The Future Of Cars (With Computers)

[FLdealer]

I would like to know what you guys think of all of this.

Maybe I’m just old fashioned, but I actually enjoy and look forward to DRIVING. Especially something Italian or German, naturally aspirated, low to the ground, with three pedals. Sometimes, I don’t drive to reach my destination, and simply drive with nowhere to go (like on windy back roads) for peace, a connection to the road, and the age-old sport of being behind the wheel!

I’ve been increasingly “concerned” about cars with either A. So many driver aids it takes the interaction & enjoyment out of driving, or B. Worse yet, Self-driving cars without a human in them!!
Sure, humans are dangerous and cause accidents. But I certainly trust them MORE than robots & computers with maps. Robots just can’t react to REAL WORLD SCENARIOS!! Self-driving cars and their inherent danger worry me much more than a human!
Uber or Lyft debuted self-driving cars in Vegas recently, but there was always a human in the passenger seat. Obviously that shows cause for concern that these cars aren’t adaptable to real-world conditions (at least yet.)

What about the multitude of computers for USELESS and STUPID features?? I just saw a news brief on a new make coming in 2020 (cannot find the name anywhere online now - about 5 letters long and started with a B? A small SUV)
Anyway, the car had a 49-inch TV across the front dash, and once it sensed you were 30 mins away from your house it would adjust your home temperature to how you like it. It also showed you a snapshot of what was in your fridge at that moment. Facial recognition when you walk up to the car door as well, to unlock?! Sorry, but those are INCREDIBLY dumb!!! I can control my home NEST thermostat thru my phone from a 1996 993 Porsche 911, for example!! Why do I need a car to do that?? That new car does nothing for me and I think the implementation of an overload of tech is simply asinine. What about when it breaks?? I’ve paid to fix plenty of Mercedes, BMW, Ferrari, Bentley, and Rolls - with all their computers it can easily be multiple-thousands of dollars. The addition of more computers?! No thanks! Sure, make “boring computer cars” a CHOICE available for all the Silicon Valley tech geeks, but from what I understand nearly EVERY auto manufacturer is going this way in the next few years! I sure hope not!!! Let the consumer decide what to purchase and where their money goes! Guess it may be time to get my personal private pilot’s license?! That way I can actually interact with something!

And, most importantly, how (or will) this affect the used car market - values, demand, inventory, etc?? FOR ACTUAL AND REAL “CARS”, not computers with wheels, and self-driving bland tech boxes that carry people to destinations vs. giving a visceral experience aka driving!?!?!

Really looking forward to replies here!! Thanks so much!

 

[Alex Snyder]

Who doesn't love using 3 pedals! I'm banking on landowners having a nice niche of being able to offer a lot of pavement to the driving enthusiasts once we are all forced to let the cars drive themselves. I have a goal of owing 6 figures in personal property taxes one day

Yes, this means I'm looking forward to the driverless car. I can't wait to have a drink on the way to dinner, a bottle or three at dinner, and more on the drive home. Does that make me an alcoholic... hmmm... maybe. But I, more-so, look forward to my car telling me what it achieved for me while I wasn't riding in it. Did it get my packages from UPS? Did it refuel itself? Did it grab those groceries I needed to make dinner with tonight? Did it pick the kids up from school? Did it grab a pizza from my favorite pizza place that doesn't deliver?

I'm going to be a car owner with a family living in the Vermont countryside. I expect that little robot to get a lot of shit done for me! And I'm especially excited that neither my 8 nor 1 year old boys will be behind the wheel (hoping).

Obviously, I feel quite a bit different about the whole driverless car thing than you. You asked for a reply. Here's one.

 

[FLdealer]

That’s a great reply, actually!!!
Gives me some things to consider. I see your point on those arguments. Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to more insight!
Do you predict the driverless cars to be sold in mass numbers at Manheim and Adesa? Meaning the car business doesn’t change much at all, retail demand is there and wholesale houses provide inventory - simply the product shifts to the driverless cars vs. “traditional” cars? Thanks!

 

[Brendan Dolan]

This for me is why I enjoy a multiple car solution. My daily driver is a Chevrolet SS Sedan (with three pedals), and it's the perfect blend of fun, comfort and tech. I thought about leasing an M5 a few years back, but it was too isolated, too removed from the driving experience, even though it was an amazing performance car.

The thing is, I hate commuting in traffic. I'd much rather park the SS during the week, and have a self driving electric car move my body around so I can either work, sleep, zone out, read, etc rather than grind along in NorCal traffic, in a stick.

For years I had a Nissan LEAF as a commuter, and a 1970 BMW 2800CS for the weekends. That was the perfect blend of useless commuting miles in a cheap throw away car, and something for the weekends that reconnects me with the joy and art of driving.

 

[craigh]

1970 BMW 2800CS for the weekends.

 

[Brendan Dolan]

I never should have sold it. Oh well. It gave me peace of mind to have the cash back when I burned out and quit from the retail side of the car biz. It's everything about driving that FLdealer was talking about in the first post.