The Vehicle Thread

[TradeTheBeal!]

Only 20 feet?  Gotta bump those numbers up!

[Fan since a Fetus]

I know a few people that have gotten fords over the past 8 or so years and all of them have had electrical problems that Ford hasn’t been able to fix. I won’t touch a Ford for a very long time, especially their electric vehicles. Not all of the vehicles have been electric, only one of them was, but if they are having problems in their normal gas guzzlers with electric, how can I have faith that they can put out an electric vehicle that doesn’t?

 

plus the video of the Lightning Ford F-150’s in Arizona catching fire while not in use really persuaded me not to buy one. 
 

Also, I saw one of those low GPA cars not too long ago. I see a Brazzers one quite often as well. 

[bearrock]

1 hour ago, Fan since a Fetus said:

Also, I saw one of those low GPA cars not too long ago. I see a Brazzers one quite often as well. 

 

😳

[China]

BMW, Subaru and Porsche drivers ‘more likely to cause a crash’, study finds

 

What came first, the boy racer or the sports car? Academics have called for further research into the marketing of cars after analysis of UK accident data suggested that drivers of certain brands are more likely than others to cause a crash.

 

A study of more than 400,000 UK road accidents found that when “risky or aggressive manoeuvres” played a part in collisions, there was a significant statistical difference in driver culpability across different brands.

 

Dodgy driving – covering such reported infringements as speeding, jumping a red light, overtaking on double white lines or ignoring the humble pedestrian crossing – was more likely to be a factor when a Subaru, Porsche and BMW was involved than a Skoda or Hyundai.

 

Having factored in variables such as drivers’ ages and road types, the researchers hypothesised that branding could be to blame, in a paper published in the Journal of Social Marketing.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Hiz and Herzog]

This is interesting, but I offer an anecdotal counterpoint. My family has several cars and have had various makes and models over the years, including German, Japanese, and American makes. Often we have a mix in the stable at the same time. 
 

My personal driving style does not change from one vehicle to another. However, I have found, more often than not, that other “aggressive drivers” on the road tend to try to exact some sort of revenge or personal vendetta toward any car that might be perceived as more “luxurious” or sporty such as the German makes. Whether that is cutting you off, tailgating, etc, certain people just take umbrage toward others driving to be what they perceive to be a snobbish make or model. That leads to being in some more dangerous situations when driving vehicles of that ilk. 

[Captain Wiggles]

Can confirm. Whenever I'd pass jabronis in my volvos they'd seem to take it personally and immediately speed up to pass or start tailgating. 🤣

[skinsmarydu]

Just now, Captain Wiggles said:

Can confirm. Whenever I'd pass jabronis in my volvos they'd seem to take it personally and immediately speed up to pass or start tailgating. 🤣

You shoulda seen me in my black '87 Subaru wagon.  It was a manual, and moved my hardside waterbed, took me to 3 of the 5 ACC basketball tourneys and home to VA 5 times.  Even took a head-on collision and kept me alive to tell the story. 

It was the only car I've ever owned that wasn't a GM.  (My massage therapist learned to drive on it & her parents sold it to me for $600.) 

[Hiz and Herzog]

Just now, skinsmarydu said:

You shoulda seen me in my black '87 Subaru wagon.  It was a manual, and moved my hardside waterbed, took me to 3 of the 5 ACC basketball tourneys and home to VA 5 times.  Even took a head-on collision and kept me alive to tell the story. 

It was the only car I've ever owned that wasn't a GM.  (My massage therapist learned to drive on it & her parents sold it to me for $600.) 

The old Subies were a trip. I learned to drive manual transmission on one (family friend).

9 minutes ago, Captain Wiggles said:

Can confirm. Whenever I'd pass jabronis in my volvos they'd seem to take it personally and immediately speed up to pass or start tailgating. 🤣

What did Momma say? There'd be days like this....or more money more problems.....or haters gonna hate? Something like that...

[Captain Wiggles]

Buddy of mine had a Subaru XT awd in high school. That car would go practically anywhere. 

 

Meanwhile my rear wheel drive volvo would get stuck in wet grass. 🤣

[skinsmarydu]

8 minutes ago, Captain Wiggles said:

Buddy of mine had a Subaru XT awd in high school. That car would go practically anywhere. 

 

Meanwhile my rear wheel drive volvo would get stuck in wet grass. 🤣

Even my wagon could.  I feared absolutely nothing in that car...hence the head-on collision.  (Funny, but not.)  

[EmirOfShmo]

Spotted this Rolls SUV at the place I stayed at in Laguna Beach last weekend...

 

[China]

Volvo's EM90 'living room on the move' minivan has up to 450 miles of EV range

 

Volvo has unveiled its first fully electric minivan, which is geared toward comfort. So much so, the brand describes the EM90 as a "living room on the move." While it might be comfy enough to travel in while wearing PJs, Volvo is pitching the EV as an option for those who want a space where they can get work done too.

 

The EM90 is infused with sound isolation and road noise cancellation tech, while Volvo claims that dual chamber air suspension and silent tires will offer the driver and passengers a smooth ride. If that works as promised, you'll be able to get the most out of an audio system that has 21 Bowers & Wilkins speakers.

 

Along with a 15.4-inch infotainment screen for the driver, there's a roof-mounted 15.6-inch HD display to which you can cast shows and movies from your phone. Attach a compatible camera, and the screen can be used for video calls. 5G connectivity will come in handy for business-minded users too.

 

 

If the EM90 looks familiar, that's because it's based on the 009 from Zeekr, Volvo's sibling brand, as Electrek points out. It has a 200 kW electric motor that can take it from 0 to 100 kmph (62.1 mph) in 8.3 seconds. The EV has a 116 kWh battery (with bi-directional charging support) that Volvo claims can charge from 10 to 80 percent in under 30 minutes.

 

Click on the link for more

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by China

[China]

Feds want speed reduction tech in every new car. Are American drivers ready?

 

On a Saturday afternoon in January 2022, a 2018 Dodge Challenger ran through a stop sign in Las Vegas, picked up the pace to a speed of 103 miles per hour and flew through an intersection on a red light. The Dodge struck the right side of a Toyota Sienna minivan, which carried seven occupants, causing four more vehicles to crash. The driver and passenger of the Dodge, as well as every passenger in the minivan, died.

 

The National Transportation Safety Board, a U.S. government agency that investigates such accidents, found that in this scenario and many others like it, a technology that limits the speed of vehicles could have mitigated the scale of this tragedy. The driver, who was found to have cocaine and PCP in his system which impaired his decision-making, had a record for breaking the speed limit.

 

The NTSB concluded that intelligent speed-assist technology (ISA) should be standard equipment in all new vehicles to prevent needless deaths. It's no longer enough, the agency argues, to rely on states to deter driver speeding and recidivism. The agency, which doesn't have the power to make regulations, is calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to mandate the use of this technology going forward.

 

“This crash is the latest in a long line of tragedies we’ve investigated where speeding and impairment led to catastrophe, but it doesn’t have to be this way,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy in a statement. “We know the key to saving lives is redundancy, which can protect all of us from human error that occurs on our roads. What we lack is the collective will to act on NTSB safety recommendations.”

 

How it works
ISA technology relies on a car's GPS location and matches it to a database of posted speed limits and onboard cameras to come up with the legal speed limit. Passive ISA systems warn a driver when the vehicle exceeds the speed limit through sound, visuals or haptic alerts, leaving the driver responsible for slowing the car. Active systems might make it more difficult to increase the speed of a vehicle, or even fully limit it from going, above a posted speed limit.

 

Some Americans might chafe at the idea of an active ISA system that limits their freedom of movement. Limiting any freedom hits at the core of the American libertarian psyche and could be perceived as government overreach. Americans often have a general distrust of government interference and regulation, and might claim that limiting speeds is just the beginning. Some may even argue that ISA technology could hinder a quick getaway during an emergency situation.

 

From a technological standpoint, different sign designs and time-of-day speeds might make it difficult for ISA tech to be reliable.

 

That said, it's undeniable that speeding is one of the leading causes of traffic-related deaths. According to recent NHTSA data, almost one-third of all traffic-related deaths are the direct result of speeding.

 

Europe first
In Europe, ISA technology is already mandated for all new vehicles as of 2022, according to the European Commission's Vehicle General Safety Regulation (GSR), which requires vehicles to have 90% accuracy for ISA systems. The GSR also includes requirements for mandatory advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including emergency automated braking systems and lane assistance technology.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Cooked Crack]

 

[TradeTheBeal!]

Welp, we died and went to Rover Heaven.

 

 

[TradeTheBeal!]

Daddy stepping up to a flossy new whip.  This damn sure ain’t no “cybertruck”.  
 

 

 

 

[China]

Auto industry eyes subscription fees as future multi-billion-dollar revenue stream

 

Jason Luu's 2020 Volvo XC90 has state-of-the-art remote features, such as the ability to start and stop the engine and unlock and lock the car from an app on his smart phone.

 

But if he wants to keep using those features after a free trial, it will cost $200 a year.  
 

"It's a little disheartening," Luu told CBS News. 

 

Subscriptions are shifting into overdrive in the auto industry. For certain Toyota vehicles, the remote start option comes at a price of $8 per month after the expiration of a free trial, while BMW charges $20 a month for enhanced cruise control on certain vehicles. 

 

While Ford offers its hands-free driving "BlueCruise" assisted cruise control option for some of its vehicles, including the all-electric F-150 Lightning, are drivers willing to pay $75 per month for it?

 

Click on the link for the full article 

[China]

Drivers of boxy SUVs and pickup trucks are more likely to kill pedestrians, study finds

 

Big trucks and SUVs, especially those with flat front ends, aren’t just more intimidating to look at, they are genuinely deadlier for pedestrians, according to new research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

 

Researchers at the institute looked at records of almost 18,000 incidents in which vehicles struck pedestrians. They found that vehicles with grille areas that were 40 inches tall or higher are 45% more likely to kill a pedestrian they might hit.

 

Tall front ends are common among full-size trucks and SUVs but they aren’t exclusive to very big vehicles. The Jeep Renegade, a compact SUV, also has a boxy front-end with the front edge of its hood more than 40 inches off the ground, according to the study.

 

Even when the hood isn’t that high, a boxy front-end — with a grille that’s nearly vertical and a hood that goes almost straight out from the windshield — is more likely to cause death or serious injury to a pedestrian. In general, vehicles with box-shaped front ends, even when they’re only medium height, are roughly 26% more likely to kill a pedestrian, according to the IIHS.

 

Pedestrian fatalities have increased more than 80% since 2009, according to the IIHS. In 2021, almost 7,400 people were struck and killed by vehicles. While factors such as speeding and poor road design contribute to the problem, IIHS said, safety experts have also pointed to the increased popularity of big trucks and SUVs.

 

While especially tall, boxy front end designs have become popular among full-size trucks, the aggressive design serves no function.

 

Click on the link for the full article

[Cooked Crack]

 

[The Evil Genius]

Tl:dr is that my FIL had another stroke and has lost his license (temp but maybe permanently). My wife grabbed his newish CRV because he's the type that would still try without his DL. 😬

 

Question for anyone who might know, outside of a body shop, is there a good way to get rid of what looks like transfer paint. Apparently he rubbed against a parking lot pillar or something (not a car).

 

 

And yes, it needs a wash but it's also going to rain tomorrow.  😆

[Cooked Crack]

 

[stoshuaj]

On 12/26/2023 at 7:38 PM, The Evil Genius said:

There are a number tutorials on YouTube but I’ve used WD-40 or mineral spirits, lightly.

Basically, you are removing the wax layer and softening the paint underneath. 

[TradeTheBeal!]

Drove little bro down to Kakalaki yesterday so he could buy the only truck more douchey than a Range Rover.  He loves it.

 

 

[PleaseBlitz]

On 12/26/2023 at 7:38 PM, The Evil Genius said:

Tl:dr is that my FIL had another stroke and has lost his license (temp but maybe permanently). My wife grabbed his newish CRV because he's the type that would still try without his DL. 😬

 

Question for anyone who might know, outside of a body shop, is there a good way to get rid of what looks like transfer paint. Apparently he rubbed against a parking lot pillar or something (not a car).

 

 

And yes, it needs a wash but it's also going to rain tomorrow.  😆

 

A good detailer can usually get it done.  Depending on the severity, it would probably cost $100-200.  You live in SF, so probably x4. 

 

I had to do this once because I was borrowing my mom's truck, had parked it in my office's underground garage between 2 pillars, and rubbed on one of them pulling out because I had gotten the "the baby is coming, meet me at the hospital right the **** now" call. 

[Ball Security]

2 minutes ago, PleaseBlitz said:

 

A good detailer can usually get it done.  Depending on the severity, it would probably cost $100-200.  You live in SF, so probably x4. 

 

I had to do this once because I was borrowing my mom's truck, had parked it in my office's underground garage between 2 pillars, and rubbed on one of them pulling out because I had gotten the "the baby is coming, meet me at the hospital right the **** now" call. 

There is a joke somewhere in this post between pulling out and baby, but I just can’t tie it together.