Originally Posted By: OilFilters
Originally Posted By: supton
I know I'm a luddite but isn't this what many feared in vehicles that lost the classic ignition key? a vehicle that can't be disabled if there is a software glitch?
As far as I know, they haven't made a vehicle yet without a neutral function. But I wouldn't be surprised if the germans have tried...
A few months ago I rented a 26' Penske box truck and drove it across the country. Medium duty International truck with air brakes, 25,999 GVW. The lady at Home Depot happily handed me the keys after I just showed her my regular driver license. I was surprised to see that thing had cruise control, no radar either. Talk about a freakin' semi-guided missile! Any moron can rent one of these with no experience what so ever.
Over 3500 miles and I never tried the cruise control...
Man, when I helped my parents move I would have given their teeth to have cruise control. My truck could smell a hill from a mile away. It was almost always to the floor. On long hills I would actually switch feet! just to give my right foot a rest.
Which is odd as I don't use cruise that often. Usually only when I'm trying to behave, or just not in the mood to press my luck. These days cruise is about a must for me, just an option that I'd rather have than not--when I want it, I want it.
Edit: not sure I ever want the radar / adaptive cruise option. Only if I could disable it. Personally I think it'd just ruin me--I wouldn't be able to drive a non-adaptive cruise car afterwards. Shannow has the links about there being a deadzone in the amount of automation--there needs to be a certain level of involvement in order to keep people 100% aware, then a zone where people are day dreaming, and then there's full automation. That dead zone is where bad things happen.