Are Our Cars Making Us Lazy?
Automated systems are ubiquitous in today's high-tech autos. Some are essential, others not so much.
By Sam Foley of MSN Autos
While automated features are nothing new on the automotive landscape, some believe we have gone too far, too fast.
In 1940, the now defunct American carmaker Packard introduced its ultraluxurious 180 Series touring sedan with a minuscule feature that would change the automotive landscape forever. The company outfitted the posh 4-door with powered windows rather than a standard crank-driven system - push a button, the window went down; push it again, the window went up.
This feature was a marvel of engineering. It was also probably the first completely frivolous auto amenity. But more importantly, it sparked the development of hundreds of automated systems - electromechanical or, more recently, digital - designed to handle tasks that motorists could otherwise do for themselves.
By the mid-1940s, power windows were everywhere, next seen on Ford Lincoln Custom limousines, then shortly after in Cadillacs, followed by Buicks and so on. Before the end of the decade, power seats made their debut, and power steering arrived in the early 1950s.
In 1957, Cadillac introduced the most automated automobile of its time: the Brougham. A limited-edition version of the Cadillac Eldorado, the Brougham was designed to be the most luxurious car in the world. It was assembled by hand; came with slick, rear-facing "suicide" doors; and had a list of "world first" features, such as an automatic starter, a transistor radio, memory seats and a trunk that opened and closed with the push of a button.
While the Brougham's feature list was impressive, it left many driving purists wondering: Are all of these technologies designed to make driving more pleasurable really necessary, or are they just making us lazier drivers? This sentiment is gaining momentum once again in today's high-tech automotive world - and not just from driving enthusiasts.
The downside of Automation
As incredible as the Brougham was back in the day, modern vehicles such as the Lexus LS 460 put it to shame in terms of available high-tech bells and whistles. An optioned-up LS 460 can have rain-sensing automatic wipers, an auto-closing trunk lid, auto-adjusting high beams, power windows and sunshades, power door closures, a voice-controlled GPS navigation system, an electronically controlled braking system that overrides simultaneous gas- and brake-pedal application, and an automated system that will parallel-park the car for you.
These features are not just the province of the luxury-vehicle segment anymore. The 2011 Chrysler Town & Country minivan can be outfitted with a power liftgate, dual power side doors and power-folding third-row seats, as well as the usual complement of power front seats, power mirrors and electrochromic dimming mirrors. Push all the buttons at once, and the vehicle's dozens of motors whir and buzz in a battery-straining ballet, letting the kids spill out the sides unsupervised while the groceries dump out the back and into the driveway.
While all of these features are meant to be helping hands, their benefits often blind motorists to their drawbacks. And it's definitely worth considering exactly what all this automation is doing to us as drivers.
As it turns out, automated systems can cause some pretty distressing problems. For instance, power windows have long been recognized as a child safety hazard. A 2004 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study estimated that power windows killed an average of five children per year. Regulators have now required that all vehicles from the 2008 model year forward use automatic window controls that are less likely to be triggered by children.
And there is a cultural issue at stake as well: the loss of skills that occurs when humans voluntarily abdicate responsibility to machines. Consider the breakdown of navigational skills due to our reliance on GPS devices. Many people no longer pay attention to landmarks and other geographic indicators as they drive, and the skill of map reading is fading as well.
Even some proven safety systems have drawbacks. Performance-driving enthusiasts have long held a low opinion of stability-control systems. They believe that because the technology saves bad drivers from their own mistakes, they are more likely to drive beyond their abilities.
"The performance community is always going to have a backlash against technology; that's just their personality," says Christopher Nowakowski, a human factors researcher at California PATH at the University of California at Berkeley. Nowakowski allows that crash data suggest that stability control does save lives. Nevertheless, he says the data don't measure the influence of sloppy, overconfident drivers on other people's accidents.
The Lexus LS 460 can can be outfitted with rain-sensing automatic wipers, an auto-closing trunk lid, power door closers, a voice-controlled GPS navigation system, and an automated system that will literally parallel-park the car for you.
Driving on Faith
Nowakowski is keenly aware of how automated driving is becoming, and of the impact of technology on human behavior. "These types of systems can be beneficial, but the more automation you have, the more you can lull people into a false sense of security," he says. And research done by California PATH shows that drivers are willing to invest a surprising amount of faith in automated systems.
Nowakowski and his colleagues tested a highly sophisticated Nissan adaptive system that used both lidar (light detection and ranging) and vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communication to allow one car to follow another at surprisingly tight distances. "We're told that we're supposed to keep two seconds of distance between us and the car in front of us at highway speeds," he says, "but no one really does that; the gap is closer to 1.6 seconds for most drivers. But with this system, we found that people were perfectly willing to accept the vehicle following the car ahead of it with only a 0.6-second gap."
Human Handlers
Advanced automotive automation technologies aren't just cruising around on academic test tracks. Earlier this year, Google researchers began driving fully autonomous cars on public roads to test the real-world readiness of the technology. The cars had human handlers at the wheel to make sure that none of their vehicles' mistakes turned lethal, and by all accounts, the vehicles performed well. Nevertheless, researchers such as Nowakowski have concerns about what could happen if such technology is commercialized.
"As you start to get vehicles that are highly automated, ones that can steer themselves and maintain speed and make turning decisions, what are you doing as a driver?" he asks. "Obviously you're going to start texting and doing whatever will keep your attention level up, because you don't want to just sit there and watch what the car's doing. We know this is a problem with airline pilots that have highly automated planes, and their job is to sit there for eight hours and watch a bunch of numbers that don't move; we know they don't do this very well." (This phenomenon was made tragically clear in February 2009, when the sleep-deprived pilot of Colgan Air Flight 3407 failed to react to the signs of icing on his plane while it was on autopilot. The resulting crash killed all 49 people abroad.)
Plus, as anyone who's ever seen his computer unexpectedly freeze knows that technology is only as good as the people who make it. This was shown spectacularly at a press demonstration of Volvo's pedestrian-avoidance technology earlier this year. The system is designed to apply full braking power automatically whenever an equipped vehicle's camera and radar sensors detect a pedestrian. Unfortunately, the system apparently didn't like the Swedish automaker's test dummies, as it plowed right into them in three out of 12 test runs. The company claimed that the dummies weren't set up properly. Obviously, such a system is meant as a fail-safe to human judgement and reaction, but it served as a compelling demonstration that, no matter how sophisticated the automation technology, if you act like a dummy, someone's probably going to get hurt.
By Sam Foley of MSN Autos
While automated features are nothing new on the automotive landscape, some believe we have gone too far, too fast.
In 1940, the now defunct American carmaker Packard introduced its ultraluxurious 180 Series touring sedan with a minuscule feature that would change the automotive landscape forever. The company outfitted the posh 4-door with powered windows rather than a standard crank-driven system - push a button, the window went down; push it again, the window went up.
This feature was a marvel of engineering. It was also probably the first completely frivolous auto amenity. But more importantly, it sparked the development of hundreds of automated systems - electromechanical or, more recently, digital - designed to handle tasks that motorists could otherwise do for themselves.
By the mid-1940s, power windows were everywhere, next seen on Ford Lincoln Custom limousines, then shortly after in Cadillacs, followed by Buicks and so on. Before the end of the decade, power seats made their debut, and power steering arrived in the early 1950s.
In 1957, Cadillac introduced the most automated automobile of its time: the Brougham. A limited-edition version of the Cadillac Eldorado, the Brougham was designed to be the most luxurious car in the world. It was assembled by hand; came with slick, rear-facing "suicide" doors; and had a list of "world first" features, such as an automatic starter, a transistor radio, memory seats and a trunk that opened and closed with the push of a button.
While the Brougham's feature list was impressive, it left many driving purists wondering: Are all of these technologies designed to make driving more pleasurable really necessary, or are they just making us lazier drivers? This sentiment is gaining momentum once again in today's high-tech automotive world - and not just from driving enthusiasts.
The downside of Automation
As incredible as the Brougham was back in the day, modern vehicles such as the Lexus LS 460 put it to shame in terms of available high-tech bells and whistles. An optioned-up LS 460 can have rain-sensing automatic wipers, an auto-closing trunk lid, auto-adjusting high beams, power windows and sunshades, power door closures, a voice-controlled GPS navigation system, an electronically controlled braking system that overrides simultaneous gas- and brake-pedal application, and an automated system that will parallel-park the car for you.
These features are not just the province of the luxury-vehicle segment anymore. The 2011 Chrysler Town & Country minivan can be outfitted with a power liftgate, dual power side doors and power-folding third-row seats, as well as the usual complement of power front seats, power mirrors and electrochromic dimming mirrors. Push all the buttons at once, and the vehicle's dozens of motors whir and buzz in a battery-straining ballet, letting the kids spill out the sides unsupervised while the groceries dump out the back and into the driveway.
While all of these features are meant to be helping hands, their benefits often blind motorists to their drawbacks. And it's definitely worth considering exactly what all this automation is doing to us as drivers.
As it turns out, automated systems can cause some pretty distressing problems. For instance, power windows have long been recognized as a child safety hazard. A 2004 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study estimated that power windows killed an average of five children per year. Regulators have now required that all vehicles from the 2008 model year forward use automatic window controls that are less likely to be triggered by children.
And there is a cultural issue at stake as well: the loss of skills that occurs when humans voluntarily abdicate responsibility to machines. Consider the breakdown of navigational skills due to our reliance on GPS devices. Many people no longer pay attention to landmarks and other geographic indicators as they drive, and the skill of map reading is fading as well.
Even some proven safety systems have drawbacks. Performance-driving enthusiasts have long held a low opinion of stability-control systems. They believe that because the technology saves bad drivers from their own mistakes, they are more likely to drive beyond their abilities.
"The performance community is always going to have a backlash against technology; that's just their personality," says Christopher Nowakowski, a human factors researcher at California PATH at the University of California at Berkeley. Nowakowski allows that crash data suggest that stability control does save lives. Nevertheless, he says the data don't measure the influence of sloppy, overconfident drivers on other people's accidents.
The Lexus LS 460 can can be outfitted with rain-sensing automatic wipers, an auto-closing trunk lid, power door closers, a voice-controlled GPS navigation system, and an automated system that will literally parallel-park the car for you.
Driving on Faith
Nowakowski is keenly aware of how automated driving is becoming, and of the impact of technology on human behavior. "These types of systems can be beneficial, but the more automation you have, the more you can lull people into a false sense of security," he says. And research done by California PATH shows that drivers are willing to invest a surprising amount of faith in automated systems.
Nowakowski and his colleagues tested a highly sophisticated Nissan adaptive system that used both lidar (light detection and ranging) and vehicle-to-vehicle wireless communication to allow one car to follow another at surprisingly tight distances. "We're told that we're supposed to keep two seconds of distance between us and the car in front of us at highway speeds," he says, "but no one really does that; the gap is closer to 1.6 seconds for most drivers. But with this system, we found that people were perfectly willing to accept the vehicle following the car ahead of it with only a 0.6-second gap."
Human Handlers
Advanced automotive automation technologies aren't just cruising around on academic test tracks. Earlier this year, Google researchers began driving fully autonomous cars on public roads to test the real-world readiness of the technology. The cars had human handlers at the wheel to make sure that none of their vehicles' mistakes turned lethal, and by all accounts, the vehicles performed well. Nevertheless, researchers such as Nowakowski have concerns about what could happen if such technology is commercialized.
"As you start to get vehicles that are highly automated, ones that can steer themselves and maintain speed and make turning decisions, what are you doing as a driver?" he asks. "Obviously you're going to start texting and doing whatever will keep your attention level up, because you don't want to just sit there and watch what the car's doing. We know this is a problem with airline pilots that have highly automated planes, and their job is to sit there for eight hours and watch a bunch of numbers that don't move; we know they don't do this very well." (This phenomenon was made tragically clear in February 2009, when the sleep-deprived pilot of Colgan Air Flight 3407 failed to react to the signs of icing on his plane while it was on autopilot. The resulting crash killed all 49 people abroad.)
Plus, as anyone who's ever seen his computer unexpectedly freeze knows that technology is only as good as the people who make it. This was shown spectacularly at a press demonstration of Volvo's pedestrian-avoidance technology earlier this year. The system is designed to apply full braking power automatically whenever an equipped vehicle's camera and radar sensors detect a pedestrian. Unfortunately, the system apparently didn't like the Swedish automaker's test dummies, as it plowed right into them in three out of 12 test runs. The company claimed that the dummies weren't set up properly. Obviously, such a system is meant as a fail-safe to human judgement and reaction, but it served as a compelling demonstration that, no matter how sophisticated the automation technology, if you act like a dummy, someone's probably going to get hurt.
'Idiot' Enlightenment
Demystifying those pesky little instrument-panel warning lights that adorn your car's dashboard.
By Charles Plueddeman of MSN Autos
My father still calls them "idiot lights," referring to the array of warning indicators found in an automobile's instrument cluster that over the years have replaced analog gauges. By the 1970s, the only real "instruments" left on most dashboards were a speedometer and a gas gauge - possibly a tachometer. Fact is, warning lights are less expensive than gauges, and probably more attention-grabbing for the typically disengaged American driver. So they serve their purpose. But over the years, these clusters of illuminated icons have grown more complex and, as a result, more confusing. Heck, some of today's cars and trucks have more glowing dashboard lights than a Christmas tree. Knowing what they mean, and what to do when one flashes, is important for your safety and because the correct response could save you a huge repair bill.
Over the years, the number of illuminated icons that alert you to problems with your car has grown more complex and, as a result, more confusing. Knowing what to do when one flashes could save you a whole bunch of money.
You can view all of your car's instrument panel indicators by switching the ignition key to the "on" position (one click short of starting the engine). Each icon represents a system on the car, from a floating thermometer for engine temperature to a cross-section of a tire with an exclamation point for one of the newest warnings, low tire pressure. Your owner's manual offers a short explanation of what each means, and how you should react. But because you probably won't read your owner's manual, you should at least read the rest of this article, and become "idiot enlightened."
Low Oil Pressure: When this light activates, it means the oil, the lifeblood of your engine, has stopped circulating and severe damage could occur in just seconds. Pull out of traffic as quickly (yet safely) as possible and immediately turn off the engine. Open the hood and use the dipstick to check the oil level. If there's oil in the engine, but no pressure, the oil pump has likely failed. If there's no oil showing on the dipstick, you've either let the oil drop so low that the engine can't build up oil pressure, or there's been a problem - like an improperly installed oil filter - that caused most of the oil to drain from the engine. In any case, you risk serious mechanical damage and very expensive repairs if you restart the engine. Have the vehicle towed to a qualified shop for a diagnosis.
Engine Temperature: On late-model vehicles, this warning light is often coupled with an engine temperature gauge. If the needle goes into the red zone and the light comes on, your engine has a fever. Pull over and park. If there's steam coming from under the hood, or if antifreeze is leaking on the ground under the engine, you've likely blown a coolant hose. To avoid burning yourself, do not try to open the hood until the steam subsides. If there's no steam or obvious leak, open the hood and check the coolant level in the plastic reserve tank. If that's dry, you may need to add coolant to the radiator after it cools down. See your owner's manual for instructions.
Another cause of engine overheating could be a broken water-pump belt. If there are no obvious signs of trouble and the temperature gauge returns to normal after a few minutes, the engine may have overheated simply from working too hard. Pulling a trailer in the mountains on a hot day, for example, could overtax the cooling system. This could lead to engine damage, so after the engine cools, proceed at a slower speed and watch the temperature gauge closely.
Charging System: If the indicator comes on, it means that your battery is not being charged. The likely problem is a faulty alternator, which charges the battery as you drive, or a broken alternator drive belt. Your car will operate for some time on the power stored in the battery, so it's safe to drive it to a repair shop. To extend your range, turn off as many electrical accessories as possible, including the radio, heater or air conditioning fan, and windshield wipers and headlights (if you don't need them). Avoid using power windows and, if possible, don't turn off the engine, since it takes a lot of battery power to restart. Once the battery is dead so is the car, so don't ignore this light for long.
Low Tire Pressure: A tire-pressure-monitoring system has been standard equipment on all new vehicles since 2008. A sensor on each wheel monitors tire air pressure and triggers this warning light if the pressure drops to 25 percent below the specified cold inflation pressure. The idea is to warn you of low pressure before it becomes a critical safety issue. Some cars also have a graphic display that indicates which tire is low. Pull over as soon as possible. If the tire is really flat, you'll need to change it with the spare to continue. If you think you can drive safely on the tire, get to an air hose, fill the tire to its specified pressure, and then go to a service center and have the tire checked. It may be a slow leak that can be repaired. Note that a tire-pressure monitoring system is not a replacement for checking your tire pressure with an accurate gauge. Do it once a month.
The brake light could mean several things. First, make sure that the parking brake is fully released. If it stays on, make sure your brakes work properly and proceed cautiously to a service station.
Brake: This light usually has two functions. The first is to warn you that you're driving with your parking brake on. So the first step is to make sure that the parking brake is fully released. If the light stays on, or if it suddenly comes on while you are driving, the brake fluid level is probably low. If the brake pedal seems normal, check the brake fluid level (see your owner's manual) the next time you stop. If it's low, have the brake system checked for a leak or other problems, which could be as simple as worn brake pads. If the brake pedal does not feel normal - if it is very soft or goes down to the floor - you have an immediate, critical problem and need to get the car stopped safely and off the road as soon as possible. Shift to a lower gear to help slow the car, and use the parking brake, which is now the emergency brake, to help get your machine stopped.
ABS: This lamp is a warning that the anit-lock function of the braking system is not working. Unless the brake light is also illuminated, the brakes will still work, but have a qualified technician check the ABS for a problem.
This warning is part of the vehicle's on-board diagnostics (OBD) system, and indicates that the car's computer has detected an emissions-control issue, such as a faulty oxygen sensor. The results of ignoring this light could be catastrophic for your car.
Check Engine: This warning is part of the vehicle's on-board diagnostics (OBD) system, and indicated that the car's computer has detected an emissions-control issue, such as a faulty oxygen sensor. You may not notice any difference in the way the car sounds or drives, but if you ignore this light you could damage an expensive emissions control system - a clogged catalytic convertor is a common outcome. In some cases, you may void the warranty. On late-model cars, the check-engine light will illuminate if the gas cap is loose or missing. It needs to be tightened until it makes a clicking sound. If the cap was loose, it may take a few trips with a tight cap for the light to go off. If the cap is tight and light stays on, take the vehicle to a qualified repair shop, where a mechanic can plug a scanner into the OBD terminal and read a trouble code stored by the computer, which will pinpoint the problem.
Stability Control: When this light flashes, it's indicating that the electronic stability control (ESC, sometimes called vehicle stability assist, or VSA) is active. This means that you are likely driving around a corner too fast for the available traction, which may be compromised because of ice, snow or wet pavement. (The light should probably just say "Slow down!") An increasingly common feature on new cars and trucks, ESC will be required by federal regulations on most passenger vehicles by 2012. ESC monitors the vehicle's response to driver steering input, and then applies brakes on individual wheels to help the driver regain control in event of a spinout. The ESC may activate before you even feel the vehicle start to slide, but it's a warning that you need to proceed with caution.
Supplemental Restraint System: This light is alerting you to a problem with the supplemental restraints, which include the airbags, automatic seat-belt tensioners, driver's seat position sensor, the front passenger weight sensor and other items, depending on the vehicle. Consult your owner's manual for details, and see a dealer if you can't solve the issue on your own.
Maintenance: Not to be confused with the more urgent "Check Engine" light, this little wrench-shaped indicator is a reminder to take your vehicle in for scheduled maintenance. On some vehicles, there's an information screen that will tell you which maintenance is due, such as an oil change or air filter change. The dealer or service shop will reset this light when the service is complete.
Washer Level: This light signals you are low on windshield washer fluid. Get some soon. Check the owner's manual to find out where it goes. You can do this yourself if you can open the hood and find the blue cap. Here's a tip: If you are obviously out of washer fluid - the light is on and washer won't squirt - stop using the washers. On many systems, the electric pump is lubricated by the washer fluid, and if you run it dry, you'll ruin the pump.
Veteran moto-journalist and Wisconsin-native Charles Plueddeman has been driving and testing automobiles, motorcycles, boats, ATVs and snowmobiles for more than 20 years. He is a regular contributor to Boating Magazine and Outdoor Life, and his product evaluation articles have appeared in Popular Mechanics, Men's Journal AutoWorld, Playboy, Boats.com and many other national publications and Web sites.
Nissan Altima and Infiniti G37 Sedan Named Top of The Class by Consumer Reports
Yesterday, Consumer Reports released highlights of its upcoming Annual Auto Issue. The magazine, which hits newsstands on March 8, reveals its Top 10 Picks of the Year along with other automotive ratings. CR's Top Picks again include the Nissan Altima, named top Family Sedan, and the Infiniti G37, named top Sport Sedan.
The magazine recognizes the 2011 Altima the second year in a row for providing "an impressive balance of comfort and performance while delivering the best fuel economy in its class. Its comfortable ride, secure handling and spirited acceleration make the Altima enjoyable to drive." Nissan's manufacturing teams in Canton, Miss., and Smyrna, Tenn., build the award-winning Altima, while Nissan's Decherd, Tenn., plant produces the vehicle's engine.
Winning its category of Sports Sedan for the fifth year in a row, the Infiniti G37 receives praise for its "inviting combination of agile handling, blistering acceleration, and luxurious interior makes it one of our highest-scoring sedans. It's fun to drive on a twisty road but is still a fairly comfortable cruiser on the highway."
Recommended Vehicles
Consumer Reports also lists its recommended vehicles in the upcoming Auto Issue, awarding the designation to those that perform well in testing, have better than average reliability, and provide good overall safety. This year, Consumer Reports recommends the Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, Sentra and Versa, and the Infiniti EX, FX, G and M.
Automaker Report Cards
In addition to Top Picks for vehicles, the Annual Auto Issue also features Automaker Report Cards. Nissan ranked eighth among automakers - scoring 65 (Honda and Subaru received the highest score of 74 and 73). The issue notes that "Nissan builds some of the highest-rated cars. Interior quality has improved. Some older models push the overall score down."
Additional highlights from the issue are available at www.consumerreports.org
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