Ford applies for patent on car that can automatically repossess itself

[Roadgeekteen]

[We need to come up with a better method as a society to make sure that this stuff never happens.

We have one

- Get every second of education in a serious marketable field as you possibly can.
- Work hard.
- Pay your bills.
- Pay your debts.
- Don't buy things on credit you cannot afford.
- Lay by a nest egg for a rainy day.

Its called being an adult.

As to the original question, I'm totally down with the idea.  Among the costs of credit are the costs of the deadbeats that has to be spread among all the decent people.  Any system that would lock up a car (self driving cars are science fiction, and there is no need for that, just lock it down and send a signal to HQ to come get it) for non-payment, no insurance, no plates, unpaid tolls, unpaid tickets, and such is great, pushing down the costs that decent people have to pay to cover for other people's irresponsible behaviors.

blah blah bootstraps blah blah blah

[kalvado]

[We need to come up with a better method as a society to make sure that this stuff never happens.

We have one

- Get every second of education in a serious marketable field as you possibly can.
- Work hard.
- Pay your bills.
- Pay your debts.
- Don't buy things on credit you cannot afford.
- Lay by a nest egg for a rainy day.

Its called being an adult.

As to the original question, I'm totally down with the idea.  Among the costs of credit are the costs of the deadbeats that has to be spread among all the decent people.  Any system that would lock up a car (self driving cars are science fiction, and there is no need for that, just lock it down and send a signal to HQ to come get it) for non-payment, no insurance, no plates, unpaid tolls, unpaid tickets, and such is great, pushing down the costs that decent people have to pay to cover for other people's irresponsible behaviors.

blah blah bootstraps blah blah blah

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/vehicle-repossession#Electronic

When you got your car loan, you might have agreed to have a device on your car that prevents it from starting – sometimes called a "starter interrupt"  or "kill switch"  – if you don't make your payments on time.

blah blah, show me your money first

[Roadgeekteen]

[We need to come up with a better method as a society to make sure that this stuff never happens.

We have one

- Get every second of education in a serious marketable field as you possibly can.
- Work hard.
- Pay your bills.
- Pay your debts.
- Don't buy things on credit you cannot afford.
- Lay by a nest egg for a rainy day.

Its called being an adult.

As to the original question, I'm totally down with the idea.  Among the costs of credit are the costs of the deadbeats that has to be spread among all the decent people.  Any system that would lock up a car (self driving cars are science fiction, and there is no need for that, just lock it down and send a signal to HQ to come get it) for non-payment, no insurance, no plates, unpaid tolls, unpaid tickets, and such is great, pushing down the costs that decent people have to pay to cover for other people's irresponsible behaviors.

blah blah bootstraps blah blah blah

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/vehicle-repossession#Electronic

When you got your car loan, you might have agreed to have a device on your car that prevents it from starting — sometimes called a “starter interrupt” or “kill switch” — if you don’t make your payments on time.

blah blah, show me your money first

I wasn't really tallking about the car stuff anymore, I was more talking about the rest of SP Cook's post. Cook was quoting my post about utilities getting shut off back on page one.

[kalvado]

[We need to come up with a better method as a society to make sure that this stuff never happens.

We have one

- Get every second of education in a serious marketable field as you possibly can.
- Work hard.
- Pay your bills.
- Pay your debts.
- Don't buy things on credit you cannot afford.
- Lay by a nest egg for a rainy day.

Its called being an adult.

As to the original question, I'm totally down with the idea.  Among the costs of credit are the costs of the deadbeats that has to be spread among all the decent people.  Any system that would lock up a car (self driving cars are science fiction, and there is no need for that, just lock it down and send a signal to HQ to come get it) for non-payment, no insurance, no plates, unpaid tolls, unpaid tickets, and such is great, pushing down the costs that decent people have to pay to cover for other people's irresponsible behaviors.

blah blah bootstraps blah blah blah

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/vehicle-repossession#Electronic

When you got your car loan, you might have agreed to have a device on your car that prevents it from starting – sometimes called a "starter interrupt"  or "kill switch"  – if you don't make your payments on time.

blah blah, show me your money first

I wasn't really tallking about the car stuff anymore, I was more talking about the rest of SP Cook's post. Cook was quoting my post about utilities getting shut off back on page one.

it's an interesting question on where to draw the line between minimal life-supporting needs and luxury. Full disconnect of utilities may be harsh; I know CA implemented forcible installation of flow restrictors  to those who refused to limit their water consumption. Probably a smarter way of doing things.

[Roadgeekteen]

Well I think that it should be clear that running water is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Some of the prior posts (mostly just the SP Cook one) reek of a "poverty is a choice" type attitude.

[kalvado]

Well I think that it should be clear that running water is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Some of the prior posts (mostly just the SP Cook one) reek of a "poverty is a choice" type attitude.

how much of water and electricity is a necessity and how much is a luxury? For living space, for example, a room per person is a luxury and a bed in shelter covers  minimal necessity. Steak is a luxury, loaf of bread is a necessity.  a gallon of water a day is enough for drinking and basic cooking... Watering lawn is definitely a luxury. I can make similar statements for electricity, that would be more difficult to implement, though.

[SP Cook]

Discussions of what is a "luxury" vis a "necessity" imply that one should not pay for necessities. 

No, the real world doesn't work like that.  Is water a "necessity"?  Probably.  So it is therefore a "necessity" that you get a job and go to work, so you can pay for it. 

[LilianaUwU]

Discussions of what is a "luxury" vis a "necessity" imply that one should not pay for necessities. 

No, the real world doesn't work like that.  Is water a "necessity"?  Probably.  So it is therefore a "necessity" that you get a job and go to work, so you can pay for it.

You're a special kind of capitalist, aren't you?

[Roadgeekteen]

Discussions of what is a "luxury" vis a "necessity" imply that one should not pay for necessities. 

No, the real world doesn't work like that.  Is water a "necessity"?  Probably.  So it is therefore a "necessity" that you get a job and go to work, so you can pay for it.

Uh life doesn't really work that way. Do you support getting rid of food stamps and unemployment benefits as well? What about medicaid/medicare?

[hotdogPi]

Discussions of what is a "luxury" vis a "necessity" imply that one should not pay for necessities. 

No, the real world doesn't work like that.  Is water a "necessity"?  Probably.  So it is therefore a "necessity" that you get a job and go to work, so you can pay for it.

Uh life doesn't really work that way. Do you support getting rid of food stamps and unemployment benefits as well? What about medicaid/medicare?

Knowing SP Cook, yes for the first two.

Remember how many politicians brag about getting people off food stamps or complain that there are too many people on food stamps.

[Roadgeekteen]

Discussions of what is a "luxury" vis a "necessity" imply that one should not pay for necessities. 

No, the real world doesn't work like that.  Is water a "necessity"?  Probably.  So it is therefore a "necessity" that you get a job and go to work, so you can pay for it.

Uh life doesn't really work that way. Do you support getting rid of food stamps and unemployment benefits as well? What about medicaid/medicare?

Knowing SP Cook, yes for the first two.

Cook the kind of guy to oppose free school lunch for low income children.

[kalvado]

Discussions of what is a "luxury" vis a "necessity" imply that one should not pay for necessities. 

No, the real world doesn't work like that.  Is water a "necessity"?  Probably.  So it is therefore a "necessity" that you get a job and go to work, so you can pay for it.

There is a concept of social security, so that those who cannot afford most basic things still get a chance to live.

[CtrlAltDel]

Well I think that it should be clear that running water is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Some of the prior posts (mostly just the SP Cook one) reek of a "poverty is a choice" type attitude.

I tend to think that SP is less of a "poverty is a choice" kind of guy and more of a "the poor need to suffer to encourage the others" kind of guy. That said, there is some overlap between the two.

[Roadgeekteen]

Well I think that it should be clear that running water is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Some of the prior posts (mostly just the SP Cook one) reek of a "poverty is a choice" type attitude.

I tend to think that SP is less of a "poverty is a choice" kind of guy and more of a "the poor need to suffer to encourage the others" kind of guy. That said, there is some overlap between the two.

Cook the kind of guy to think that the best people in society are billionares as they have the most money.

[CtrlAltDel]

Well I think that it should be clear that running water is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Some of the prior posts (mostly just the SP Cook one) reek of a "poverty is a choice" type attitude.

I tend to think that SP is less of a "poverty is a choice" kind of guy and more of a "the poor need to suffer to encourage the others" kind of guy. That said, there is some overlap between the two.

Cook the kind of guy to think that the best people in society are billionares as they have the most money.

SP, again in my view, is much less pro-rich than he is anti-poor.

[ethanhopkin14]

I park my car in the garage.  So if there is a glitch (which you know there will be because there always is one) and then they hit the reposes button, the car I am up to date on just ran away from home and I need a new garage door!!!

[dlsterner]

I guess one could convert their garage into a Faraday cage ...

[kalvado]

I park my car in the garage.  So if there is a glitch (which you know there will be because there always is one) and then they hit the reposes button, the car I am up to date on just ran away from home and I need a new garage door!!!

There is a lot of fine print here. First, closed garage may be off limits for repossession. Second, you assume automatic car wouldn't recognize there is something in the way. Third, you assume anyone actually expects that repo scheme become real within foreseeable future.

[SP Cook]

SP, again in my view, is much less pro-rich than he is anti-poor.

I am 100% anti being poor.  That is why I W O R K for a living.

[Roadgeekteen]

SP, again in my view, is much less pro-rich than he is anti-poor.

I am 100% anti being poor.  That is why I W O R K for a living.

What happens if you have some sort of health condition that causes you to not be able to work anymore?

[J N Winkler]

I clicked through on the article because I was curious as to whether prior art would allow Ford to claim innovation.  Aside from the aspect of the car driving itself to an area within the lienholder's control, I am not sure it does.  In a sense, dystopia has already arrived, since current cars allow remote access for diagnosis and diagnostic interfaces have already been successfully hacked to take over the steering, cause the car to stall, etc.

[kalvado]

I clicked through on the article because I was curious as to whether prior art would allow Ford to claim innovation.  Aside from the aspect of the car driving itself to an area within the lienholder's control, I am not sure it does.  In a sense, dystopia has already arrived, since current cars allow remote access for diagnosis and diagnostic interfaces have already been successfully hacked to take over the steering, cause the car to stall, etc.

It's not that hijacking cars or stealing parts was never a problem.

On a grand scheme of things, companies want to switch from "sold and done" to monthly payments for everything. Remember the days when software was sold in a box, for one?
Infamous "seat heater is only included with  a monthly subscription" is a bigger thing from my perspective.

[SP Cook]

SP, again in my view, is much less pro-rich than he is anti-poor.

I am 100% anti being poor.  That is why I W O R K for a living.

What happens if you have some sort of health condition that causes you to not be able to work anymore?

Society takes care of you.  That represents, BTW, about 1 out of 5 people currently receiving government (AKA taxpayer) money.

What happens when you simply refuse to work? 

[CtrlAltDel]

Well I think that it should be clear that running water is not a luxury, it is a necessity. Some of the prior posts (mostly just the SP Cook one) reek of a "poverty is a choice" type attitude.

I tend to think that SP is less of a "poverty is a choice" kind of guy and more of a "the poor need to suffer to encourage the others" kind of guy. That said, there is some overlap between the two.

I am 100% anti being poor.  That is why I W O R K for a living.

I stand corrected.

[kalvado]

SP, again in my view, is much less pro-rich than he is anti-poor.

I am 100% anti being poor.  That is why I W O R K for a living.

What happens if you have some sort of health condition that causes you to not be able to work anymore?

Society takes care of you.  That represents, BTW, about 1 out of 5 people currently receiving government (AKA taxpayer) money.

What happens when you simply refuse to work?

There can be different situations. With many people living paycheck to paycheck temporary financial problems may affect even those who work, especially low paid jobs.

For example , there was a case not long ago when a company MyPayrollHR and it's owner Michael Mann screwed up a lot of people by not only failing to make a deposit (actually scheduling transfers and not backing them up with funds). Then the bank made it worse by reversing paycheck transaction and processing reverse one TWICE. So people got a WITHDRAWAL equal to their paycheck instead of a paycheck. It took a while to sort things out. Thousands people got affected. (I know this as the guy was based approximately 5 miles from my home, and there was a lot of noise locally about the situation). Things were eventually resolved (I am not exactly sure who covered those losses after all), but I think it took a few weeks before employers were made whole. 

It's easy to escalate from there...