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General discussion

What do you hate most about car technology?

Jul 11, 2007 9:24AM PDT

In my recent column, The trouble with car tech, I wrote about some of the major problems I find with current car technology. What are your pet peeves with current car technology, and how could car makers improve?

Discussion is locked

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No wires, no tires
Jul 15, 2007 10:41PM PDT

My guess (if all will go as it should) is that something near to what we know today as wi-fi, bluetooth and even the web itself will take over USB and similar completely, then that will give chance for some on-road accessories which... will replace the wheel.

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How about some hard drive space in the car radio???
Jul 16, 2007 1:37AM PDT

Why is this so hard???

With iPods and Creative Zen jukbokes out there, everybody wants to have USB connectivity with car radios, but what about just having about 20 gig of storage built into the AM/FM/XM/MP3 radio mounted in the dash of your fav ride. You would still need the USB port to download the music initially, but then you could store all the music you want, create playlists (using the radio buttons, you could have 6 playlists), and the MP3 info would show up on the radio's display.

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dashtop mobile computing
Aug 2, 2007 12:43PM PDT

R&D efforts are on. Automakers and vehicle gadgetry makers are rushing in to build something like that. There is one website showing a Dashtop Mobile Payment platform.

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the perfect car
Jul 16, 2007 2:36AM PDT

if carmakers made a perfect car there would be no competition, this sucks!

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Enjoyed the article -- strongly agree with most of it
Jul 16, 2007 6:14AM PDT

I have mixed feelings about LCD panels in dashboards... very mixed. The moment I find that I have to click "I agree" on a lawyer's statement before I can actually use it for anything I become highly skeptical about the purpose that it is supposed to serve. The screens also represent a giant leap backwards in ergonomics. A good instrument panel should be operable without taking your eyes off the road once you've had a chance to develop a cursory sense of the positions of the controls. You should also be able to detect the current settings by feeling the positions of the controls. The only way I've seen that using in-dash computers to replace the legacy controls that have done this for decades is by supporting voice commands. Unfortunately, every attempt a friend has made to show off such a system to me has only resulted in embarrassment for them. My favorite incident:

driver: "Play CD 2, track 4"
car computer: "AC, set, to, full" <WHOOOOSSSHHHHH!!!!!>

In most cars that offer them, the LCD screen replaces the traditional ergonomically-sensible controls and leaves no room to keep them in addition. Having too many controls and dials on a dashboard generally overwhelms most consumers anyway, so auto makers are reluctant to even try to find space for both traditional controls and the additional set of buttons that typically go with a screen. This alone will probably be enough to keep me buying older cars and replacing their standardized stereos with after-market in-dash computers, some of which are quite excellent and much cheaper than the optional factory navigation systems in new cars.

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Blind Spot gadgets are a waste of time and money
Jul 16, 2007 8:32AM PDT

Seriously, all it takes to eliminate blind spots on most cars is proper adjustment of your side-view mirrors. Probably 99.9% of the population have them aligned in such a way that they are nothing more than another rear-view mirror. Usually, people have their side-view mirrors adjusted in such a way that they can see their own rear fender. Granted, it provides a point of reference with other vehicles, but in the end it is a false sense of security, since you'll have to turn your head much further in order to check the resulting "blind spot", which is unsafe because it takes your vision too far away from what is ahead of you.

The trick (if you can call it one) is to adjust your side-view mirrors so that when a car in an adjacent lane leaves your rear-view mirror it is then entering your side-view mirror, and when it leaves your side-view mirror it is then in your peripheral vision.

One way to do this is to tilt your head to the side, basically resting the top of your head on your driver-side window. Then adjust the mirror to the point where you can just see your rear bumper. When you tilt your head back into driving position, the mirror will be reflecting from a wider angle, instead of just pointing straight back (which usually provides no better field of rear view than your existing center rear-view mirror). Do the same with the passenger-side mirror, tilting your head to the right to about the point where it is over the center console, and adjust the mirror as before.

With the mirrors correctly positioned, it won't take long to get used to not seeing your own car in the side-view mirrors, and your field of vision using all your mirrors will greatly improve.

I can't say whether this works as well with larger vehicles (minivans, SUVs, etc.), but for the average passenger car, it works fine. Of course, those larger vehicles should include larger mirrors to begin with, so all you can do is try, and adjust them as needed.

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Keep the coolness of the concept car
Jul 16, 2007 9:56AM PDT

Why is it when we go to auto shows, we see these great-looking concept cars with futuristic headlights, glass or clear plastic doors and windows, and sleek, organic lines, but the production models all look bland and boring? If I go to a car manufacturer's web site and look at their concept and future car models, I can tell right away which ones are about to see production, too--the dull-looking SUV that looks like ones already on the road--that puppy will be out next year. The hawk-like organic sports car with eight headlamps, a hybrid electric / fuel cell power plant, and an all glass roof will never see the light of day.

Why can't they actually put into production the cars that look cool?

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Most poorly implemented
Jul 16, 2007 12:21PM PDT

In Feb 2007, I purchased Honda Odyssey minivan, Touring edition. This is the most expensive trim available with in-dash GPS, satellite radio, rear entertainment system etc. The GPS doesn't even have text to speech, the directions are untimely and the maps are outdated, there is no update to firmware, even for DST changes. The GPS screen is impossible to see in daylight because of glare. The LCD screen resolution is poor. The XM radio cuts off the songs name if they are long. There is no input for mp3 player, no bluetooth.

This clearly shows how far behind the auto industry is. I guess it might be that auto manufacturers procure materials in bulk to keep the costs low. They cannot change the design overnight because they have to worry about providing support, extended warranty repairs. They also have to evaluate safety and reliability of anything that goes into the car. The power supply to any electronic system in car is not very clean and can easily damage sensitive systems. If failure in GPS system affects ABS functioning, that would be very bad.

It looks like car tech is something the auto manufacturers have been forced into adapting because of market demand. They are not doing a very good job of it.

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In-dash GPS
Aug 2, 2007 1:28PM PDT

I've seen the same in-dash GPS problem with 2007 Lexus SUV. Stupid drop-down menus on the navigator screen. Drop-down menus are not ergonomic for motorists.Maps are outdated as well.

Even iPhone type of tiled array of icons are not recommendable for motorists at the steering wheel. In the years to come, automakers are to face a tumultuous shakedown for new technologies, particularly mobile technology.

There will be a dashtop sprawl of vehicle gadgets, gimmicks and gizmos. This dashtop sprawl should eventually converge into all-in-one devices.

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Those sneaky devices...
Jul 17, 2007 7:28AM PDT

that will rat you out to your insurance company and the police by recording the driving data.

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What I Hate Most
Jul 25, 2007 3:58AM PDT

I think I hate how LCD screens and Nav systems are consolidating most interior and sometimes exterior functions of cars these days. I do not like the non-tactile response that LCD screens give you if say you want to change the radio station or the fan speed in a car that has all those controls on the touchscreen. I want buttons and knobs!

Also, LCD screens are fragile. It doesn't take much for a thrown object to hit the screen and damage it.

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I hate electronic throttle control
Aug 2, 2007 1:47AM PDT

Most people here seem to be focusing on electic cars, or interior features like audio/video.

The thing I hate most about new car technology is something that affects my driving satisfaction.
I hate the electronic throttle control (also known as 'drive by wire') in my (piece of crap) Scion tC. It's horribly delayed, and seems to be tuned entirely to save fuel, and completely remove any kind of fun from the driving experience.

I could understand this being used in an automatic, tuned for a specific mpg rating.. but my car has a manual transmission.. I want to choose when I want sudden bursts of gas entering the cylinders... I don't want some stupid electronic brain deciding what's best for a "smooth ride" and "efficiency"... they should go back to the old 'dumb' mechanical way of doing things, every older car I've driven beats this car in every way, despite their 'old technology'. Either go back, or give us some options with the throttle control, (like a sport mode - or even better "off" mode) so it gives a better response.

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Welcome to modern America
Aug 2, 2007 9:28AM PDT

Sorry to break it to you, but this is where autotech is going. More and more control by the car computer to make sure you drive the car they way they want you too.

Because of cafe standards, they lose money if cars get worse MPG. So it's more in their favor to make you take 10 minutes to get to 60, and get better gas mileage.

Soon the government will be able to read the computer data to know exactly how you drive and penalize (read 'fine') you accordingly. There are people even on this very forum that support this. Drive by wire isn't going away, with new higher CAFE standards, all car will become more and more boring.

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Older cars
Aug 2, 2007 11:07PM PDT

I guess I'll be buying older and older cars then :-D

Maybe a motor mechanics course might help too Happy

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fuel efficiency versus traffic congestion
Aug 2, 2007 1:11PM PDT

The hybrid vehicles and green vehicles are in. Automakers are keen to micro-manage fuel efficiency, focusing R&D efforts on developing the best fuel-efficient models. Annually, over 50 million new vehicles are churned out of factories, generating more traffic surges and congestions, which are the event horizon the energy efficiency can hardly escape from.

I haven't heard any automaker starting to macro-manage fuel efficiency. Simply put, automakers need to focus their energy-saving drive on vehicle traffic instead of inidividual vehicles. Here is non sequitur:A sum of best energy-efficient vehicles of every make, when put together in traffic flow, wouldn't always generate the best results.

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something people shoud know about this occupation
Dec 7, 2008 9:00AM PST

something you should know before choosing auto repair as a career..
$400 to $500 a week??? I guess you have not been on the tool truck lately or explored the cost of living,Im a ase master tech and have 19 certifications with ford,and $30,000 in tools,2 years ago I quit and put my tools in a storage unit and started a new occupation, after 35 years in the auto industry I finally fiqured out that the only ones that will ever make a decent living in the repair industry will be the tool trucks, parts houses and counter help and shop owners and service writers, my wife works for a staffing corp. that uses her once in a while for a easy manufacuring type work,mailing boxes and misc.,they the staffing place pays her a minimum of $9.00 an hour,with no trade or high tech experience, she don't have to get into grease or high tempetures or have to buy expensive tools, bettween the flat rate pay and straight commission and the seasonal work, it's like doing very hard & high tech work in the heat and having to purchase expensive tools, and the tech still cannot afford to put away a realistic amount for retirement or buy healthcare for the family, I have come to the conclusion that automotive techs are the lowest on the totum pole, when auto repair shops get off the flat rate and pay techs with pay more than a service writer that has to know nothing about cars and when techs can afford medical care I will continue to keep my tools and my experience in storage,and keep surfing the internet leaving my experience as a tech for the last 35 years on the net and in forums, I hate to see young people getting into the auto repair industry and believe its something they think they will actully make a good living at,and when they find out, its too late to do anything, it will be too late, to get back into auto repair I would need $1500.00 for a monday through friday 40 hour week. with a written contract with pay and medical and retirement and sick pay & vacations and all benefits on it ,I figure if a receptionist can make $12.00 an hour with all benefits and insurance and work sitting on their butts in a controlled inviroment and not have to know or perform any high tech skills techs should be getting a lot more than a common receptionist. remember,cars are much more difficult to work on today then in the 60's or 70's,and they will continue to get more complicated and diag will continue to take longer and be harder,hybrids are filling the market now,when they start hitting the independant shops its going to take a lot of experience and up to date training to keep those going,I also have 10 years experience rebuilding starters and alternators and wiring repair.

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Sticker price for navi option
Dec 8, 2008 3:57AM PST

the integration is nice but i can't justify spending so much on the package when I can go aftermarket for so much less. I use an aftermarket TomTom, and have over $1500 left in my pocket

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Re: What do you hate most about car technology?
Dec 18, 2008 12:23PM PST

I hate the EGR valve because it lowers fuel economy and dirties the throttle body, intake, and the intake valves. I also hate the speed limiter but I disabled that. I also hate the spyware that records your driving habits in the event of a crash.