Wow, New Car Technology

[DAYDREAMER]

Bought a new Ford Escape Titanium. Its amazing the leap in technology cars have today over our 2004 Honda Accord. Wasnt sure i would like all the new finangled gizmos, but, was pleasantly surprised how useful they are. Example, thought the parallel park assist was a joke idea, till i tried it. Couldnt imagine trying to park without it now. I'm also addicted to all the dash gizmos like built in gps, all the stereo input abilities like connecting to my bluetooth to play pandora from my phone.

I've become a tecky that i used to role my eyes at. The computer industry is really looking at how we live, and adapting their systems to benefit our lives. GO TECHNOLOGY!

 

[clifp]

Yes I agree there have been some real innovations in the car industry.

The Tesla feels more like a spaceship than a car and I am sure many of the innovations and interface designs, that have nothing to do with an electric car will find themselves appearing in the old cars companies in a few years.

But I spent a week driving a Ford CMax, a very nice hybrid, and I was quite impressed with everything from the backup cameras, to the helpful mileage displays, and the fairly simply bluetooth connectivity. It was definitely a bigger leap between the 2013 CMax, and my 2003 Accura RSX, there where was a leap from my Accura to my 1993 RX-7. The Accura improvements were fairly modest but CMax were huge.

 

[Telly]

Well, on the mechanical technology side of it, a turbocharged consumer-grade gasoline engine is not for me! One look under the hood, and I just shake my head. Will be a difficult and expensive thing to work on, and will probably need work more often. Gas turbo's do not have a good track record over the years.
I realize that many people never open a hood, but I'm not one of them.
To me, the platform underneath it all is very important

 

[easysurfer]

Daydreamer, I'd like to hear more about that parallel parking assist. Do you just let go of the wheel and like the cyborg take over?

 

[Alan]

Daydreamer, I'd like to hear more about that parallel parking assist. Do you just let go of the wheel and like the cyborg take over?

Almost, you have to use the gas pedal and brakes, but hands off the steering wheel. See demo from Ford:

Ford's New 'Active Park Assist' Makes Parallel Parking a Breeze for Lincoln MKT and MKS Owners - YouTube

 

[ls99]

I am really impressed with all the technolgy installed in the modernd autos.

However, I think my next car will be the older tech, starting with the ignition key must still be inserted into the dashbord start switch, and headlight dimmer on the floorboard.

The wiring diagram of these cars still fits on one page.

 

[NW-Bound]

Almost, you have to use the gas pedal and brakes, but hands off the steering wheel. See demo from Ford...

That implementation makes a lot of sense. The human driver remains in charge, as he retains the control of the brake pedal. He is supposed to monitor the car motion, in case the computer or the ultrasonic distance sensors go berzerk.

Still, drivers living in crowded cities will not need this as much as the casual suburban dwellers who occasionally venture into the downtown.

I am really impressed with all the technology installed in the modern autos.

However, I think my next car will be the older tech, starting with the ignition key must still be inserted into the dashboard start switch, and headlight dimmer on the floorboard.

The wiring diagram of these cars still fits on one page.

Your future car will be expensive, because it will have to be one of those restored classics, costing near $100K.

 

[walkinwood]

I recently got a rental car with the keyless ignition. The key fob stayed in my pocket & unlocked the doors as I got near the vehicle. Just press the start button & the car starts. Small conveniences, but so cool!

The other development that I've been amazed at is the collision detection and avoidance systems. They are just amazing!

 

[Katsmeow]

I do agree on the new technology. I do have a Ford with the parallel park assist but just don't have many occasions to need to parallel park.

What I do love, love, love is the adaptive cruise control and the blind spot warning in the side mirrors. And, the rear backup camera is really great and significantly better than they one in our car that is a few years older. The back up camera even has lines marked to show where you would go if you continue backing out in the direction you are turning and where you would go if you backed out straight.

 

[easysurfer]

Almost, you have to use the gas pedal and brakes, but hands off the steering wheel. See demo from Ford:

Ford's New 'Active Park Assist' Makes Parallel Parking a Breeze for Lincoln MKT and MKS Owners - YouTube

Thanks. That's pretty cool. Now all I need is a pull of out parallel parked

 

[ls99]

..........
Your future car will be expensive, because it will have to be one of those restored classics, costing near $100K.

1954 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible RESTORED - Wholesale Exotica LLC | Auto dealership in Englewood, New Jersey | Inventory

$54000.-

 

[Koolau]

I now own three cars. I'm certain I could sell all three and have enough scratch for a down payment on one of your 13/14 cars. There are two from 2000 and one from 1999. I'm still knocked out that ALL my cars have auto-trans AND power windows! While I'm also fascinated by the new tech, I guess I'm a little intimidated as well. Not sure by the time my old beaters need replaced with your old cast-off 2013's and 2014's that I'll still be able to master all the bells and whistles.

I actually kind of miss the days of heel-and-toe down shifts, hand-brake turns, 4-65 AC and replacing my own oil and worn points/plugs (well, maybe not that last part). Still, given another life, I could see being involved in the research/development end of the auto business. For many years I have fantasized about a couple of significant fuel-mileage technologies. Now I find that these are close to fruition (and they didn't even ask me). I'm no engineer and they probably only pay "idea men" for marketing. So, maybe I'll just keep the life I have (and keep an eye out for a clapped out 2000 Miata.) YMMV

 

[NW-Bound]

1954 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible RESTORED - Wholesale Exotica LLC | Auto dealership in Englewood, New Jersey | Inventory

$54000.-

OK. So it's not as bad as I thought. But can you handle the MPG of 8, or is it 5?

 

[Ronstar]

My Ford F-150 has a few gizmos, including the tire air pressure sensors. I got a flat tire a few weeks ago, got the low air pressure sensor warning on the dash, put on my spare tire and threw the flat tire in the bed of my truck. Still got the low air pressure warning even though the spare had plenty of air. It turns out that the spare doesnt have a sensor, and the system was still reading the pressure of the flat tire while it was in the bed of the truck.

 

[ls99]

OK. So it's not as bad as I thought. But can you handle the MPG of 8, or is it 5?

No problem, I am retired, no w*rk commute.

One of my favorite wheels among several owned is a 1999 454 suburban gets 12 around town and 15 to 16 on the highway.

I hope for huge sales of extremely fuel efficient cars, so that we will back to gas stations giving away salt shakers, knives and what have you. I guess that won't happen again in my current lifetime.

OTOH DW loves her 2013 caddy with rear view camera, all sorts of bells and whistles and a dozen air bags.

 

[Koolau]

OK. So it's not as bad as I thought. But can you handle the MPG of 8, or is it 5?

First car I drove (age 13) was a 1953 Caddy. It belonged to an older friend of mine (ca. 1960) Back in the day that Chevy auto-trans was the two-speed "DynaFlo" (we called it the Dyna-Flush) the Caddy had 4 speeds forward (including "Country Driving" - AKA overdrive). Driving on the highway gave fuel mileage in the 15 mpg range or even better - if you could keep your foot out of it. YMMV

 

[jerome len]

Ford got buried by Consumer Reports because of all their technology that doesn't work. But.....like many others I like rear back up cameras, adaptive cruise control, etc. I do wish, however, that they would wait until new tech is well tested and works before they rush to put it in new cars. I know Cadillac is having some tech problems.....so, no new car for me for a year or two.

 

[aja8888]

First car I drove (age 13) was a 1953 Caddy. It belonged to an older friend of mine (ca. 1960) Back in the day that Chevy auto-trans was the two-speed "DynaFlo" (we called it the Dyna-Flush) the Caddy had 4 speeds forward (including "Country Driving" - AKA overdrive). Driving on the highway gave fuel mileage in the 15 mpg range or even better - if you could keep your foot out of it. YMMV

I think that transmission was really a Buick one and only made a couple of years. Also called the Dyna Parth. Chevrolet had two speed Power Glide transmissions until the 1970s, I believe. I had one in a 1952 sedan.

 

[DAYDREAMER]

Daydreamer, I'd like to hear more about that parallel parking assist. Do you just let go of the wheel and like the cyborg take over?

The previous posts sums it up pretty well how the system works.

I feel i'm pretty good at parallel parking (unassisted), so i wanted to test how well it could park in tight spots. I compared the assist to my ability (unassisted) in an extremely tight parallel parking situation. The assist nailed it, as i followed all its ques to go back and forth 2 times. The car was squared up nicely in the spot. Unassisted, i could not park (serious blow to my ego).

Somebody mentioned concern about gas turbo reliability. I too have the concern, and time will tell. I do however have a dodge with a turbo diesel "cummins" that has 200k of very heavy towing, and has been bullet proof. I'm hoping ford studied up on material technology, and perfected proper turbo bearing lubrication, so that i wont be disappointed down the road.

I've always bought honda's for a commuter, but after our garbage 2004 accord, its time to try another brand. Ford, Please do not let me down!

 

[Helen]

I've always bought honda's for a commuter, but after our garbage 2004 accord, its time to try another brand. Ford, Please do not let me down!

We're thinking of switching to Toyota. Honda doesn't seem to back their products when there is a design flaw. The A/C unit was faulty on Honda CRVs and it took a class action lawsuit for them to cover some of the cost. I think thy lost a lot of customers on that one. We bought a Honda lawnmower and the transmission went out after maybe 25 uses. Honda redesigned the transmission but didn't issue a recall.

 

[DAYDREAMER]

We're thinking of switching to Toyota. Honda doesn't seem to back their products when there is a design flaw. The A/C unit was faulty on Honda CRVs and it took a class action lawsuit for them to cover some of the cost. I think thy lost a lot of customers on that one. We bought a Honda lawnmower and the transmission went out after maybe 25 uses. Honda redesigned the transmission but didn't issue a recall.

Yup, our honda AC had problems. Ended up being a servo switch. Was very difficult to diagnose because it would work intermittantly. Honda wanted to replace our whole unit for 2500! I knew the system didnt need replacing because the ac would blow cold air, when it did work.

On a hot day, i decided to really look into the system, and found that a servo switch with a little snowflake printed on it was in the dash fuse panel. i tapped the switch and low and behold the ac worked. New switch was $18 dollars. I took the switch apart in the lab and looked at the failure mode. The materials in the switch ate each other up, causing massive arcing that eventually rendured the switch unable to conduct current. The sad part, the switch was made in america.

This is one of many details that caused honda to lose a very loyal customer.

 

[Katsmeow]

Ford got buried by Consumer Reports because of all their technology that doesn't work. But.....like many others I like rear back up cameras, adaptive cruise control, etc. I do wish, however, that they would wait until new tech is well tested and works before they rush to put it in new cars. I know Cadillac is having some tech problems.....so, no new car for me for a year or two.

I actually have a Ford (have had it for 2 years - 2012 Explorer) and it has worked fine. Soon after I bought it they apparently fixed some glitches with the computer programming in the car (touchscreen for navigation, climate, music) and I haven't really had any problems. I actually expected there to be more issues than I've had....

 

[aja8888]

Somebody mentioned concern about gas turbo reliability. I too have the concern, and time will tell. I do however have a dodge with a turbo diesel "cummins" that has 200k of very heavy towing, and has been bullet proof. I'm hoping ford studied up on material technology, and perfected proper turbo bearing lubrication, so that i wont be disappointed down the road.

Turbo technology is pretty good these days from a materials standpoint, whether you have a wastegate or VNT type. You hit it with maintaining proper lubrication as the key. One must use the best fully synthetic oils for the lubrication of the bearing shaft on turbo enhanced cars and trucks. Hopefully, Jiffy Lube or the dealer service departments are keenly aware of this requirement.

 

[travelover]

Yup, our Honda AC had problems. Ended up being a servo switch. Was very difficult to diagnose because it would work intermittently. Honda wanted to replace our whole unit for 2500! I knew the system didn't need replacing because the ac would blow cold air, when it did work.

On a hot day, i decided to really look into the system, and found that a servo switch with a little snowflake printed on it was in the dash fuse panel. I tapped the switch and low and behold the ac worked. New switch was $18 dollars. I took the switch apart in the lab and looked at the failure mode. The materials in the switch ate each other up, causing massive arcing that eventually rendered the switch unable to conduct current. The sad part, the switch was made in America.

This is one of many details that caused Honda to lose a very loyal customer.

If this was indeed a common problem, Honda should have put out a technical service bulletin so the techs would have a head start on diagnosing the problem. Better yet, Honda would have launched a recall.

That said, the tech that wanted to replace the whole system screwed up. Many auto techs are just parts swappers with poor analytic skills. I wouldn't quit buying Hondas (or any other brand) over this incident, but obviously it is your call.

 

[ziggy29]

My only beef with all this technology in cars is that it's so much more that can break and result in costly repairs -- repairs that "amateur" DIY mechanics can rarely, if ever, perform.

I think back to the cars I remember from the '70s and compare them to today. Cars back then were so much easier to work on. There was a lot more room under the hood for mere mortals with normal tools to work. You rarely needed special tools or expensive equipment to service something, and you rarely had to tear half the engine apart to replace a $20 part. IMO (and I hate to sound like a Luddite or a cranky old curmudgeon), this is a case of one step forward and two steps back. It's harder and harder to DIY almost anything now.