Transportation Technology "Bombs".

[wanderer2575]

1. Parallel parking

I don't find that to be true, because I can't tell from my backup camera exactly where the back end of my car is.

Neither can I, but after a little experimentation and observation (getting out of my vehicle and seeing how far it actually is from an object in comparison to the display) I know how close an object can appear in my display before I would hit it.

[SEWIGuy]

1. Parallel parking

I don't find that to be true, because I can't tell from my backup camera exactly where the back end of my car is.

Really? Cause in mine it makes it perfectly clear.

[hotdogPi]

1. Parallel parking

I don't find that to be true, because I can't tell from my backup camera exactly where the back end of my car is.

Really? Cause in mine it makes it perfectly clear.

There's a small buffer between where it claims the end of the car is and where the actual end of the car is.

[1995hoo]

1. Parallel parking

I don't find that to be true, because I can't tell from my backup camera exactly where the back end of my car is.

Neither can I, but after a little experimentation and observation (getting out of my vehicle and seeing how far it actually is from an object in comparison to the display) I know how close an object can appear in my display before I would hit it.

In my wife's Acura, a set of yellow bars appears on the screen as you start getting closer to the vehicle behind you, and then they turn orange the closer you get. I've found that stopping when they turn orange is just right (whereas she is lousy at parallel parking and thinks stopping when they turn yellow is better).

I found the approach Tesla uses to be interesting—it tells you how many inches there are to the obstacle and then flashes "STOP" on the screen when you're about to hit something (I saw "STOP" when I parked facing some bushes near my brother-in-law's house, but I never parallel parked and thus don't know how effective it would be in that scenario).

[pderocco]

I don't find that to be true, because I can't tell from my backup camera exactly where the back end of my car is.

Isn't that like saying that you can't tell from your eyes exactly where your face is?

[Rothman]

1. Parallel parking

I don't find that to be true, because I can't tell from my backup camera exactly where the back end of my car is.

Huh.  I've used backup cameras in multiple models now.  All have been helpful and, worryingly, sometimes a replacement for good visibility out the rear window.

Have to say they've improved my parallel parking skills.

[kphoger]

My backup camera does three things:

1.  It displays an image in the rearview mirror.  There is no indication in that image of where the back end of the vehicle is, nor is there anything that pops up in the image when the car gets really close to anything, therefore it is not very useful.

2.  There are three indicator lights above the rear hatch.  It starts with one, then additional ones light up as the vehicle approaches an object.  Half the time I'm backing up, I'm looking over that shoulder, so it's arguably more useful, but it's basically just a deaf-friendly version of the next thing.

3.  A 'boop' sounds along with the first indicator light.  When the third indicator lights up, it goes 'boop boop boop boop boop ...'  This is the most useful of all.

None of the actually useful things have anything to do with the image displayed in the rearview mirror.

(Our car's name is Betty Boop.  That's because it has a large and curvy rear end, it is grey, and it goes boop.)

[Rothman]

My backup camera does three things:

1.  It displays an image in the rearview mirror.  There is no indication in that image of where the back end of the vehicle is, nor is there anything that pops up in the image when the car gets really close to anything, therefore it is not very useful.

2.  There are three indicator lights above the rear hatch.  It starts with one, then additional ones light up as the vehicle approaches an object.  Half the time I'm backing up, I'm looking over that shoulder, so it's arguably more useful, but it's basically just a deaf-friendly version of the next thing.

3.  A 'boop' sounds along with the first indicator light.  When the third indicator lights up, it goes 'boop boop boop boop boop ...'  This is the most useful of all.

None of the actually useful things have anything to do with the image displayed in the rearview mirror.

(Our car's name is Betty Boop.  That's because it has a large and curvy rear end, it is grey, and it goes boop.)

You need a new car.

[SeriesE]

"Talking" cars

Back in the mid-1980s, several automakers introduced talking warnings, e.g., "Your keys are in the ignition." in a somewhat condescending voice.  This seemed to be almost universally loathed by motorists, not the least reason was that they essentially paid $1k more for a voice rather than a buzzer or chime.  I think this was a case of "because we can", since the technology for talking warnings was new at the time.

This is NOT to be confused with "KITT", the talking car in the TV series Knight Rider.  At least one episode had the person who commandeered the vehicle think it was just another voice synthesis thing, until KITT said "You ain't seen nothing yet."  The rogue was puzzled that the message used bad grammar.

Still very alive in Japan, by the way

[kphoger]

You need a new car.

I mean, yeah, maybe.  But not because of the backup camera.

[Scott5114]

Why would a car record everything you say?

To sell your data to third parties.

And possible blackmail.

Exactly.  Has any company been able to resist selling customer data to advertisers and who knows who else?  Not to mention getting recorded in the event recorder black box.

I don't want a car that has a camera to monitor me and potentially deem me "tired" or "distracted" based on what it assumes head and eye motions mean, either.

Then again, I think a lot of privacy concerns stem from anxiety about facing one's true insignificance or unimportance.  "If someone actually cares about the mundane conversations in my car, it must mean I am important!"  I've yet to be negatively affected because someone else has sold my "data."  Life goes on.

Possibly, but I can't help but wonder why Nissan and Kia make you agree to them collecting data on your sexual activity. Given that the policy also says this data can be used to comply with "governmental requests", and the way that Southern politics is going...

I'm also a member of a social group that not everyone likes, so I'm more sensitive to such things.  The last thing I need is to get doxxed by libsoftiktok or something.

Fortunately for you, libsoftiktok in particular probably isn't going to have time to dox you, since she's in charge of approving material for Oklahoma school libraries now.

[CtrlAltDel]

Possibly, but I can't help but wonder why Nissan and Kia make you agree to them collecting data on your sexual activity. Given that the policy also says this data can be used to comply with "governmental requests", and the way that Southern politics is going...

Do you think this "sexual activity" thing refers to sex as such or rather certain procedures that occasionally take place after sex, which are legal in some jurisdictions but not others?

[J N Winkler]

Do you think this "sexual activity" thing refers to sex as such or rather certain procedures that occasionally take place after sex, which are legal in some jurisdictions but not others?

I followed the Jalopnik link and it seems Nissan's excuse is as follows:

*  State privacy laws vary in what they cover, so Nissan has to obtain consent for information that is collected incidentally through the use of geolocation services.

*  Nissan provides an opt-out.

None of this is to minimize the fact that the information is collected and sold, including to buyers in law enforcement, and this opens the door to criminalizing travel to another jurisdiction to access goods and services that are legal there.

[Scott5114]

Possibly, but I can't help but wonder why Nissan and Kia make you agree to them collecting data on your sexual activity. Given that the policy also says this data can be used to comply with "governmental requests", and the way that Southern politics is going...

Do you think this "sexual activity" thing refers to sex as such or rather certain procedures that occasionally take place after sex, which are legal in some jurisdictions but not others?

Sure. There's also certain kinds of sexual activity that are illegal in the South, but the laws are not enforced because the state is currently complying with a Supreme Court decision. Enforcement could happen if the Supreme Court changes its opinion, or the state no longer desires to remain in compliance with it.

[hbelkins]

"Talking" cars

Back in the mid-1980s, several automakers introduced talking warnings, e.g., "Your keys are in the ignition." in a somewhat condescending voice.  This seemed to be almost universally loathed by motorists, not the least reason was that they essentially paid $1k more for a voice rather than a buzzer or chime.  I think this was a case of "because we can", since the technology for talking warnings was new at the time.

"A door is ajar." No, a door is a door.

I worked at Chrysler, and one day we were looking up something in the "code guide" and found that you could order the warnings in various languages - French, Spanish, etc. We got into a discussion of how there should be regional accents available too. Then it devolved into coming up with things like Jewish Mother-in-Law or Brooklyn Gangster.

My uncle and aunt had a talking New Yorker in the later 1980s or so.

Reminds me of the Eddie Murphy "Delirious" comedy routine.

"Ding. Lights are on."

Waiting for it to say, "Ding. Somebody stole yo' bat'ry."