Stevie Behind the Wheel
I recently test drove a new car with an autopilot system. Turn on the cruise control and the car not only maintains whatever speed you set, it also steers itself through curves and keeps the car from wandering out of its lane. You are supposed to keep your hands on the wheel, of course. But […]
The Tsunami Approaches
Tsunamis are nature’s surprise party. The sky is blue; the waves lap the shore gently as usual. No reason to pack up the beach towel — much less run to the car and drive at top speed as fast as you can to the nearest highest ground. But across the ocean, an earthquake. The wave […]
The Amen Corner
I’ve written about the media’s active complicity in pushing the EV Agenda. This includes the car media, which seems to have very few car people behind the bylines. Car people being people who regard cars as more than transportation — as a service or otherwise. And who — as journalists — ought at least to […]
All the Safe New Cars
If cars are so much safer than they used to be — courtesy of the beneficence of the federal government — how come fatalities are increasing rather than decreasing? It’s another one of those awkward questions (like the ones about rivers of molten steel in the basement ruins of the Trade Center Towers) that no […]
Adjusting our Clock and our Perception of Cars
It’s that time of year — when we’re forced to reset our clocks again — spring forward! There’s something else that needs re-setting, too. Our frames of reference for cars. There is no longer much amenity difference between “luxury” cars and other cars . . . There is more price difference than there has ever […]
Uber Court Decision, Algorithmic Bias, and the Union of Glass and Metal
Uber Court Decision This past week, Yavapai County, Arizona Judge Sheila Sullivan Polk declared that Uber has no criminal liability for the death of Tempe pedestrian Elaine Herzberg in March 2018. Herzberg was the first known pedestrian fatality of a driverless car. Walking her bike across a dark street outside of a crosswalk, Herzberg was […]
Elon to Give Away Teslas
When Chevy couldn’t sell the Volt electric car (RIP) it resorted to leasing them. Which at least gives the impression that people are buying them. In fact, they were renting them — for well below what it would have cost to buy, which is precisely why leasing is attractive to those looking to drive more […]
What is AEBS and why are Automakers Embracing the Tech?
AEBS stands for Advanced Emergency Braking Systems, one of several advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) that automakers are currently pushing onto consumers. Other tech includes: lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning system, adaptive cruise control, and dynamic headlights. There are many forms of ADAS available with some built into new cars, some available as an […]
What a Difference a Year Makes in the Driverless Car Universe
Writing about the car of the future the past two years has given me some insight into the trends in reporting on driverless cars. The tide has turned and writers appear to be scratching their collective heads on these fantastical claims of imminent convenience. Last year at this time, the world seemed to be a […]
Little-Vehicle-Topia: Micromobility and the Rest of Us
I was exercise walking in my local park last fall and suddenly out of nowhere, a young woman on a scooter zipped past me and we almost collided. She cut me off as she headed for the grass to take a short cut. Not only was this rude, but scary. As someone walking on a […]