The Future of the Automobile Lecture

[Xist]

I prefer to prove my manhood!

[freebeard]

something like a Lotus Seven replica or a Baja Bug would already suffice for weekend racing. Electrics feel more like an appliance-car better suited to daily commuting.

...until they win. With the current state of batteries, that's in drag racing. See the White Zombie. Or Tesla S. Long range races will come later.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Doesn't need to be a landyacht, something like a Lotus Seven replica or a Baja Bug would already suffice for weekend racing.

Or pleasure driving, just as I said. But what's the market share of Lotus replicas (or even new Lotuses), Miatas, and other small, fun cars? Versus the oversized, over-engined, noise and stink producing things that some people think proves their manhood?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Xist

I prefer to prove my manhood!

Hate to tell you this, but if you need to prove it, you ain't got it :-)

[Vman455]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

It's not about a need to prove manhood for anybody else to see, it's just a matter of personal preferences.

Personal preferences are culturally-informed.

I like oatmeal, and have it every morning--not because oatmeal is inherently better than other breakfast foods, but because I grew up in a family that ate oatmeal every morning, just as my father grew up in a family that ate oatmeal every morning. Had I grown up in a family that ate Lucky Charms for breakfast instead, I would probably prefer that.

[acparker]

Telecommuting is a potentially much bigger threat to motoring than EVs...

I have been waiting for the telecommuting revolution for almost as long as I have been waiting for a viable electric car. Telecommuting is difficult to supervise. Many companies and institutions dabble in it then abandon it due to abuses, real or perceived. Bums-in-seats is going to dominate for a long, long time.

[freebeard]

If the seats are in autonomous vehicles under the benign supervision of ParentCorp, then everyone can be a traveling salesman.

Won't that be fun?

[niky]

Originally Posted by freebeard

If the seats are in autonomous vehicles under the benign supervision of ParentCorp, then everyone can be a traveling salesman.

Won't that be fun?

I sometimes work on the road, as it is. Though it's awful hard to touch-type on my laptop while also driving, eating and Facebook-ing on a smartphone.

[wdb]

Telecommuter here. Very large employer. They won't be abandoning it. If managers can't deal with it they don't last long. I've waited a long time for it, true; since about 1995. I've been doing it off/on for about 5 years. I still go to the office at least once a week because there really is nothing like face time with coworkers + whiteboard to churn through tough problems.

Getting back to the future of the automobile. I'd like:

• autonomous mode on freeways
• affordable EV with sufficient range
• in-car foot massager

In that order. I suspect I'll be waiting an equal number of years as I did for my telecommuting dream.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Vman455

Personal preferences are culturally-informed.

And there goes the so-called Cultural Marxism, which I perceive as a threat in other aspects. The "environmentalism" is used just as a smokescreen among other matters such as religion, family and other traditional values that sustained our Western civilization.

I like oatmeal, and have it every morning--not because oatmeal is inherently better than other breakfast foods, but because I grew up in a family that ate oatmeal every morning, just as my father grew up in a family that ate oatmeal every morning. Had I grown up in a family that ate Lucky Charms for breakfast instead, I would probably prefer that.

As you said, you would probably prefer Lucky Charms instead of oatmeal if you were exposed to it earlier. We could relate it to the brainwashing that kids are exposed to at school, but it's another matter.


Anyway, would I be open-minded to at least try an electric car? Yes. Would I feel more inclined toward an EV compared to an ICE-powered vehicle with a similar performance? Then I don't know for sure, but still believe I wouldn't.