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Old 05-28-2015, 10:31 PM   #166 (permalink)
redpoint5
Human Environmentalist
 
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
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Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - CBR600 - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - Dodge/Cummins - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)

Model Y - '24 Tesla Y LR AWD

Pacifica Hybrid - '21 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
90 day: 43.3 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P-hack View Post
Google has reached a point where they can literally tilt the table on public opinion, on any subject...
I have entertained the notion of autonomous cars (and lawn mowers, and vacuum cleaners, ...) since way before Google was ever a company.

You might disagree with how the masses forfeit their privacy, but Google builds the things consumers want. If the majority doesn't want autonomous cars, they won't be built in significant quantities.

Quote:
Originally Posted by P-hack View Post
traction controls are pretty crappy these days
Traction control has never been better. My TSX can accelerate in snow faster than I can because it can monitor wheel spin and react in milliseconds to limit throttle opening. I'm very skilled at accelerating in the snow, but the computer is simply better.

Just the other day I performed an emergency swerve to avoid a crate in the road while traveling 65 MPH. I had to sharply steer back to avoid crossing the 3rd lane over, which I hadn't been monitoring as an escape route. This obviously put me into a fishtail, which the car quickly stamped out by applying brakes to the appropriate wheels. Normally that fishtail would have lasted twice as long.

The useless/too expensive technologies will die, and the useful/affordable ones will proliferate. That is the Darwinian cycle of life for the evolution of technology. Hating the process isn't going to change anything, and only causes stress.
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