by "CivoLee" (civolee)
Published 04/11/2017 at 01:05
by "CivoLee" (civolee)
Published 04/11/2017 at 01:05
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STARS: 2
All the time, both on the internet and the real world, we hear about the dangers of distracted driving and how the sooner all the cars drive themselves the better, people are stupid, blah blah blah. The culprits are many: smartphones, infotainment systems, yoga pants and the propensity for certain people to daydream. But I think part of the problem lies in modern cars themselves.
Over the past 25 years or so, cars have largely been focused on minimizing NVH levels - noise, vibration, and harshness. The argument is that after a hard day at work, the last thing anybody wants to deal with is some rough-riding rattletrap. So carmakers fill the cabin with sound-deadening materials and hide the engine under a set of plastic covers. Then they soften up the suspension to soak up all the bumps and throw in thickly padded seats so they’re less like seating in a vehicle and more like furniture (tie this into the chair-like seating position the most popular crossovers have). They pass this off as “refinement”, but what it is in reality is isolation. Isolation from the elements, isolation from speed, isolation from what’s really going on when we travel from Point A to Point B.
So, what’s really going on? We’re filling small chambers with highly flammable liquid, which gets ignited by spark-producing devices, causing the fuel to explode and push a set of pistons (or in some cases, rotors) down (around in the case of rotors). Said pistons are attached to a moving crankshaft, which in turn attaches to a driveshaft, which causes the wheels (mostly the front, but sometimes the rear and more and more all 4) to move forward or backward, depending on what gear the car is in. Pushing down the accelerator causes the chambers to fill up with more highly flammable liquid, which makes the pistons, and in turn, the car, move faster.
If you remember from high school physics or the second season finale of Orphan Black, force equals mass times acceleration. Mass is expressed in more practical layman’s terms as weight. The average weight of modern cars, according to Google, is 4000 lbs/1.82 kg. Factor in the weight of the driver/passengers (average 167 lbs/75.75 kg/12 stone) and that most cars have the driver plus 1 or 2 passengers, and the average weight, or mass, of the average car is around 4340 lbs/1969 kg.
Now let’s do some math(s):
25 mph = 367 newtons of force
35 mph = 513 newtons of force
45 mph = 660 newtons of force
55 mph = 807 newtons of force
65 mph = 953 newtons of force
I’m likely way off in my math(s) (or I’ve oversimplified things too much), but the point is that moving objects have a ton of force behind them. Which is all well and good - until they collide with other objects. Then the force is released as kinetic energy, which causes an automobile to deform into a mass of twisted metal and broken glass, and breaks the bones/disrupts the internal organs of the occupants inside.
“What,” you’re likely screaming at me right now, “does any of this crap have to do with the topic of this post?!” Well, in isolating the occupants from noise, vibration and harshness, car makers have isolated drivers/passengers from the gravity of the situation that is driving! Take a drive in your average point a/point b personal transit appliance and the difference between 35 and 65 mph is negligible. You’re just sitting there pushing the pedals and occasionally turning the steering wheel, while gently feeling the effects of inertia and seeing your surroundings go by around you. It’s boring. More importantly, when people become bored, they become disengaged. Their minds wander. They start focusing on “more important things”, like the song on the radio, disciplining their kids, or fantasizing about that hot chick at the gym/office they want to ask out/have a date with this weekend. Meanwhile, the physics of the situation don’t change. A large amount of metal-twisting, bone-breaking kinetic energy will be released if you hit something/someone and you will likely go to prison/hate yourself for life if you run some kid chasing their ball/dog into the street over.
A car that is engaging to drive is safer because the driver is enjoying the act of driving too much to worry about the text they just received or the girl on the sidewalk in hot pants and a croptop. Plus, fun cars are more likely to instill pride of ownership, so you’ll want to drive safer for fear of scratching/denting it up. I have little doubt that the cause of the Camry Dent is the car’s inherent blandness; perhaps it won’t appear as much on the new model.
So what do we do to improve the situation? As auto enthusiasts it is not only our duty to buy interesting cars new so manufacturers profit from building them and continue producing them in large numbers, but to also ensure our less automotively-enthusiastic friends buy the best-driving car in whatever class of car they’re interested in. If someone talks about getting a RAV4, steer them toward a CX-5 instead. If someone asks about the Impala, tell them it’s nice for what it is but suggest maybe they look at a Charger first.
Boycott boring cars! The life you save might be your own.
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
04/11/2017 at 01:18, STARS: 0
Truth. I speed way more often in my Mom’s Camery or sister’s Versa than my Integra, because there really is no difference, sensation wise, between 45 and 60. But in the Integra I often drive at or a little below the speed limit, around town. Because I realize that extra speed isn’t gonna get me there much faster and that 5-10mph less just gives me more time and traction in case I need to react to something.
Bring back reduced NVH and skinny tires!
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
04/11/2017 at 01:49, STARS: 0
Oi. My car is boring. Am I an unsafe driver?
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
04/11/2017 at 02:36, STARS: 0
You’re the most unsafe driver. That’s why dslkafjwhrjghpjvdbnsnfdawrwfvdngsfdnvfdks Goodnight!
"Land_Yacht_225" (nadenator)
04/11/2017 at 02:54, STARS: 0
I see what you’re saying, but I don’t know if I exactly agree that car makers are wholesale moving towards driver isolation. Working for a rental car company and driving quite literally all the new econo-crap, I would argue we have never experienced a time of less power steering assist, harder and less comfortable (which doesn’t matter because we’ve designed them to be “supportive” for your health!) seats, or Nurburgring lap-time inspired suspension. The new Camry will break your spine over potholes because of how “grounded to the ground” it is and the new Lincolns basically have their power steering systems filled with liquid concrete.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
04/11/2017 at 04:28, STARS: 0
Due to the increased insulation from sound/vibration/you name it the sensation of speed and danger is decreased, so people are more comfortable taking risks. So they do take greater risks. It’s as simple as that, imho.
It’s a reason why people somehow demand a lot more hp now too. The sensation of acceleration is decreased, so you’ll have to improve actual acceleration to compensate for the lack of acceleration sensation.
Your natural reaction time isn’t different between driving a 1980s shitbox or some super comfy 2017 luxury vehicle. Moreover, I’d argue you’ll be more focused in the old shitbox. The new car will have far better brakes and far better passive safety (crumple zones,...). All else being equal you’ll be far safer in the new vehicle, both in avoiding a crash and surviving a crash. However, you’ll be driving faster and due to less focus you’ll be touching the brakes later. As a result I doubt your real world stopping distance will be significantly shorter, if at all, in the new vehicle.
What’s the solution? People want insulated vehicles so that’s what people will buy. You could do something with mild alarms going off when sensors noticing eyes wandering away from the road for too long, but I doubt people will want to pay for such a feature. The people that need it the most will be the first to disable it. So I don’t have a real realistic solution.
I do think you shouldn’t use ‘ fun ’ as the opposite of boring in this context. It’s too subjective. Engaging would be a better word. Many would hate driving an engaging car. They might hate it, wouldn’t have fun, but it would still be engaging as opposed to boring.
"Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction" (rustholes-are-weight-reduction)
04/11/2017 at 04:38, STARS: 3
Kudos for including rotors!
To the subject: the problem is not only the bland cars. Most people just don’t care about cars, they buy it as an appliance. Making cars harsher or more engaging will just annoy them. Look how people embrace the idea of self driving cars!
In my opinion, the roads would be much safer by promoting home office and public transportation. I love driving, but I would take the train if it weren’t as expensive. I could also do 95% of my job from home.
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
04/11/2017 at 05:57, STARS: 0
That’s basically it - a huge percentage of people on American roads have no business driving, doesn’t matter how engaging the car is, and you won’t force them into an engaging car. They were buying isolated American full-size boats before, now they’re buying isolated Toyota products. (Although, Toyota’s been removing isolation on their cars lately...)
Self-driving cars will prevent those drivers from driving, but it won’t do a damn thing for traffic issues, and it won’t do a damn thing for energy consumption issues (or it might make them worse , given how there’s been talk of having personally-owned self-driving cars just drive around waiting for their owner to come back if they can’t find parking).
I’d consider taking public transit to work if it were more reasonably priced in my area (it’s $4 per ride for an able-bodied, non-elderly adult) and more optimized for commuting, rather than moving disabled/elderly people around. Although, given what they use in this area (lots of Econoline-based buses, and I’m pretty sure some of those are V10 gassers), and what even best-case ridership would be, I wouldn’t be surprised if my Prius were actually more efficient in terms of passenger miles per gallon...
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
04/11/2017 at 06:00, STARS: 0
Also note that isolation isn’t just NVH - it’s also high sills that reduce outward visibility, it’s a high seating position that reduces visual sensation of speed, and a few other ergonomic factors.
Ultimately, though, there’s a reason crossovers are dominating, and that’s because people actively see an engaging car as bad. The only way you’re going to get those people out of bland cars is by taxing the shit out of cars, and then directing the funds towards public transit.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
04/11/2017 at 07:35, STARS: 0
Definitely agreed. My Miata feels like a rocketship, meanwhile I am getting my doors blown off by Camrys and mini-vans not even putting in half the effort. All of that wind noise, the sun beating down on my forehead, the exhaust smells and noises, and the creaks/squeaks/other noises the car makes are all just part of the experience. I get used to it but its hilarious when non-car people ride in the passenger seat and freak out about both acceleration and going around turns.
"Maxima Speed" (maximaspeed)
04/11/2017 at 08:18, STARS: 0
Agreed I drive a Solara, which is basically a stiffer two door Camry, on long runs on the interstate or driving home after a long day at work it is quite disengaging.
"valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option" (valsidalv)
04/11/2017 at 08:25, STARS: 0
Actually self-driving cars have the potential to eradicate traffic. But it will be a while before humans are comfortable with the idea of heading through an intersection with cars coming from perpendicular directions.
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
04/11/2017 at 09:22, STARS: 0
The thing is, that requires very robust V2V communications, and the human comfort factor that you yourself mentioned. And, worse, it requires a sterile environment - anything that isn’t a self-driving car will have to be forbidden from those roads.
Upshot is, that’s not happening.
"DipodomysDeserti" (dipodomysdeserti)
04/11/2017 at 09:43, STARS: 0
So what you’re saying is, I drive the safest vehicle possible?!
No blind spots, LOTS of vibration, zero noise insulation, a suspension that tries to buck you off...
"Tripper" (tripe46)
04/11/2017 at 09:49, STARS: 0
Agree! Some days I wonder how I got to/from work in my daily driver, and it’s not what I would call “boring”. I don’t use my phone when I drive, but my dd is automatic, and “soft” in comfort mode. So it’s easy to daydream. Sometimes I even forget where I parked in my small office lot!
This morning however, I could tell you my favorite downshift, I can also tell you that the M3 is probably due for rear trailer arm bushings. I know exactly where I parked, because I backed it in next to a co workers Fiat 124 in the area of the lot where people who care about their vehicles park.
"TahoeSTi" (tahoesti)
04/11/2017 at 10:00, STARS: 0
I completely agree with your post. I will continue to boycott boring cars!
"TahoeSTi" (tahoesti)
04/11/2017 at 10:04, STARS: 0
We could just blame Automatic Transmission, They make any car less engaging, heavier, and easier to accelerate to speed with out knowing.
"valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option" (valsidalv)
04/11/2017 at 11:51, STARS: 0
It totally will happen. Not soon, but I imagine in the future cities will have certain core sections that won’t allow entry to anything not an approved autonomous vehicle. If we can communicate with a machine on Mars and even further then we can definitely talk to a few surrounding computers. If you want to read, swarm robots are an interesting development and being deployed for rescue missions and the like.
"bhtooefr" (bhtooefr)
04/11/2017 at 12:06, STARS: 0
In cities, though? In the midst of livability movements that promote walkable cities and the like?
"valsidalv, reminding you that infiniti is an option" (valsidalv)
04/11/2017 at 12:41, STARS: 0
If we’re being realistic the switch to autonomous vehicles (AVs) won’t be instant. Already certain cars can drive without any human interference on the highway because there are more predictable traffic patterns. The highway is an environment where AVs and people-driven cars can coexist until every car on the road has autonomous capabilities. At least for the time being, if you want to travel to the next province/state you won’t want to be ‘forced’ into an AV.
As you rightly pointed out cities and becoming more walkable. However there will still be a need to drive into the heart of a city on some occasions. The driving environment there is crazier and if you don’t have a sterile environment AVs might not work. So, as cities improve, I am ok with driving my non-AV to the edge of the AV-only boundary, parking, and hopping onto transit or walking to my destination. Those with an AV can continue into the area but at that point hand the controls off to the robots. Fewer cars, more efficient travel, safer for pedestrians, etc.
"tromoly" (tromoly)
04/11/2017 at 14:58, STARS: 0
Cars aren’t the problem, people are the problem.
I’m shopping around for a used Prius, because they’re “boring” does that magically mean I’ll become a terrible driver? No.
You can take someone who doesn’t care about cars and put them in a fire breathing, super loud, manual transmissioned car and they would still cause as many collisions as they would in a PT Cruiser. Bad drivers are bad no matter the car, I’d argue they’d drive worse in a more “connected” car because they get overwhelmed easier.
"Slant6" (slant-6)
06/17/2017 at 13:20, STARS: 0
Better solution: self driving cars.