What will they think of next?

[Skipper]

My first truck had a motor, am radio, and ash tray. The motor ran most of the time, the am radio never did work, and I don't smoke, so the ash tray didn't make a lot of difference. No cruise, no ac, no power brakes, no power steering, no power winders, just not much of anything.

I keep seeing commercials for these new gadgets on cars. Some outfit called Tom Tom that gives you directions, a gizmo you talk to and it calls home or juges up the heater knob. Basically, you can now carry on a conversation with your car, give it orders and such and it seems to obey, at least on the commercials.

I just wonder if they've tested this with someone other than the smart talking folk they have on the tv commercials. I mean what happens to ole Tom Tom when you tell him to take you to Bubba's tar shop? Recogn he knows where that is? What about when you are driving through Atlanta at 5 pm Friday? What does the car do when you say I'd like to throw that woman's cell phone in the middle of the road? What about when someone like Phil gits in there and starts talking Cajun to it? Recogn it knows how to Reaulx Douxn d' Windeaux?

Can these gadgets talk back? Does ole Tom Tom whine and gripe that you are lost and won't listen? Does Sally the winder rollin down thingy smart off that it's raining out and she doesn't want to get wet? Can cars talk to one another now? What if my Pickup could send a message to your Taurus? Does your Taurus pass on that information?

Recogn we'll ever be able to climb in the truck and tell it to drive to Norris Lake and it'll just drive itself there?

Skipper

 

[big buck down]

I know what you mean. The technology can be nice but will it last and how long will it last, until the warranty runs out is my luck. What happen to a good old running truck you could work on that didn’t look like computer under the hood they jest don’t last 10 years like the should.



BBD

 

[Coastie]

They probably aren't that far away from a vehicle that will drive itself. They have been working for years on colision avoidance systems that could be used in cars that would be reliable enough for use on a day-to-day basis. Voice recognition software is, usually, trainable so it will know where 'Bubba's tar shop' is located but wouldn't have a clue as to where 'Bubbas tire shop' might be. Regardless, gadgets and all of the bells and whistles are here among us and usually at a premium cost both at the check out counter and at the repair shop. You might be able to find a MK I MOD 0 vehicle somewhere, but unless you intend to run the wheels off it, come trade in time you'll wish it had all those extras so you could demand a few more bucks for it, besides, if not for the gadgets, what would we have to fuss at?

 

[southernclay]

What about the new VW's that have climate controlled glove boxes?

 

[Beehaw]

What about when you are driving through Atlanta at 5 pm Friday? Skipper

I think you mean "parked on the highway at 5 pm Friday"