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Has automation in the automotive industry made drivers lazy?

Lisa Miles

It's been a beautiful summer here in the UK this year. We've been treated to day after day of blue sky and sunshine making the commute to work an absolute dream. 

However, I woke up the other morning to find the world wrapped in a thick blanket of mist and fog for the first time in what feels like a decade (but in reality is probably only a few months Blush)

So, on the commute to work that morning, I popped on my fog lights (both back and front) while driving along the country road that winds from my village and out to the main highway to help my fellow travellers see me in this fog soup, only to come up rapidly behind a small silver grey Peugeot with no lights on! Then on the other side of the carriageway, more cars coming head on out of the mist with again with no lights on... Fearful

I would safely estimate that 3 out of every 10 cars I encountered on my journey into work that morning through the thick fog and mist, was not sporting any lights on their car at all let alone the very useful fog lights that are purpose made for driving in situations of reduced visibility.

I'm aware that many modern cars have automatic lights that come on when light levels are low BUT I'm finding that many drivers are not taking matters into their own hands when it comes to deciding when their car lights should actually be illuminated. Again the other day the sky went black and there was a sudden downpour on the way home from work and again, many drivers did not have their lights on probably opting for the decision to be taken by the onboard light sensors instead. 

A friend of mine also has automatic main beam on her car so she doesn't have to decide when to use it and when not to. The car makes that decision for her. 

It got me thinking... have we gone too far with automation in vehicles? Should we be encouraging drivers to make more decisions for themselves when behind the wheel of their car? Have we in fact through automation, removed too much responsibility from the driver themselves? 

Parents

  • From a different thread ...

    in reply to Chris Pearson

    You mean one pedal driving right? 

    There's nothing to be worried about in that sense because depending on the EV, the regen is pretty strong. I mean I can slow ours down to 5mph (which is the regen limit before it cuts off) using only the accelerator pedal. 

    You still have the option of the footbrake if required (which 90% of the time it isn't), and with the collision mitigation braking tech in most vehicles now that further serves to reinforce the safety aspect.

    I feel sure that this has implications for driving licenses. How long would it be until drivers who rely on these aids become unable to use a car with conventional controls, be they with a manual or an automatic gearbox?

Reply

  • From a different thread ...

    in reply to Chris Pearson

    You mean one pedal driving right? 

    There's nothing to be worried about in that sense because depending on the EV, the regen is pretty strong. I mean I can slow ours down to 5mph (which is the regen limit before it cuts off) using only the accelerator pedal. 

    You still have the option of the footbrake if required (which 90% of the time it isn't), and with the collision mitigation braking tech in most vehicles now that further serves to reinforce the safety aspect.

    I feel sure that this has implications for driving licenses. How long would it be until drivers who rely on these aids become unable to use a car with conventional controls, be they with a manual or an automatic gearbox?

Children
  • in reply to Chris Pearson

    Hi,

    TCU-(transmission control unit) or transmission control unit is an electronic component that is increasingly used in automatic transmissions in recent years. As the name suggests, just like the ECU (Engine Control Unit), the TCU is a computer designed to control a mechanical component (the transmission in this case). The calculations are based on various inputs that the TCU receives from other components. A mechanical or hydraulic component can then be activated.

  • in reply to Chris Pearson

    I feel sure that this has implications for driving licenses. How long would it be until drivers who rely on these aids become unable to use a car with conventional controls, be they with a manual or an automatic gearbox?

    I imagine it will become  like driving tractors or steam traction engines is now. Once there are not enough vehicles of that type to make maintaining test centres etc worthwhile,  it will be dropped, and you will be allowed it under another test.

    So now for example while  there is a tractor only test you can do at 16,  most folk do  not, so  right now if you have a normal car license (manual gearbox) passed in a ford escort, or a more modern equivalent,  you can use it to allow you to hop into the cab of a tractor and tow 30 tonnes (weights for tractor towing~) or fire up  a steam traction engine (but not a road roller for which there is another test) and rumble off at 5mph burning coal or wood (but not in a low emission zone or on a motorway!! ).

    If you want to to drive a minibus, or tow something behind a car however, because that is a common use, or , that is more tightly controlled.
    I see no issue.  Eventually I expect driving the occasional  ICE car will be permitted to folk who only passed a test in an electric one if they feel the urge to do so.

    Mike

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