Technology for Technologies sake.
Discussion
I have a hire car at the moment as someone reversed into mine.
I don't do new cars.
This one, Vauxhall Insignia, has an electronic handbrake. Little switch where the handbrake should be. But because this takes a couple of seconds to deploy and remove the car is also fitted with "hill start assist".
Seriously, what is wrong with a cable on a hinged stick. It works, it very rarely goes wrong and you don't need to invent a "hill start assist" system to go with it.
Any other examples of utterly pointless technology? Not necessarily car related.
I don't do new cars.
This one, Vauxhall Insignia, has an electronic handbrake. Little switch where the handbrake should be. But because this takes a couple of seconds to deploy and remove the car is also fitted with "hill start assist".
Seriously, what is wrong with a cable on a hinged stick. It works, it very rarely goes wrong and you don't need to invent a "hill start assist" system to go with it.
Any other examples of utterly pointless technology? Not necessarily car related.
My CLK has no dipsticks, the car will tell you when it's low, but only after it's down by 1Litre. You can't check to see exactly how much it will need so I have to rely on the dashboard telling me when it needs some.
Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
I've only found out my 159 had "hill start assist" when my gf "couldn't reverse off a slope at the store" 
When you don't put it in reverse, and release the brakes, the car "hangs" there for about two seconds.
Oh and the electronic handbrake looks like something pretty stupid to me too. No more car park fun in the winter
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When you don't put it in reverse, and release the brakes, the car "hangs" there for about two seconds.
Oh and the electronic handbrake looks like something pretty stupid to me too. No more car park fun in the winter
.
qube_TA said:
My CLK has no dipsticks, the car will tell you when it's low, but only after it's down by 1Litre. You can't check to see exactly how much it will need so I have to rely on the dashboard telling me when it needs some.
Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
Dipstick tube is under the engine cowl. Just drill a hole in the plastic Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
qube_TA said:
My CLK has no dipsticks, the car will tell you when it's low, but only after it's down by 1Litre. You can't check to see exactly how much it will need so I have to rely on the dashboard telling me when it needs some.
Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
What if you get a faulty sensor?Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
Bloody new engine by the time you know your low on the stuff it needs to keep turning.
Stupid idea.
qube_TA said:
My CLK has no dipsticks, the car will tell you when it's low, but only after it's down by 1Litre. You can't check to see exactly how much it will need so I have to rely on the dashboard telling me when it needs some.
Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
Because the vast majority of people will not use a dipstick. So for most people this would be much more reliable way of getting oil in there when required.Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
Yeah, not a fan of all this electronic f
kwittery you get on cars these days.
Saw a brand new Jag XKR yesterday. Electronic, gearbox select, electronic handbrake, electronic dipstick, wtf? as mentioned above, if the oil goes down, how do you know how much to put back in?
However I remember my Subaru Forester had hill start thing, can't remember how it worked but it was actually quite good. (not electronic though)
kwittery you get on cars these days.Saw a brand new Jag XKR yesterday. Electronic, gearbox select, electronic handbrake, electronic dipstick, wtf? as mentioned above, if the oil goes down, how do you know how much to put back in?
However I remember my Subaru Forester had hill start thing, can't remember how it worked but it was actually quite good. (not electronic though)
WorAl said:
Yeah, not a fan of all this electronic fkwittery you get on cars these days.
Saw a brand new Jag XKR yesterday. Electronic, gearbox select, electronic handbrake, electronic dipstick, wtf? as mentioned above, if the oil goes down, how do you know how much to put back in?
However I remember my Subaru Forester had hill start thing, can't remember how it worked but it was actually quite good. (not electronic though)
They've got it on the New Mazda2, not sure how it works either and I haven't driven one yet but if they carry on making clutches as light as they are now they'll need this damn hill start stuff so you know where the bite is!kwittery you get on cars these days.Saw a brand new Jag XKR yesterday. Electronic, gearbox select, electronic handbrake, electronic dipstick, wtf? as mentioned above, if the oil goes down, how do you know how much to put back in?
However I remember my Subaru Forester had hill start thing, can't remember how it worked but it was actually quite good. (not electronic though)
sinizter said:
qube_TA said:
My CLK has no dipsticks, the car will tell you when it's low, but only after it's down by 1Litre. You can't check to see exactly how much it will need so I have to rely on the dashboard telling me when it needs some.
Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
Because the vast majority of people will not use a dipstick. So for most people this would be much more reliable way of getting oil in there when required.Why? A dipstick is perfectly accurate and will never break, requires no technology to tell me exactly how much oil is in the engine & transmission.
Self service supermarket checkouts.
They've just installed four of these in a supermarket nearby, replacing a couple of "express" tills. Trouble is, even though I'm quite good at using them, it still probably takes me twice as long to scan all my items as it would a reasonably skilled checkout girl. Most people are slower than that, so there's not really any time saved. And of course they still need to employ a couple of supervisors to approve sales of alcohol, and to help the poor hapless people who've confused the machine by trying to scan two things at once.
Bring back the checkout girls, at least some of them are pretty to look at.
They've just installed four of these in a supermarket nearby, replacing a couple of "express" tills. Trouble is, even though I'm quite good at using them, it still probably takes me twice as long to scan all my items as it would a reasonably skilled checkout girl. Most people are slower than that, so there's not really any time saved. And of course they still need to employ a couple of supervisors to approve sales of alcohol, and to help the poor hapless people who've confused the machine by trying to scan two things at once.
Bring back the checkout girls, at least some of them are pretty to look at.
king arthur said:
Self service supermarket checkouts.
They've just installed four of these in a supermarket nearby, replacing a couple of "express" tills. Trouble is, even though I'm quite good at using them, it still probably takes me twice as long to scan all my items as it would a reasonably skilled checkout girl. Most people are slower than that, so there's not really any time saved. And of course they still need to employ a couple of supervisors to approve sales of alcohol, and to help the poor hapless people who've confused the machine by trying to scan two things at once.
Bring back the checkout girls, at least some of them are pretty to look at.
I agree with the latter comment They've just installed four of these in a supermarket nearby, replacing a couple of "express" tills. Trouble is, even though I'm quite good at using them, it still probably takes me twice as long to scan all my items as it would a reasonably skilled checkout girl. Most people are slower than that, so there's not really any time saved. And of course they still need to employ a couple of supervisors to approve sales of alcohol, and to help the poor hapless people who've confused the machine by trying to scan two things at once.
Bring back the checkout girls, at least some of them are pretty to look at.
But, said Checkout Supervisor can supervise what.. 10+Tills at one go from their main station thing, and let all the cretins mess around trying to scan their own stuff.. So money saving for the retailer.
Drove the newest 535i... Nightmare inside, gadgets and gizmos everywhere, couldn't find the button to turn off the child lock so had to use the key fob to do it in the end.
Current car is just a cheap hatch but I'm not even a fan of the electric steering and throttle. Give me cables and linkages any day.
Current car is just a cheap hatch but I'm not even a fan of the electric steering and throttle. Give me cables and linkages any day.
WorAl said:
electronic dipstick, wtf? as mentioned above, if the oil goes down, how do you know how much to put back in?
Don't know about modern cars, but when the Renault Laguna first came out they had an oil level gauge that would show (I think in either the fuel or engine temp gauge) when you first turned the ignition on. It was pretty accurate, though it also had a mechanical gauge (dip-stick) so you could double check. WorAl said:
However I remember my Subaru Forester had hill start thing, can't remember how it worked but it was actually quite good. (not electronic though)
Yea don't know if newer Subaru's still have "Hill Holder" (it's not on my Turbo, was on my Legacy) but the old ones had it. Worked from pressing the brake pedal, but only on hills you were going up, not down.king arthur said:
Self service supermarket checkouts.
They've just installed four of these in a supermarket nearby, replacing a couple of "express" tills. Trouble is, even though I'm quite good at using them, it still probably takes me twice as long to scan all my items as it would a reasonably skilled checkout girl. Most people are slower than that, so there's not really any time saved. And of course they still need to employ a couple of supervisors to approve sales of alcohol, and to help the poor hapless people who've confused the machine by trying to scan two things at once.
Bring back the checkout girls, at least some of them are pretty to look at.
I too agree with the last comment. But I am faster than any checkout girl could be as there is no double handling, I scan and bag quicker than I would have if I had to wait for the items to come down the conveyr belt.They've just installed four of these in a supermarket nearby, replacing a couple of "express" tills. Trouble is, even though I'm quite good at using them, it still probably takes me twice as long to scan all my items as it would a reasonably skilled checkout girl. Most people are slower than that, so there's not really any time saved. And of course they still need to employ a couple of supervisors to approve sales of alcohol, and to help the poor hapless people who've confused the machine by trying to scan two things at once.
Bring back the checkout girls, at least some of them are pretty to look at.
Had an Insignia hire acar a few weeks back. Tried to get along with the electric handbrake (finger brake?), I really did, but I just couldn't get used to it.
Driving up to a set of traffic lights on an uphill slope, and trying to use it like a manual handbrake (apply handbrake when car comes to a stop, without using foot brake). I just couldn't get my timing right, i'm either throwing myself through the windscreen due to pressing the button too early, or losing my nerve and pressing the foot brake as the car starts to roll back, due to the wait between hitting the button and the handbrake applying.
Just had electric paper towel dispensers installed at work. No advantage over the manually dispensed towels we had previously.
Driving up to a set of traffic lights on an uphill slope, and trying to use it like a manual handbrake (apply handbrake when car comes to a stop, without using foot brake). I just couldn't get my timing right, i'm either throwing myself through the windscreen due to pressing the button too early, or losing my nerve and pressing the foot brake as the car starts to roll back, due to the wait between hitting the button and the handbrake applying.
Just had electric paper towel dispensers installed at work. No advantage over the manually dispensed towels we had previously.
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