Before anybody starts blaming some politician on FORCING us to buy cars with stability control…I’d like to point out…the BIG PUSH for this is from the HUGE Insurance Lobbyists. Yes it is OUR politicians who are passing this bill…but they are being whined and dined by the insurance industry.
Both our cars have stability control. And at least ONE occasion it really really helped. But I too am NOT for many of these Insurance mandated…err…I mean Government mandated regulations.
time until cars drive themselves: 15 years
Haven’t people been making that prediction for at least the last 25 years? Heck, by now we are all supposed to have our own personal jet packs. I want my jet pack!!!
Some of you think you can drive yourself out of any problem stability control can solve. There are some instances where you can’t.
One time a friend of mine was driving a Nissan 300ZX on the Florida Turnpike in a heavy rain storm. The car next to her hydroplaned and clipped the Nissan. It swerved in one direction and started spinning. She survived with cuts and bruises, but if the car had stability control, she might have never have spun out of control.
Stability control protects stupid people who do stupid things, but that is an unfortunate side effect. It also protects innocent people, and they deserve protection. It’s the right thing to do. It’s the moral thing to do. It’s the Christian thing to do.
Regardless of the source (government, insurance companies, or carmakers), safety equipment in cars has made a HUGE difference in the death rate from driving. What else, really, has changed since 1965, right in the ‘golden age’ of American cars? Are roads better? Are drivers better? In 1965 there were about 6 deaths per 100 million passenger miles. By 2008 there was almost an 80% reduction, to 1.25 deaths per 100 million passenger miles, and it’s been going down year by year.
Say what you want about government interference, cost, complexity, etc. Bottom line: it’s working.
I think your argument is simplistic, naive, and flawed. Sure, nobody wants more intrusion into their lives, but more and more people live their lives not knowing the terror of a roll over because of this technology. Something that disappears into the background when operating properly hardly ever wins accolades, but it can still make a difference without your ever knowing it.
I think you’re also forgetting that vehicles roll over to good people driving properly, at the correct speed for the situation/limit, and with good equipment as well. The car that gets side swiped by a drunk driver, and skids sideways into the median could very well be protected by stability control that you say “nobody wants”. An oily patch, long forgotten on the otherwise dry road, caused by a leaking truck rears its ugly head in the first moments of a light rain, causing a spin out which is mitigated by stability control well before the car has a chance to roll. Make up your own situation.
Your argument that it will become standard if it has merit on its own was already coming true. Before the law was passed, I would bet a majority of designs already had it included in their standard package, or had it planned for the next refresh anyway. I know all the cars I’ve owned since 99 have had it, and a majority of the cars my peers drive did as well.
For those calling for more driver training, less distracted driving etc. We can beg and plead all we want, but the most expediant way to save lives (because the better training isn’t happening, and people aren’t getting any smarter) is to implement a simple and inexpensive fix… which in this case (almost always) has an off switch.
As for your “nobody want and needs” statement. I want it in my car, and for the last 10 years I’ve driven cars with it… standard. And I rue the day that you or somebody you loves needs it, but it will come.
How is yelling that out the window of your car, wishing it would happen, working for ya? Noticing any improvement?
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Didn’t think so.
And ABS has been discovered (repeatedly) to have some serious strengths, as we’ve elaborated in previous posts.
Complaining about people using horsepower to avoid somebody they cut off from a guy who’s nickname is Twin Turbo? How apropos. How about an off switch for the mandated system? Like the one my car has for the stability control programs? That way your wife (anythings possible) can use it to keep herself safe, and you can turn it off everytime you leave the driveway, and subsequently hoon yourself right into a wall…
Your physics analysis has some truth to it, but from experience in both the performance driving course I took and in real life, stability control/traction control served to mitigate the event, maybe not keeping you from skidding at all, but often keeping you from exacerbating the problem, or the problem excelerating past the point where a competent driver could handle it, and ending up in the trees. You may be giving up a little control, but judging by the god of car control you seem to be, I’m sure you’re doing the scandanavian flick around every snowy corner you come up to anyway.
Or how about this… Don’t trust it, not a quick learner of new tech? Turn it off when you leave your parking spot.
Really?I’ve never had a car with stability control(had a new Nissan once with 4 wheel ABS,didn’t like driving it in icy or snowy weather-because I didn’t have as much control stopping it) any way I will say it again-the system works great,but I do not want to pay 1500 dollars extra to get it,I was under the impression the biggest benefit was for top heavy SUVs that people cant seem to be able slow down in bad weather.(Biggest bang for the buck shoulder belts,)I imagine diminishing returns will really not favor complex electromechanical systems.If we really want big brother to be in our wallets,bring on the Diesels(might not save lives,but will save money in the long run(gosh what would we do with that light faction poison brew then?{for another discussion}.
I know I rambled and got off subject a bit-but please Uncle Sugar,let us choose what we want occasionally-Kevin
You know what they say about ASSume? In this case it only applies to you. TwinTurbo is a reference to a custom transmission not a power adder you fool. The rest of your assumptions are just as unfounded and unworthy of further comment.
You’re right…those situations happen…but how often and does it warrant the NEED to MANDATE stability control on every vehicle sold in the US.
I’ve driven over 1 million miles…and ONE time did (or could) having stability control save me from getting in a accident…
Rambled isn’t the right word, but I agree about the diesels. I would love a modern diesel version of my car. And it isn’t a 1500 dollar system, its a much closer to a 10 dollar factory programming installation on most modern cars that have 4 wheel ABS. You see 1500 dollars on the spec sheet is because that is what the car companies can ask for, because it isn’t mandated, and because people are willing to pay extra for safety. Remember a month or so ago when the Lexus SUV was having heartache over its stability control system not fully functioning to Consumer Reports satisfaction? They fixed it in a week. Across the entire line. It was a programming change. We aren’t talking about back fitting cars with new mechanical complexity and hardware, just having it installed on new cars, so cost is of little concern.
So if something is negligably expensive on a new car, why not just have it standard across all cars in the US? Otherwise called mandated here by the big govmn’t haters.
And sorry to hear you aren’t comfortable with ABS. I find my car much more controlled in a skid in snow, rain, and ice with it, and stability control, and traction control, and all wheel drive, and driver training on how to use them all. And my car is no SUV. Its German, Silver, and has a Blue and White circle on it. And 300 HP of Station wagon goodness.
I’ve driven over 1 million miles…and ONE time did (or could) having stability control save me from getting in a accident…
That’s how all safety innovations work. You may never need it, and I hope you never do.
There is so much distrust of not only electronics in car, but of the government, in this thread, I’m really curious to know the sources of your distrust of all things gov’t and electrical.
If you want to have a vehicle where its you, and the tires, in complete control of the vehicle, with no gov’t interference, buy a motorcycle. Make sure its not a BMW. Then you can do whatever you want on the road, in whatever conditions the road is in, and it will be no one’s fault but your own if you slide off a cliff, and get a boo-boo.
I love my motorcycles, because they all put a smile on my face.
As for cars, I have seen the majority of people out on the roads, and honestly, I want every vehicle on the road to be equally safe, for me, as a fellow motorist. Here’s a list of things I think should be added to every car, and things I think should be taken away, to make the road safer for everyone:
First and foremost:
Remove Navigation Systems, bluetooth integration with phones for the stereo, and lets remove the stupid radio to begin with. You are driving a huge box on the road. Your attention should be on the road, not on trying to find your Celine Deion cd in the back seat, or on convincing your wife, whom you are currently divorcing, that the engagement ring you gave her is a family heirloom, and that it stays in your family.
Something that I would love to see added to every vehicle on the road is turn signals in the side view mirrors. I can’t count the number of times that I’ve been riding along side of a vehicle, and suddenly the person is changing into my lane, forcing me to blow my horn (which is pointless if they are blasting their radio), accelerate hard, or brake hard, both actions are capable of getting me injured. Having the indicator in the side view mirror has given me a visual cue to take action quicker at times, and makes me safer.
Its my personal opinion that every car on the road should have the same brake setup that is on my Porsche Boxster. Large rotors, at all 4 corners, 4 piston radially mounted brake calipers at all 4 corners, and brake pads that are really easy to replace. Is it overkill? Yes. But when there are so many cars out there that are barely capable of stopping already, or that have brakes that warp under normal driving in 12k miles, its time to overbuild the most important pedal in the car.
As for diesels, I’m mixed on that.
I would love the extra fuel economy, but every time I’m behind or next to a diesel on the road, my lungs get filled with that horrible smell, and I get to choke on that cloud of soot. That can’t be good for my health, and don’t tell me that newer diesels are cleaner, and pollute less. The first thing that most people here in Colorado do with their diesels is modify them to spew out a black cloud of smoke, shortly after leaving the dealership. Mostly trucks and SUV’s, but cars, too.
Stability control is nice, but I would rather have them mandate something that will keep the drivers in their lane, or on their side of the double yellow lines. So many times, while driving along, I get to watch drivers fail to keep their vehicle in their lane, for no other reason than they have no concept of where their vehicle is.
Mandate that, and I will live a longer life, guaranteed.
BC.
If you want to have a vehicle where its you, and the tires, in complete control of the vehicle, with no gov’t interference, buy a motorcycle.
The other option is to buy an old car and restore it instead of buying a new one.
People act like making ASM standard gives them no choices. In fact, this should motivate them to restore an old classic instead of buying a new car. If you think you are so manly you don’t need modern safety equipment, buy a car that doesn’t have it, and make sure your will is up-to-date. Nobody is going to twist your arm and make you buy a modern car.
You mean to say that ALL safety innovations are MANDATED???
I suggest you do some research before you make that statement.
And for the VAST MAJORITY of people restoring a vehicle is NOT an option.
You mean to say that ALL safety innovations are MANDATED???
I NEVER said such a thing. You may want to CUT BACK on whatever it is you are SMOKING.
I WOULD give you credit for being CREATIVE, but I can’t give you credit for PULLING something like this our of your A___.
Why not?