Comments on: 2020: Cars of the Future

By: andi

andi — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:49:47 +0000

always been waiting for the futuristic car. Had 1 in my dream lol…

By: riscy

riscy — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 02:38:18 +0000

While the software and safety factor is the limiting factor, they rely on complex array of sensor with lot of electronics to translate the sensor data into meaningful data for car computer. In event of sensor failure or incorrect/subjective data due to external interference and influence, how the car computer cope with this. Will they prevent driver continue to drive, otherwise stuck in middle of nowhere until driver run out of water and die of thirst.

Writing software for the car system requires high safety integrity. There is special standard (MIRAS) for this but cannot use C# or general programming practice. The rules are quite complex. You write 50 line of code for 30min (say) and it would take 1-2 week to test the code to ensure compliance to safety standard.

Because of huge task of writing software to perform safety related task, it is very expensive and big challenge to find costly programmer with least subjective mind (ie resisting manager for short-cut and cost cutting tactic).

I wish good luck to car industry.

By: Anon

Anon — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:08:16 +0000

“People are poor, food is running out, and these problems will only get worse as the population continues to explode. Sure, a few exploitative rich people might have access to this kind of technology, but the vast majority of humanity will just be scrambling to eat their next meal.”
So why are you sitting on a blog if this is such a big deal, shouldn’t you be out doing something?

Anyways, back to the actual post… I don’t know when it’s going to happen, 2020, 2030, 20__? But, vehicles are definitely going to be switching over to hybrid. An all electric vehicle would be great, but the technology isn’t quite there yet. Batteries may very well always be heavy, but they don’t necessarily have the range yet to take the place of everybody’s current car.

However, the hybrid vehicles can bridge that gap. They have the all battery power for short trips and then kick in a gas generator to continue on for the longer trips. Take for example, the Aptera. They have a hybrid model that can get 300mpg for 350 to 400 miles, which is pretty crazy. Until battery and/or solar technology gets better, hybrids are going to be the future.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:47:55 +0000

This is ridiculous. Futurists always tell us about how we’ll all have flying/magic cars in the near future, but what they’re forgetting is that the majority of people in the world don’t own cars now. People are poor, food is running out, and these problems will only get worse as the population continues to explode. Sure, a few exploitative rich people might have access to this kind of technology, but the vast majority of humanity will just be scrambling to eat their next meal. Maybe we should figure out how to stabilize the population and get everybody enough food to survive before we promise “a diverse garage of vehicles for everyone.”

By: riscy

riscy — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:40:46 +0000

I went to car test centre outside Birmingham, UK as part of IET trip. They discussed about communication between cars and traffic control. One of biggest issue that must be answered: will the software qualify (or entrusted) to make decision on hazardous event and most important; can the car system be immuned from external influence (ie mobile hacker, virus, etc)?.

One of concern that if memory bits suffered failure how does car behaviour react to this occurance, is there backup safety system that shutdown the car and cannot drive again unless car memory is repaired (costly bill).

I feel much safer with human taking control of the car, only allowing computer to alert driver of damager or handle cruise driving mode.

We rely human to write the software, human are subjective being so the car is subjective, this is why the idea will likely to fail after deadly accident as they come out of production.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:56:01 +0000

Cassie,
N2y2 is right – those are just myths about hybrid cars. I have personally been in an accident while driving a Hybrid vehicle. It was a fairly serious accident and my car was totalled. However, there were no electrical issues and no one on the scene was injured. It’s really illogical to think that a hybrid car would cause such a danger in a crash scenario.

By: Deliggit.com | The social sites' most interesting urls

Deliggit.com | The social sites' most interesting urls — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:24:56 +0000

2020: Cars of the Future | Deliggit.com…

\r\nLooks like the cars from Blade Runner are never going to happen ? or not anytime…

By: erichansa

erichansa — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:48:15 +0000

one the contrary, self driving car is cool. But if we have so many robots, why we need a car to go another place? we can solve all things at home.

By: n2y2

n2y2 — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:50:23 +0000

Cassie,

Those are a bunch of trite urban legends about hybrids. Toyota has spent millions training first-responders on Hybrid safety.

Today’s hybrids have layers of electrical safety built in. The insulating layers are build so that you can cut the main electrical transmission line (500V) with the jaws of life and never receive a shock becuase it will short itself out and feed the voltage to safely back to its own negative terminal. And that is only one of the many safety measures taken.

If you want something to worry about, gasoline has more explosive energy per pound than TNT. Far more people die when their fuel systems catch fire or explode than will ever be electrocuted by their cars.

After 10 years of mass production and more than 1 million hybrids produced, I cannot find a single instance of an electrocution death, only a bunch of Luddite Chicken Littles warning us of the impending danger.

By: Cassie

Cassie — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:36:35 +0000

Not to burst your bubbles, but when a hybrid crashes, their electrical systems go haywire, greatly increasing your chances of electrocution- they can release anywhere from 144 to 650 volts of power, an amount that could easily kill a full size adult.

Not only do they pose a risk to the inhabitants, but also to rescue crews, and/or bystanders who wish to offer a helping hand.

I’ll stick with my “ancient” gas powered autombile.