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November 8, 2009 9:45 AM PST
Ford puts airbags where? Hybrid Humvees, and a ride in the X5 M. (143)
Ford puts airbags where? Automatic parking coming to a car near you, the Army wants a hybrid Humvee, first 4G-connected car is a Prius, and we take a spin in the hottest SUV you'll ever drive.
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EPISODE 143
SHOW NOTES• CNET review of the 2010 BMW X5 M
• Ford to put airbags into seat belts
• First 4G LTE-connected concept car is a Prius
Brian Cooley is an editor at large who keeps his fingers on the pulse of consumers' attitudes toward tech. His specialty is CNET Car Tech videos, but, frankly, most people have seen him on the TVs at Costco (or in one of his '60s Fords or Fiats).
Brian Cooley has a fleet of late '60s cars so he's well aware that great motoring exists happily in the absence of silicon--car technology only impresses him when it's great.
Wayne Cunningham On the cutting edge of tech coverage, Wayne began his journalism career writing about the Web in 1995. Although he has covered many areas of technology, he considers the Car Tech beat the best yet.
Antuan Goodwin gained most of his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway. From drivetrain tech and performance to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
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I hadn't noticed the X5's 4 camera system, since according to your review you had to toggle iDrive to switch views. I find this self-defeating if it's the case. Why not automatically switch to the birds eye view when the parking sensors detect objects nearby? The rear-camera on the X5 is good as far as rear-view cameras go, with the overlaid green-yellow-red zones as you get close to obstructions, and the pathway arcing as you turn the wheel to show how you will back into the space. It's as good as similar systems I've seen on Lexus, M-Benz or Infiniti G and M cars.
Perhaps the 4-camera view is an option on the X5, since I hadn't noticed it on another new X5 (a 3.0L model) we also park regularly. But if you have to hit a button (iDrive) when you shift to reverse, isn't that a self-defeating system, moving your eyes from the windows to the console then having to readjust to your tight surroundings?
Side note: Why does BMW and M-Benz add such large side moldings below the door that make you dirty your pants leg as you stretch to climb over them to get in and out? A Range Rover Sport we park regularly has it's sporty side cladding attached to the door instead of to the body, allowing you to get in and out of a smaller parking space without having to open the door as wide (and dinging the car next to you). With the current trend of automakers getting rid of body-side moldings, they seem to have picked style over substance, at least till you park in a few mall lots and get the doors nicked up.
While manufacturers add tech to help us drive and use our gadgets, they sometimes seem to ignore things like simplicity of function. Seeing some of the 60-90 year old residents (who can afford to buy these expensive cars) attempt to get in and use the features of the cars, makes me laugh and cringe. I wonder how much car companies think of these things when come out with a new car.
(Kudos to Lexus and Toyota for at least keeping simple H and M buttons for setting the clocks for daylight savings. Boo! to Lexus and Toyota for having, until quite recently, buttons for interior lights and dash functions all the same color and texture, making them hard to use in the dark.)
Thanks for letting me comment,
Yet another Steve
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by ionsysad
November 17, 2009 12:16 AM PST
- Eu Neuwagen
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