Yep, daytime running lights and head curtain airbags.
I just got a new Lexus RX350 this summer. Two options on it that were new for the model and something that I do not know how I got along without them. The first and biggestā¦ a heads up displayā¦ its great my eyes do not leave the road when drivingā¦ the secondā¦ automatic headlight bright/dimmerā¦ I do not know how they do it but my highbeams go on and off when cars are coming towards me or I am pulling up onto a carā¦ I am sure the other things like side view camera etcā¦ would be a must tooā¦ thanksā¦
AMEN! I would love to see that particular combination as well, and Iām a 30-year-old man! When the windshield is clear, my feet are crispy, and when My hands are finally warm, I canāt see to drive!
Flying J travel centers have a similar setup here in the US, in which all cars travel in one direction.
How it differs is that the fuel hoses are set up like those for truck diesel, in which the hose is extra long and attached to a retractor pulley at the top of the pump, so the hose will reach either side of a vehicle. Once fueling is finished, the customer pulls ahead to allow the others to fuel and goes inside to pay for their fuel and whatever items they pick up inside.
The only problem is people who leave their car at the pump to go shopping.
Functioning turn signals should be required on all BMW vehicles.
The Get Smart āCone of Silenceā should be standard on the passenger side.
Personally, Iād like to see fewer things standard. I rented a Mercedes something or other for a road trip to Luxembourg. I sat in the drivers seat and the seat moved, the mirrors moved, the seatbelts popped out of the wall, the GPS tried to initialize, but found an error. The radio turns off if thereās a traffic or weather alert 1000 km away, the headlights come on automatically, the windshield wipers come on automatically. It took all day to figure out that we couldnāt drop the back seat unless the car was stopped and turned off. Traction control, anti-lock brakes, airbags all over the place. I never knew if Iād left the interior light on or if it would turn off automatically. Because I rented from an American rental place, it was equipped with a governor that kicks on harshly and alarmingly at 100mph. That puts you in the slow lane on the Autobahn. No wonder the car lists for $60,000. And thatās the CHEAP Mercedes. My ā98 Wrangler has practically nothing. Itās about as technologically advanced as a skateboard. With increases in the level of complexity, the chance for error or malfunction also increases. Think HAL. I dig simple. Save for normal wear and tear, the Jeep has never malfunctioned. I once owned a 69/72 Chevy/GMC truck (Dubbed āFrankentruckā because it was cobbled together from three trucks.) I could fix everything on that thing with a 9/16" wrench and a hammer. Now, if you get within 100ā of a 2009 car, the alarm goes off and sends a message to the manufacturer to void the warranty. Simple is safe. Less is more.
Good point,once upon a time a toolkit didnāt need much in it,not the case now.
I wish controls had standard positions and functions-the construction industry has pretty much done this due to safety considerations-Kevin
Window screens/bars for rear passenger windows - stop shedding shoes, kids, dogs, trash - and let the air in when parked.
Volume control on turn signal clicker (or lights). Now that Iām an octogenarian I know why theyāre left on.
Built in clip on sunscreen for toll receipts, parking garage cards, toll money, etc.
Slide-out large sunglass nested in sunscreen(could retract automatically)
something that would not allow to start the car if you had your cell in the car you could put it in the trunk however you would have to be pulled over and out of the car to use it and the car shut off
I believe that a compass should be standard in every vehicle. Often when exiting an expressway, for instance, you lose your sense of direction. I know that I want to go west, etc, but I am not sure which way is which.
If you can see then you DO NOT need daytime running lights. Scientific method would prove this. There has NEVER been a real study of all factors in regards to accidents( drug screen, blood alcohol level, cell phone use, children, wildlife, window-tint too dark, just plain bad driver, age, time of day, weather, etcā¦). When I first read about DRLs, the light level was only to be 5% of low beam, yet Toyota, Gm, honda, and many others are at 90% and set on highbeam. How is this safe? And if I rearend a car without lights on, but they have DRLs on at 4am on my way to work, who is at fault? I run into this every morning. You have headlights(DRLs) and dashlights ( new led dashboards), but NO tail-lights on. And if it is about safety, why in the heck do you need DRLs on LAWNMOWERS? Are lawnmowers street legal? And when do we require Pedestrians, wild animals( deer, raccoons, etc), bicyclist, and everyother possiblity to have lights on?
I want a rapid drug-screen machine on the steering wheel, like breathalizer for drunks. a quick screen and pass the car starts, fail and no go.
Sometimes you cannot get there from here.no matter how tantalizingly close it may seem.Yes a standard compass may be a good idea,if it doesnt provide another driver distraction-Kevin
Oh, I fully understand and support that. Doesnāt make it any less confusing for my brain when Iām focussed on driving and get the window switches wrong as I pull up to the gate at the parking lot. It seems to be mostly about me, too, as whichever car Iām in, Iāll guess wrong on the switches more often than not!
I agree with McParadise, basic is best. Something similar ro a Simca sedan, circa 1968, would be a great automobile. With some basic updates to disc brakes, EFI, and an optional automatic, of course.
Interlock ignition device
Re: bench seats: Itās hard to make out over a center console. Automakers are all prudes.
I just noticed-256 replies. WOW!!!
Real-time fuel usage (MPG), on a non-changeable display. This would allow drivers to get immediate feedback on how their jackrabbit starts or speeding at 80MPH really affects their fuel economy, and would help people train themselves to drive safely and efficiently. Itās one thing to be told that your driving habits are wasting fuel, itās another to actually SEE it. Real time!
This is true, I hope some car designers are reading this forum-because its a pretty enlightend bunch that reads and posts on this Car Talk forum and I cant get over how civil they are,many thanks -Kevin
Dear Tom and Ray,
Here are four options I think should be made standard in addition to the absolutely vital Cell Phone Jammer.
In no particular order:
#B. The "Electric Chair/Turn Signal Behavior Modification Device,"proprietary name FRYYOASS. Using existing seat warmer technology,this gizmo delivers a rude, unmistakable message to the unthinking driver who fails to signal a turn. Detected by gps or inertial sensor, unsignalled turns reward the driver with a noticeably painful but not injurious electric shock to the appropriate area: the place where his head isā¦his butt. If said driver makes two such errors in a row, the voltage delivered increases. Three errors, more voltage, etc. Always stopping short of the fatal charge. (Except of course, in Texas.) With this item standard on all new models, it wonāt be long before we can expect to see drivers signaling gentle left curves on the interstate.
#3. The āFatty Belt,ā which coincidentally and appropriately rhymes with āPatty Melt.ā AKA "The Pinkwater Device."
This seat belt makes comments on the girth of the user. Just as existing technology allows you to program the position of your driverās seat, this device makes note of your weight and width. When you gain weight or increase in horizontality, it makes comments. Like: āOINK! OINK! OINK!ā or "Whoa! Nelly. Get that horse off your lap! or āDonāt you think you should let someone else in Massachusetts eat?ā You get the drift. Obvioulsy, positive reinforcement could be an option, as in: āHey, Skinny,have you lost weight or tied a hundred helium balloons to your head?ā
This is a no brainer for the auto industry. Baddy Detroit can show he cares about Fatty America with this PR coup. (Or is that coupe?)
- The Object on Roof Alert. With this little piece of gear installed, your car will not start with anything on the roof. You will simply be unable to drive off with your favorite, hand-made-by-your-wife coffee cup still up there, or in the case of my beloved brother Mike, our Fatherās ENTIRE MEDICAL HISTORY. (Sheesh! What morons these brothers are.)
And finally, #C. The Solar Powered Ice Maker. Weāve all had cup holders built in for decades. When do we get the ice maker?
Best regards,
Terry