automakers noticed that people have to trade in their phones every two years...the want us to do that with cars (as they always have), and figured out putting a phone into the dash is a good way to do it.

My new Edsel is getting an 8 track player, I think that's as much technology as it can stand.

lol, The problem with 8 tack is the car heat makes the roller in the tape if rubber gets sticky and then you have a ribbon in the unit..
The 8 track tapes with a plastic roller didn't have this issue..

[squirrel]

That's only one little problem with 8 tracks....there are several others!

[Barry Donovan]

I like the micron changes, more transistors, resolution and cooler..

30 year old boxes must be narrowband..
saying they are rock steady and bulletproof seems absurd.

just hook up an obd2 scanner to a 1996 and then through 4 year intervals to today.
The speed and width of what comes at you has increased..but for the same data.

the other stuff.. not sure what the motivation is.
Mercy on elderly and disabilities I presume.

I have concluded military and aviation seems to set standards, silently to emerge years after it has gone by.
the tail end of the pilots in my generation had to be bruts and einstein.
maybe this extra auto thinking stuff is coming from their ideas of driving comfortable.