[Kamikaze]

http://slashdot.org/articles/04/10/05/1539203.shtml?tid=126&tid=1
http://www.wftv.com/newsofthestrange/3783378/detail.html (direct link to article)

Scary story about a Renault (one of those fancy fully electronic ones) that got out of control, it's pretty scary how all this "convenient", "high-tech" stuff crashes and burns with a lot more force when they fail.

Nowadays there're cars out there with a miniature version of Windows packed in them too, viruses crashinng (literally) your car? (though I do doubt the OS is in control of essential systems like the gear shifting)

[Blitzerland]

Scary.

[Corsair]

Originally posted by Blitzerland
Scary.

[mitac]

Nice plot idea for "Speed 3", though.

Pity the name "Cruise Control" has already been used.

[Flipside]

Hmmmm... I've just been reading 'The Complete Robot' by Isaac Asimov, spooky.....

[Corsair]

I like the 2001: A Space Odyssey reference by the way, Kamikaze.

*Dave glares at HAL*
that was one creepy movie.

[Mongoose]

Now why in the world do you need a keycard?  What, a notched piece of metal wasn't working well enough?  Let this be a lesson:  keep it simple, stupid.

[Kosh]

They should at least have an emergency engine kill button on those things.

[Deepblue]

Almost sounds like he came up with that excuse so he could experience going 120 miles and weaving between cars...

[RadioactiveYeti]

Originally posted by Deepblue
Almost sounds like he came up with that excuse so he could experience going 120 miles and weaving between cars...

Yeah, thats what I was thinking.  But the type of person who would do that sort of thing wouldn't call the police, they'd just use it as an excuse if they got caught.

"But officer, the car made me do it!".

[Bobboau]

[BlackDove]

That's a family vehicle?

More like a family death-trap.

[Bobboau]

2001: A Honda Odyssey

[Cabbie]

Odyssey to where?

[mrfun]

This is why I drive an air-cooled VW.

No electronics at all

[mitac]

Air cooled engine or air cooled driver?

[an0n]

See, this is why all machinery and technology should have a physical cut-off switch within arm's reach.

[mrfun]

Originally posted by mitac
Air cooled engine or air cooled driver?

Depends on the weather

BTW, those German engineers knew what they were doing, I've never run my battery dead by leaving the lights on. Why? Because they go out when you take the key out of the ignition. *DUH* why the heck can't $17,063,285 American cars that are 90% computerized do something useful like that? No they have cruise control instead...

[mitac]

Originally posted by mrfun

BTW, those German engineers knew what they were doing, ...

Things have changed, believe me. Though they tend to alert you in case you left the lights on, most times through some beeeeeeep-noise that kills your ears. I'm not sure if I favor that.

[Galemp]

Let me put it this way, kamikaze. The VEL series is the most reliable computer ever made. No VEL computer has ever made a mistake or distorted information. We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error.