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Your Future Car's Hood Will Be Welded Shut
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He has not acquired a fortune; the fortune has acquired him. -- Bion
He has not acquired a fortune; the fortune has acquired him. -- Bion
It's a car for women! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Interesting)
However, the whole article does read like something out of the Onion. Changable multi-coloured seat covers to match your clothes? If it wasn't true it would be a sexist joke.
I was talking with my wife about this and she said she likes having a bonnet that lifts up, as it acts as a kind of "distress flag" when she's waiting on the hard shoulder with a knackered car, hoping some good samaritan will pull over and help her out. I know that this, too, sounds like a sexist joke, but my wife said it first, and she's a woman, so that's OK, I guess.
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Insightful)
Except sooner or later I'll probably moot this whole idea and replace my Cherokee with a Wrangler or old CJ with a totally washable "interior" and use it as our beach/tow/camping vehicle, with my wife's Hyundai reserved for "civilized" driving.
(BTW, my wife checks oil and other necessary fluids often. I don't think she'd want a car where she couldn't do that easily.)
- Robin
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:4, Funny)
You don't think I wasted the *good* ones on you, did you?
(Seriously, removable and washable seat covers are a great things to have, but I bet Volvo would charge way too much for them.)
- Robin
Maybe it's different in England (Score:5, Insightful)
That's what cell phones are for... I'm not trying to insult you here, so please don't take it that way, but I'd never leave my wife dependent on the kindness of strangers.
Like I say, maybe it's different in England.
Re:Maybe it's different in England (Score:5, Interesting)
Current advice in Britain is not to wait inside your car if the weather permits because of the remarkably high chance of getting shunted - hard - by another vehicle. You should get out of the vehicle and as far from the road as possible (e.g. behind the crash barrier). Basically, your chance of getting hit by a massive truck is much greater than your chance of a bad guy spotting you and stopping. I can't remember the fraction of accidents involving breakdowns on the side of the road, but I remember being startled by it. Emergency services now park their vehicle about 20 yards behind the breakdown to ensure that, if there is a hit, it is the empty emergency service van that gets hit. Even so, and despite their being covered with flashing lights, they still get hit.
You need a sense of priorities. Outside know "no go" areas, ordinary "innocent" traffic is a far greater danger than muggers, serial killers etc.
Re:Maybe it's different in England (Score:5, Interesting)
The Automobile Association [theaa.com] (AA) - one of the UK's major roadside assistance organisations - has the following advice:
"There is a perception that a 'lone female' is at risk of being attacked on a motorway hard shoulder. Research shows that the risk of being hit by another vehicle is much greater."
Re:Maybe it's different in England (Score:5, Funny)
English roads are generally designed with steering-wheels in mind.
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Funny)
I was in dismay as I read this. Basically you can change anything cosmetic but you can't change anything substanttive. I wracked my brain to think up any other product that's gone this route and finally found one: Windows.
You can chage the wallpaper, but you can't change the web browser. You can change the system font, but you can't upgrade the kernel.
I tried to think of what this all means and then it suddenly struck me. Of course, it's right in the aritcle! Windows was designed by women for women.
Now that I understand the Windows niche I can take real action in my life. The girlfriend will get my old Windows machine ("honey, what did you do with my Mac?") and I'm getting the real OS designed by men for men. It may look like crap, but I know I can change any file with complete confidence. Thank god for MS-DOS, the real-mans operating system.
TW
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:4, Funny)
Actually, i get the feeling that windows wasn't designed at all. More like crashing a Yugo into a parts truck, imo.
No seriously, it *is* a car for women - RTA (Score:5, Informative)
Men can have ponytails too. (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm a man and wore a ponytail for about 8 years or so and I can say that it did get in the way a little when putting my head against the headrest -- a topknot worked fine but doesn't suit me most of the time... Most cars don't put your head close enough to the headrest that this matters (or that they actually prevent whiplash) but in cars like Volvos where they are close, it does matter.
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:4, Funny)
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Funny)
The funniest thing is (Score:4, Funny)
"a mood encouraged by women-friendly Volvo boss Hans-Olov Olsson."
Hmmmm... that's a curious statement open to misinterpretation. Now what'd they mean by that, eh?... exactly how "women-friendly" is he? wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more... (sorry... BBC article... had to throw that in...)
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Funny)
And yes I know there would be some safety device to prevent this and I know there would be no ignition mechanism. Maybe I have been watching Zoolander too much. Besides - you know some guy is going to have to do it. ;)
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Informative)
This was *very* short lived (I think it was 71 or 72) because people are amazingly capable of screwing things up.
-WS
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Funny)
What the hell are you, some kind of Canadian? Petrol? Petrol Entry Point? BONNET!?!
Get me mah shootin' stick maw.....
It's GAS which goes in the GAS TANK which sure as hell isn't under the HOOD of the car!
Next thing you know, you'll be telling me you use a "Gay-raj" instead of a "car hole"?
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:3, Informative)
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:4, Informative)
I find it odd that anyone would find the use of these terms humorous. I buy Haynes manuals, and in fact learned the terms from their manual. While I don't typicaly use bonnet or boot, I would not even question the use of these terms. Esp petrol which makes the most sence, as it's short for petroleum.
Gas makes the least sence as gas it self is like air, whther it be methane, propane, hydrogen, or what you get after eating AM/PM food. Not that it's not a good term to use for auto fuel, just it's far too generic. "Can we drive to the *metro area* and go dancing tonight" "I have gas honey".
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Interesting)
Gas is short for gasoline. Petrol is short for petroleum. You don't put petroleum [cambridge.org] in a car, otherwise really bad things happen.
Before cars, there were both boots and trunks. Trunks [cambridge.org] were big cases used for storing things, like clothing. Boots were the things you put your feet inside. Which one of those two better describes how the storage area in your car is used?
Hood is the only one that doesn't have a strong case for it. Both hoods and bonnets are typically head coverings. Neither makes much sense when it comes to describing part of a car, but neither is better than the other.
Trunk vs. Boot? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:4, Informative)
Apparently you are wrong. (We forgive you - in fact we pity you for not having seen the episode.) Home uses the term "Garage" and Moe objects to his "fancy use of language" (as do Lenny and Carl). Homer asks "So what do you call it?"
Moe: A car hole!
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Interesting)
And I am not singling out females here, it could just be as easily be a male. I once saw a guy who had both the radiator and oil caps off (because they were both low) proceed to put *oil* into to radiator. He (almost) immediately realised the mistake, but it was too late to do anything but flush the radiator.
Also hope they have some sort of interlock where only one can open at a time, or what is stopping you accidentally splashing water into the petrol outlet when filling up the washer tank ?
Not that I really care that much, can't really see this taking off
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Informative)
-N
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:4, Interesting)
Where he'll get into trouble is when he needs brakes the most -- a panic stop, or slowing down coming off that highway off-ramp, for example. Temperatures will elevate for an extended period of time, the water will boil, the pedal goes to the floor, and the local mortician scores another $10K for services rendered.
Longer term, that much water in the lines will cause severe corrosion of the brake lines and possibly inside the caliper.
(Personally, I think the whole thing is a troll.)
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Informative)
Water could be used as a brake fluid if it wasn't for two things: corrosion and boiling point. The components of the brake system would quickly rust or otherwise corrode with water in the system. Also brakes get very hot and the water would boil off.
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Informative)
Just realize the parent is flamebait and move along, nothing to see here.
Tm
Re:It's a car for the clueless (Score:5, Interesting)
First, if you had the headlights on and turned off the car, they would stay on until you opened the door. Opening the door with the lights on and ignition switched off caused them to go off. But, this could be overridden by simply switching the lights back on. Then they wouldn't go back off until you turned them off.
Second, if you had the keys in the ignition and the door open, you couldn't lock the power door locks. Well, you could, but they would spring open a half second later, no matter if you locked it manually or with the button. Better yet, you couldn't trick this one. I once had the door open, took the keys out, locked the car, then deliberately put the key back in the ignition. Then I shut the locked door. The Celica detected the locked door, the fact that it was shutting, and the fact that my keys were in the car, and unlocked the door! The only way to lock the keys in the car was somehow lock the door while it was already shut (meaning you were in the car or had an extra set) or by leaving them on the seat instead of the ignition (as I accidently did one wintery night).
I've often wondered why this wasn't implimented in more cars. It was unobtrusive, never interfered with how I wanted to use the car and kept me from hurting myself. That's the epitome of good design.
Re:It's a car for women! (Score:5, Funny)
yup (Score:5, Funny)
Re:yup (Score:3, Insightful)
Plasma cutters.
The Apple iCar (Score:4, Funny)
When my iCar is low on oil, I park it in a city lot, scratch off the VIN, remove the license plate, and walk away. Then it is off to Apple to buy another one.
Re:HONDAS dont break (Score:5, Insightful)
And if the person who's going to buy your car off you when it's 5 years old can't open the hood to fix it themselves, how much do you think they're going to pay you for it? You'll buy a nice shiny new plastic piece of crap with zero resale value.
The vision just popped into my head of dozens of these cars at 10 years old or so driving around major cities with no hood, because the owner ripped it off and left it off.
Volvo hot-rod, anyone? Problem is, I'm sure the practical V6 with hundreds of wires and sensors, so cluttered that you can't even see the engine, won't look nearly as impressive as a chromed 396 big block chevy.
This isn't 1970 anymore! (Score:5, Insightful)
Cars manufactures have changed over the years. At one time Honda really was significantly more reliable than Ford. Many people have let Honda slide on this reputation for years, paying for more, for a car that isn't really any better than something that others can give.
Hondas have problems too. Fords have problems. I don't know who builds the better car this year, and we can't know for 20 years. Until then it is just a guess. Some years Honda builds good cars, some years they don't. People are willing to forgive Honda for a bad car because "everyone has a few problems", but Ford with just as many problems just adds to their reputation of not building good cars. It isn't right.
Comment removed (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Argh. (Score:3, Funny)
Audi A2 (Score:5, Informative)
Don.
Re:Audi A2 (Score:4, Insightful)
You know, there is a real advantage to a sealed hood/bonnet: stiffness. I would bet that the modern hood is a real PITA to car structural designers who look at that big unstressed hood and weep.
Re:Porsche Boxster anyone? (Score:4, Insightful)
if you have the money for a luxury car then you should also have the money to pay for repairs, no?
Re:Porsche Boxster anyone? (Score:4, Informative)
Fortunately, they both have 2 things going for them:
1.) The engine placement is not to screw the owner. It is there because it makes the weight of the vehicle properly balanced for suspension perfoemnce.
2.) It's not actually all THAT had to drop the motors in these things. While I've never dropped the motor in the Boxter, I've done sone on 911's and VW Beetles (the old body style) more times than I can count (remember, the beetle is designed after the 911, and is very similar in construction), I'm told they are much the same. Your' looking at a couple of harnesses, and about 6 bolts. If you have a proper transmission style jack, it's not really a big deal. Anyone without these facilities (or the desire to get them) probably doesn't need to be monkeying around with their engine to begin with.
And most importantly, this really has little to do with the article. The Volvo concept car mentioned in it is really a totally different animal with different design goals in mind.
Re:Argh. (Score:5, Interesting)
The "Hood" is one peice, so there is no "hatch" like a traditional car. But it's still removable for access. The headline suggests the engine is completely sealed off to prevent anyone but the manufacturer from touching the insides.
Also, you make an interesting point about the type of people that would buy this car for the same rasons it was designed this way ("wold never oen the hood anyway"). From the article:
"So we shifted the filling station for washer fluid to the side of the car, next to where you fill up fuel, and we closed the bonnet for good."
Now taking bets on how often gasoline ends up in the washer fuild or vice versa!
The car should be programmed to discover any problems under the bonnet, then send a message to the garage to let them know.
Well that's something I don't particularly care for...
The mechanics would then contact the women directly to invite them over.
"If the car says nothing, then everything is fine," said Ms Temm optimistically.
So they have implemented a body scanning system...
The results of which are also sent to the mechanics so they can decide if they need to contact the driver directly and invite them to their shop!
=Smidge=
Re:Argh. (Score:5, Insightful)
So does the BBC article:
The whole front of the car is moulded in one piece which can be removed only by a Volvo mechanic.
The headline was only misleading to the extent that it didn't mention the "designed for women by women" angle--that it's not Volvo wanting to seal everyone's hood, just those of women. So they aren't attacking open source, they're attacking respect for women. Which is kind of worse if you stop and think about it.
Mechanics? (Score:5, Insightful)
Besides, what happens when the radio transmitter breaks?
Re:Mechanics? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Mechanics? (Score:5, Funny)
My mechanic would never lie to me! He always charges me a fair price for my weekly fill-up of "blinker fluid".
I hope you don't let him use just any old blinker fluid when you can get KaleCo High Quality Synthetic Blinker Fluid [kalecoauto.com] for just $5.99. Help save wear and tear on your flash-synchros while saving our petroleum reserves at the same time.
Re:Mechanics? (Score:5, Insightful)
But how else would we know what our boss feels like when we say the harddrive just died on the RAID attached to the mailserver, and even though the machine is chugging along just fine, we really do need a new disk?
Re:Mechanics? (Score:4, Insightful)
Not that specialized tools is a new idea. Car companies have been doing that for years to try and get people to bring their cars back to the dealer for repairs.
Re:Mechanics? (Score:4, Funny)
"Hey, Bob, can you do me a favor while I'm filling out this paperwork and take the bonnet off that car so we can do the oil change."
"The What?"
"The bonnet."
"You mean the welded hood?"
"It's called a bonnet."
"Whatever. Sissy boy."
"What was that?"
"Nothing. I'm just working on that BONNET for you. Let me know if you want me to fill up your panties as well."
computers + internal combustion engines = stupid. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:computers + internal combustion engines = stupi (Score:5, Funny)
Then you need a fire engine.
Re:computers + internal combustion engines = stupi (Score:5, Funny)
I know! These things are WAY too susceptible to the side effects of a nuclear blast! That's why I drive 100% mechanical vehicles from the mid seventies or earlier. The rest of you ninnies are going to look really dumb when the next EMP comes around! HA! HA HA HA!
Re:computers + internal combustion engines = stupi (Score:5, Insightful)
90% of all horsepower increase achievements have came from electronic and computerized engine management. There are things you CANNOT do with mechanical ignition timing and engine management.
Re:computers + internal combustion engines = stupi (Score:5, Interesting)
http://www.aussurvivalist.com/nuclear/empprotecti
Of course this wouldn't be the case with cars built with plastic frames.
Re:computers + internal combustion engines = stupi (Score:5, Insightful)
Computer engine control was kind of rough when it first started being used; the computers died a lot, they were susceptible to sensor failure, etc. Now they're way better, and engines are FAR more reliable than they were before computers.
I for one don't want to go back to the days of carburetors and distributors. Fuel injection and coil packs or coil-on-plug, along with the computer(s) to control them, have made cars LOADS more reliable. Sure, it may be harder to work on them, but you don't NEED to work on them nearly as much.
Try taking a 1969 car and driving it 120,000 miles without doing anything more than changing the oil.
Also, I find that in most cases it's EASIER to work on my car with a computer. Without a computer you only know if there's something wrong if it's bad enough to cause serious performance degradation. With a computer, you can catch problems way before they become serious. I had a light a few months ago, went to the auto parts store, borrowed their scanner, saw that I had a stuck EGR valve, wrenched it off, cleaned it, and replaced it. Without the computer I'd never have had a clue, just kept polluting more than necessary, and possibly fouling my catalytic converter as well.
I do have to agree about the shut hood though. I'd never even consider buying a car like this, or letting anyone in my family buy one.
I think they're missing a bit by saying this is "for women" - most men never do anything under the hood, either; I know men that are more hopeless mechanically than many women I know. One of the best mechanics I've ever had was female. I think the whole thing is kind of insulting.
Re:computers + internal combustion engines = stupi (Score:3, Insightful)
Truth be told though, EMP isn't really a problem for microchips. It's generally a problem for electrical systems with long stretches of wire (like telephones and power grids.) What usually blows out a CMOS chips is static electricity, which you won't get from an EMP.
TMYK
Nice Quote! (Score:5, Funny)
The car should be programmed to discover any problems under the bonnet, then send a message to the garage to let them know.
The mechanics would then contact the women directly to invite them over.
Is it me, or do I have a dirty mind this afternoon? ;)
Re:Nice Quote! (Score:3, Funny)
Dear Mrs Svensson,
Please come over to the Orebro garage - I need to tweak your flange.
Lars.
Re:remote diagnostics (Score:5, Informative)
Car manufacturers do insidious things with their ability to "code" stuff into the onboard computer.
For example nissan purposely ratcheted down the HP of one of their cars in software/firmware and then of course sells an "add on kit" where you get that hp "back" for $$$.
Say nothing of the idiot light's that go on ("ooooh check engine, I'm scared.. I better pull over and get towed to a dealership right away!") at specified intervals/mileage to have people bring in their cars for a manufacturers recommended fleecing.
(note sometimes check engine does indicate a "real" problem... or an emissions issue... YMMV... and if your oil light comes on, for the love of god don't continue driving it for an hour till the engine siezes... pull over and call your husband and/or put some damn oil in!!!! Wait, was that my "outside voice/text"?)
e.
ummm what happens if the engine is on fire? (Score:5, Funny)
"I'm sorry mr. firefighter, only a certified volvo firefighter is allowed to put out this fire"
Re:ummm what happens if the engine is on fire? (Score:4, Insightful)
just my opinion (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:just my opinion (Score:5, Funny)
Re:just my opinion (Score:3, Funny)
Of course, turn signal lenses run $100.
Screw That! (Score:5, Insightful)
Great, so you can pay $40+ (USD) for an oilchange, along with god knows what a dealer charges for the rest of the routine maintence.
I mean, ok, so the cars geared for women, and we know they can't do their own maintence, but what if they have an ounce of common sense and realize theres no reason to pay dealer prices?
By women, for women? (Score:5, Insightful)
Awful (Score:5, Insightful)
On top of that, the concept is stupid. There are things that people (yes, even women) can do themselves under the hood of their own car. What's next? Welding our computer cases shut? (or at least making better "void your warranty" stickers)
missing a step (Score:4, Insightful)
If it breaks under the hood how do you fix it????????????
Simple Solution (Score:5, Insightful)
Not a new idea (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Not a new idea (Score:5, Informative)
The A2's hood is not really locked shut, it's only held differently compared to other cars. After unlocking two quick-out knobs, you can lift the hood (about 9 kg) off and access everything without the hood being in the way.
Re:Not a new idea (Score:5, Insightful)
OK, I let your first comment go, but this is the second time you have made this outrageous claim. Are you saying that you could open the hood of a 2004 Audi and diagnose even a small problem? Even the mechanics at the dealership need to hook the engine up to the diagnostic computers these days. I could understand doing repairs on older cars, say circa 1995 and older, but give me a break. I am mechanically inclined as well, but I wouldn't even attempt to repair anything inside the engine of a 2004 car. Expect maybe the washer fluid reservoir, or replace a broken cap. Exactly the parts you could access in this new Volvo.
The need for certified wizards - balderdash (Score:4, Insightful)
Er, yes. Well, not literally yes, because mine is a 1999 VW, and I don't need to open the hood. I spent a couple hundred bux on something called a VAG-COM (VAG-COM [ross-tech.com]) that hooks up the OBD-II connector of any reasonably recent VW/Audi to a Windows notebook. It reads out the diagnostic codes in plain english - something like "temperature sensor shorted to ground" or "MAF signal intermittent" or whatever. It does a lot of other helpful stuff, too.
Many other brands have similar tools available.
The hood comes into the equation only because mine actually opens, and I can actually change out the temperature sensor after finding out that it is bad. But even if I had an Audi A2, if I knew a mechanic with the ability to get inside, at least I could tell him never mind the diagnosis, I want part such-and-such changed.
Now, as it happens, I don't choose to do much of my own work, but I did find out my MAF was bad, and changed it out. I bought the part from the internet for 1/5 what the stealership would have charged, and changed it literally in 5 minutes, a pliers-only job which probably would have been at least $200 for diagnosis and labor, not counting parts, at the stealership.
That's just silly (Score:4, Insightful)
Women gripe about how mechanics always treat them badly and try to take advantage of them anyway - why enable that by making a car that you can't check out, even if you wanted to?
Welded shut in a car designed by and for women... (Score:5, Interesting)
In fact you could also put that on a t-shirt - "Real Men Use Linux"
breakdown service?? (Score:5, Insightful)
Most of the other design features also sound more like bunch of men were having a laugh as to what a woman wants in a car... like being able to colour-coordinate with your clothes... Please!!!
I guess doing this kind of design study is a good way of getting publicity though, even made it onto slashdot...
Robin
Wow, insulting maybe? (Score:3, Insightful)
Come on! Just because a lot of women don't do their own maintenance, does that mean that the hood should be locked shut? I mean, women who *don't* know how to do their own spark plug changes or oil changes would still be smart enough to just not open the hood, wouldn't they?
'Sides, the car-repair show on the local radio program is hosted by a woman who is a genius when it comes to mechanics -- I wonder what she'd have to say about it.
Business Venture! (Score:4, Funny)
Rioting, Ravaging and iRResposibility! (Score:5, Funny)
Geez, I was looking for Kent Brockman's byline at the top of that.
Car welded shut is illegal in this country (Score:5, Interesting)
I don't know what the legal precidents are in Europe, but in the US Volvo would be laughed out of court if someone sued.
Only a Volvo mechanic? *snicker* (Score:4, Interesting)
Please.....if someone wants that hood(bonnet) off , its coming off.....Volvo certified or not
It's amazing what improv tools mechanics can come up with
.yawn. (Score:3, Insightful)
A car with a welded hood would be like having a harddrive that couldn't be defragged, it would be like not being able to use anti-virus software.
Source code isn't everything. I perform basic maintenance on closed source programs everyday. It could be argued that a closed source easy-troubleshootable program is actually easy to fix than an opensource program whose developers don't give a crap about trying to help people troubleshoot.
Re:.yawn. (Score:4, Insightful)
Source code isn't everything
Why yes... there's configuration files, so if your programme crashes in 640x480 resolution then...
I perform basic maintenance on closed source programs everyday
What exactly to you mean my maintenance, and if it's so easy why do you do it every day?
A car with a welded hood would be like having a harddrive that couldn't be defragged
Defragging a HD is one operation. Having the hood open lets you change many things. Do you see the distinction?
The analogy is flawed
Smiles politely. Oh all right, I fell down laughing =) =) =) =)
This bears watching (Score:5, Interesting)
Just think, cars of the future could be the permanent property of the automotive world. You wouldn't but them, you would license them. I understand Idrive from BMW has a license sticker installed on the windshield that you are forced to accept (by removing) in some countries in order to use the car. All of this could be done with the law as it is today. Circumvention could be prosecuted under the DMCA.
Manufactures would love this because it would force people to get their maintence, even routine maintenence would have to be done at the dealership at their extremely expensive rates. Rates so expensive an entire industry literaly grew up around alternative service options.
Now for the outlandish. This would be a good thing - because it would show joe sixpack how licensing and the DMCA are uncapitalistic and harmful. Your plumber may not give two hoots about a computer, but you can be sure he'll raise hell if he finds out he can't change his own oil or give the old jalolopee to his kids.
Re:This bears watching (Score:5, Informative)
Besides, you aren't copying the car. The DMCA doesn't apply.
They don't have to weld the hood shut. (Score:5, Insightful)
Many vehicles are designed to have "minor" service with "major" pain. Ever look under the hood of a minivan? Good luck changing the fuel injectors, or a spark plug. Most of these will require removal of at least the intake manifold's upper plenum (along with accessories), if not dropping the engine cradle.
For many people, a "welded" hood already exists - they don't want to open it anyway. It's not for me (I wrench my own cars - rebuilding my own transmission this weekend). But for others, why not. A welded hood is not much of a difference than the way my father-in-law treats his Cadillac anyway.
My problem (Score:3, Interesting)
As a woman... (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh yeah, and as a woman who can't afford to go to a mechanic every time my car needs a fluid topoff, I think this would suck a lot.
I think it would discourage people from doing routine maintenance on their vehicles and from being able to figure out problems before heading to the mechanic.
When I go to mechanics, they often try to rip me off or tell me I need more parts than I do. One of them tried to get me to buy a new radiator when I already knew I only needed a coolant overflow tank (because the radiator was full and only the overflow tank was consistently empty).
Sure, if a person's not going to do any maintenance anyway, whatever. But this is basically like saying "rip me off, pretty please, I have no idea what this car does or what's under the hood!"
Additionally - what happens when you need a jump, or when your battery needs replaced? Even the most technologically inept woman I've ever met can be talked through a battery installation. What happens if your battery dies a hundred miles from the nearest Volvo dealership?
What is more insulting (Score:4, Insightful)
Of course, from the article: The whole front of the car is moulded in one piece which can be removed only by a Volvo mechanic.
Bull. This is up there with the three bits (or whatever) of encryption on DVDs as the lamest attempt at obfuscation. The next day, after hitting the showroom, Autozone would have a 3 dollar wrench to open this bastard. And I bet anyone with an IQ over 10 could pop this badboy off with a screwdriver and a little leverage. That's probably all this Volvo mechanic would do after tiring of this Feature.
A clumsy kludge that has no point other than being a big pain in the ass. Really, does having access to you're car's naughty bits in any way effect driving? This is the New Coke of car innovations.
Besides, the only Swedish vehicle worth sitting in is a Saab Draken.
The union of cars and computers (Score:3, Funny)
The MyDoom worm: immediately crashes car into brick wall once you go over 55 mph.
Popup ads in the windshield are an ever-growing visibility problem until you download the Google dashboard which includes a windshield wiper that removes them.
Cops pull you over for overclocking
The same grease-stained mechanic who works on your Apple car also works on your nice white iPod, leaving permanent smudges on the case.
Hayes Accura modem sues Honda Acura car
This sounds kinda like OSS vs proprietary software (Score:3, Interesting)
<snip>
"It is minimal maintenance, really, because the customers have limited time and they don't want a car that gives them a lot of hassle," said Ms Christiansen.
I realize this is just a concept car, so I'm not going to get too worked up about this. But this attitude does seems to be an analogue to the open-source vs closed-source software situation.
What this car relies upon is for nothing to go wrong, and for the internal diagnostics to catch any issues or errors that occur. Which is good, because it means most drivers -- who don't know much about how cars work -- will only need to interact with their car in a very cursory way. However, this attitude of welding the hood shut can also work against your average driver. For example, what if you want to add more oil to your car? Even if they redesigned the car so that you could check oil levels or add more oil easily, just as they moved the wiper fluid to more accessible location, what if you wanted to change your own oil, and save $30-$50? You couldn't, and in an emergency, you would need the help of a certified Volve mechanic to remove the hood. To me, this sounds kinda like Windows -- it's really easy to use and designed to take care of most problems, but when things invariably do go wrong, there's not much you can do to investigate (assuming you have the technical expertise, of course).
Right now, cars are kinda clunky and they might not have as much sophisticated diagnostics in place as this concept car, but you can get at everything when you need to. I can't see consumers giving this now that they have it, just as I can't see the open-source movement doing anything but making progress and gaining mind-/market-share in the coming years.
Volvo cars are not made by Volvo Corporation! (Score:3, Informative)
Already been done!!! (Score:3, Redundant)
Roadside Breakdown - Hood Up == Distress (Score:4, Interesting)
Having the hood of a car up is a well recognized sign of vehicle breakdown, and that the driver could probably use assistance.
In my area of the world, if the police see a vehicle with the hood up without their own yellow police tape attached to the vehicle (to indicate they've dealt with this vehicle already), they'll stop and offer assistance.
How, exactly, is the driver of one of these vehicles supposed to use this very simple and well understood signal? Madly flag down drivers and risk getting run over?
And this is only ONE example of what a bad idea this vehicle is.
silly (Score:3, Insightful)
Reliability vs. Cost of Access (Score:4, Insightful)
When was the last time you needed get inside your car's radio? (OK, I know I posting on
The point is that if the cost of providing access exceeds the benefits of providing access, then you get products with "no user servicable parts inside."
Time to be a Volvo mechanic (cha-ching!) (Score:5, Funny)
Tow Truck Driver: Welp, it seems you've done busted a fan belt.
YCCC: Golly! Can you fix it? I mean, I'm stuck out here in the rain in the middle of nowhere.
TTD: No problem, little lady. Fan belts aint't no real trick. Happens all the time.
YCCC: Will it cost very much? I mean, I just spent all my money on this groovy car built by women, for women.
TTD: The fan belt will cost you about twelve bucks, but the installtion will be about twelve-hundred.
YCCC: WTF!?
TTD: Welp, you see we gotta tow this honey to a Volvo dealer, and they have to take the front end apart to install the fan belt. Shouldn't take more than a couple of days.
YCCC: (crying) But, its so easy to refill the washer fluid...
Give me a freakin break...
UNIX-ish (Score:4, Funny)
"If the car says nothing, then everything is fine," said Ms Temm optimistically.
Cool. This is really a good idea from a user interface point of view, and one which makes the UNIX shell so nice to work with. If you get no response from the shell command, it means that things went just fine.
Speaking of welded-shut motor hoods... you know, I'd hate to cruise down the highway and see the warning message on the panel: "You have shifted into fifth gear. The change will take effect after you have restarted the motor. Restart now? [Yes] [No]"...
--Bud
Setting the morons straight (Score:5, Insightful)
However, they are missing the larger picture. If the manufacturer is the only entity that can repair the vehicle, the profit will not come from the sale but from the repair.
And once the repair of the vehicle becomes the means of profit, manufacturers will have NO incentive to make quality automobiles. They will have every incentive to create automobiles that WILL require repairs, because that would fit perfectly with their new business model.
Re:I nominate this... (Score:4, Insightful)
What are you going to do anyway? The overwhelming majority of people I know do not carry a full set of tools in their car, and even if they do, they carry little to no spare parts. So you break down. You can perform Manly Car Manuever #1: open the hood and stare at the engine. Even if you can diagnose the problem, what are you going to do without replacement parts?
And the ability to open the hood here means you can not only perform MCM #1 (detailed above), but you can do #'s 2 and 3: Freeze your ass off while doing it, and cuss at it.
Oh, you're one of those zealots. Now I understand the basis for your objection. Religious issues...
There's nothing that says a person can't know how the car works, and still not want to... or be able to, even!... perform their own maintenance on that car. The concepts here are, frankly, brilliant in that they take into account the existing desires of the target market. A lot has been written here about "reinforcing stereotypes", but the fact remains that most people (men and women) do not perform their own maintenance. Ergo, make the car so they don't have to.
A better article on this project, which is called "Your Concept Car" or YCC, can be found at http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article= 6907 [thecarconnection.com] and explains some of the features in more detail, including the big one: the first maintenance stop is at 35,000 miles.