Things you want standard on all cars in 10 years?

[carmadgaz]

Pannywagon said:

I like every single one of those things. It's called convenience. Why buy a dog and bark yourself?

Yes, there are times when I want to drive, but 90% of the time I'm either commuting or driving the family around. Why do you feel that the only valid option is the balls out, fully committed, screw everything, uncomfortable (most of the time) go-kart option?

F**k that. Life's too short.

It's called idleness, my Mazda has none of the above yet is neither balls out (unless required) or uncomfortable. If you are driving you are driving, wipers and lights are hardly challenging, these things are unnecessary crap.

[Leins]

Only Xenons thanks

[Huff]

A driver with an interest in what they are doing.

[quiraing]

Power steering abolished. Any un-necessary tat within the cabin binned. Yes that includes cup holders. Touchscreen computers and satnavs banned - if you don't know where you're going then read a map - you control the car, it doesn't control you.

[Pothole]

RevolveR said:

All round parking sensors
USB socket that can charge and read/play files e.g. MP3s from devices
Aux socket
Sat nav

Bluetooth or similar is the way forward, surely? Everything will be wireless in less than 10 years

[otolith]

carmadgaz said:

otolith said:

Throttle pedal, brake pedal, steering wheel.

I'll add a radio to that please.

In most cars I would want a radio and probably a few other things too, but not all cars - not in a Caterham/Radical/Atom type car, for example.

[carmadgaz]

quiraing said:

Power steering abolished.

I disagree with this. Fine in little cars but my old Landie has no PAS and it's a pig to move in tight spaces. I manage but someone like my little sis genuinely struggles to turn the wheel. It's an assist but it isn't one that takes any control from the driver.

By your logic servos on brakes should be abolished too. Again doesn't take the control away from the driver, just increases the braking effort.

[Pannywagon]

carmadgaz said:

Pannywagon said:

I like every single one of those things. It's called convenience. Why buy a dog and bark yourself?

Yes, there are times when I want to drive, but 90% of the time I'm either commuting or driving the family around. Why do you feel that the only valid option is the balls out, fully committed, screw everything, uncomfortable (most of the time) go-kart option?

F**k that. Life's too short.

It's called idleness, my Mazda has none of the above yet is neither balls out (unless required) or uncomfortable. If you are driving you are driving, wipers and lights are hardly challenging, these things are unnecessary crap.

My response to that is that yes, it possibly is. But after another dreary commute in nose to tail traffic and horrible weather, someone driving a car that looks after most things (and just needs monitoring to make sure it does it right) will arrive calmer and in a more productive state, then someone who's been tweaking their manual ventilation controls and fighting with manual gears and all the other ancillary controls.

Ultimately, whether you love driving or not, commuting is pretty much cack, and a daily driver should (in this day and age) be designed to make it as painless as possible.

A weekend car is a different beast entirely.

[carmadgaz]

Pannywagon said:

My response to that is that yes, it possibly is. But after another dreary commute in nose to tail traffic and horrible weather, someone driving a car that looks after most things (and just needs monitoring to make sure it does it right) will arrive calmer and in a more productive state, then someone who's been tweaking their manual ventilation controls and fighting with manual gears and all the other ancillary controls.

Ultimately, whether you love driving or not, commuting is pretty much cack, and a daily driver should (in this day and age) be designed to make it as painless as possible.

A weekend car is a different beast entirely.

Agreed, commuting is cack but nose to tail tends to make my mind wander and the assists would just make my mind wander further, I arrive in a vegative, stressed state. My old Volvo is great for commuting, it involves you in the drive, fiddling with the vents to keep it all clear, no assistance to the controls at all (not even PAS, hell it even has a choke.

If your commute is that painful, take an alternate form of transport. If you are in control of 1.5T of metal you should be in full control of it not relying on a bunch of nanny electrics.

[Pannywagon]

carmadgaz said:

Pannywagon said:

My response to that is that yes, it possibly is. But after another dreary commute in nose to tail traffic and horrible weather, someone driving a car that looks after most things (and just needs monitoring to make sure it does it right) will arrive calmer and in a more productive state, then someone who's been tweaking their manual ventilation controls and fighting with manual gears and all the other ancillary controls.

Ultimately, whether you love driving or not, commuting is pretty much cack, and a daily driver should (in this day and age) be designed to make it as painless as possible.

A weekend car is a different beast entirely.

Agreed, commuting is cack but nose to tail tends to make my mind wander and the assists would just make my mind wander further, I arrive in a vegative, stressed state. My old Volvo is great for commuting, it involves you in the drive, fiddling with the vents to keep it all clear, no assistance to the controls at all (not even PAS, hell it even has a choke.

If your commute is that painful, take an alternate form of transport. If you are in control of 1.5T of metal you should be in full control of it not relying on a bunch of nanny electrics.

I promise you, I am in full control.

Save any disaster tomorrow. 30,000 miles a year for the last 7 years, no accidents (apart from 2 where I wasn't at fault, was stopped and couldn't have avoided them without being able to see through a hill) and no points.

Living in Cornwall makes public transport a non-option, so the daily commute into hell, sorry, Plymouth, has to happen by car. Sadly that's the same for pretty much everyone who lives in the East of Cornwall. Live in God's Own Country and work in Plymouth.

[quiraing]

carmadgaz said:

quiraing said:

Power steering abolished.

I disagree with this. Fine in little cars but my old Landie has no PAS and it's a pig to move in tight spaces. I manage but someone like my little sis genuinely struggles to turn the wheel. It's an assist but it isn't one that takes any control from the driver.

By your logic servos on brakes should be abolished too. Again doesn't take the control away from the driver, just increases the braking effort.

Agree with your point as regards Landys or other non-sporty vehicles which are generally heavy to drive anyway and where PAS is really a necessity, but a lot of the driving feel is lost when PAS fitted. e.g. Non-PAS BMW e30 318i steering feels much more responsive than that of the much faster E30 325i PAS-equipped car.
Non-servo brakes have much more feel but you do have to stand on them a bit to get the same stopping power as servoed brakes.

[clunkbox]

Line + Bluetooth audio in. Most cars are getting there I think. If I've got my tunes I'm gravy.


Anything other gizmos I'd quite happily do without or option in. Keyless Entry, Cruise, Parking Sensors, A good on board computer are all nice but I'd quite happily go without in a vehicle I'm not doing big miles in.

[otolith]

I do like the non-servo brakes on k-series Elises, but on the other hand I like having ABS on mine.

[StottyZr]

g3org3y said:

Naturally aspirated petrol engines would be nice.

(the return of the BMW staight six?)

Can you explain this one to me? I had a nice drive in a 325i e46, the throttle was very smooth and didn't feel responsive one bit and it had absolutely no power until about 4500rpm. It only revved to around 6500 so it wasn't even remotely close to a screamer, it did about 30mpg with effort and had 192hp... I really could not see what the rave was about at all. Also, the sound is very muted.

I expected much, much much more due to all the hype on here. The general consensus' on this site I've found are accurate, just no on this occation!

[Leins]

StottyZr said:

Can you explain this one to me? I had a nice drive in a 325i e46, the throttle was very smooth and didn't feel responsive one bit and it had absolutely no power until about 4500rpm. It only revved to around 6500 so it wasn't even remotely close to a screamer, it did about 30mpg with effort and had 192hp... I really could not see what the rave was about at all. Also, the sound is very muted.

I expected much, much much more due to all the hype on here. The general consensus' on this site I've found are accurate, just no on this occation!

I had a 325ti for several years and loved it:

- Engine was free-revving, and took off above 4k RPM
- Made a lovely noise, although not too loud
- Was quick enough, but had lovely handling, and you could really fire it down a back-road with gusto if you wanted to

Remember this is very much the median engine in the E46 range. I could tell you tales of another naturally-aspirated straight 6-engined one that will scream its lungs out for everyone to hear

[Patrick Bateman]

I really don't understand some folk on this forum.

Power steering abolished? Whinge automatic lights whinge automatic wipers.

You don't have to use them in their auto mode. It's not that big of a deal if I choose to use them in their auto mode though is it? I can even switch them on myself sometimes!

You can turn traction and stability control off while we're at it, well, in most cars anyway.

[Frances The Mute]

Automatic lane recognition.

Someone needs to solve the problem of lane discipline as the retards driving the cars will clearly never do it under their own steam.

[Tartan Pixie]

pistonoobs said:

We also need better designed cup holders. So many cars have st cupholder, it's untrue.

Coffee maker. Kenyan beans please, the nutty taste they seem to do so well. No point in having a cup holder without the right drink.

Hover jets would be nice too. Nothing fancy like, just enough to pass any queues on the M6 would be nice.

[Digger]

Nevermind 2022. . . in 2012 i really would prefer more than 6, 8, 10 or 12 GB of storage for my MP3's please. I never even knew hdd's that small were manufactured, let alone stuffed in to brand new cars!? Guess i'll have to keep dragging along my four year old iPod with more than 10* the storage.

More of an observation rather than a rant.

[YankeePorker]

Memory seats - if we are going to accept the weight penalty of all the motors to make electric seats work, then they HAVE to have memories. And I want mine to be lockable so my daft wife doesn't overwrite willy nilly.