Large number of distracted electric car drivers

Soldato
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This does appear to be a sweeping statement, but I think it definitely is a thing. I've mainly noticed this with those little BMW i3 cars, and I think that's because they're very distinctive. The main thing I've noticed is the driver fiddling about while driving long and doing jerky steering corrections, also being very slow from the lights, as in several seconds stationary on green, then suddenly noticing and zooming off. I've not noticed it with Tesla drivers, they seem to mostly drive well.

Now, I know you get distracted drivers regardless of the power source, but I was thinking that maybe an electric car with lots of technology to assist a driver, and less for the driver to do, is creating a hazard because the driver isn't as involved in getting his/her machine down the road.

Any comments around this?
 
Soldato
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I did ponder whilst navigating 200 miles of the M1 over the long weekend, what would a Tesla driver be doing with their new found freedom from being driverless. If you can't entertain yourself on your phone, what exactly do you do? Then I guessed maybe you just feel "less tired" at the other end. In reality though, I guess you play on your phone or find something to entertain you.
 
Associate
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I have to say that this is very much a sweeping statement. I notice this with any number of different cars but have never thought to myself, I wonder why Ford/VW/Vauxhall, etc drivers are always distracted. I do notice that Audi drivers tailgate all the time and that BMW owners never use their indicators though...:p

We have an ID3 and I have never felt the need to be distracted at traffic lights. Mind you, we also have an Audi Q7 and I don't tailgate so maybe my observations are wrong.

I think that the reason why i3 owners are distracted is they are wondering how they get their rear passengers out of the car on a wet and windy day without having to fully open the front doors.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
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159,534
This does appear to be a sweeping statement, but I think it definitely is a thing. I've mainly noticed this with those little BMW i3 cars, and I think that's because they're very distinctive. The main thing I've noticed is the driver fiddling about while driving long and doing jerky steering corrections, also being very slow from the lights, as in several seconds stationary on green, then suddenly noticing and zooming off. I've not noticed it with Tesla drivers, they seem to mostly drive well.

Now, I know you get distracted drivers regardless of the power source, but I was thinking that maybe an electric car with lots of technology to assist a driver, and less for the driver to do, is creating a hazard because the driver isn't as involved in getting his/her machine down the road.

Any comments around this?

A typical i3 has no extra features above any other typical car that might account for that.
 
Man of Honour
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I'm always leaving the car on Pilot Assist and catching up on Netflix - doesn't everyone ?!?
A small bean bag strategically placed on one side of the steering wheel will make it think you are still participating. Great for catching 40 winks or allowing you to really relish that road head you might be getting.
 
Soldato
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30 Sep 2005
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16,526
I think a large part of it is the move towards a button less cockpit. Everything is controlled via the onboard computer. Whereas years ago you could control say the aircon by twisting a button, once you knew where said button was you could do it without looking. These days you have to take your eye away from the road, look across to see which menu it's in, press home, scroll over to car control, press on it, scroll down to aircon, press it, scroll down to get to the up and down buttons, then tap 10 times to increase or decrease the temp. That's 5-10 seconds of you not looking where you're going.

.....and they say talking on the phone is bad!

It's only gonna get worse though :p

ok google, set temp to 20c
sorry I didn't quite catch that
ok google, set temp to 20c
sorry I can't do that
ok google, set aircon to 20c
searching for aircon by 20c on youtube music
 
Soldato
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21,047
A small bean bag strategically placed on one side of the steering wheel will make it think you are still participating. Great for catching 40 winks or allowing you to really relish that road head you might be getting.
Perfect - that's just the tip I needed to complete the puzzle :)
Now with the driver belt fastened and a couple of bricks on the front seat, that should enable me to sit in the back for some rest and recreation, on those long boring motorway journeys.

:p
 
Soldato
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Cheshire
I think a large part of it is the move towards a button less cockpit. Everything is controlled via the onboard computer. Whereas years ago you could control say the aircon by twisting a button, once you knew where said button was you could do it without looking. These days you have to take your eye away from the road, look across to see which menu it's in, press home, scroll over to car control, press on it, scroll down to aircon, press it, scroll down to get to the up and down buttons, then tap 10 times to increase or decrease the temp. That's 5-10 seconds of you not looking where you're going.

.....and they say talking on the phone is bad!

It's only gonna get worse though :p

ok google, set temp to 20c
sorry I didn't quite catch that
ok google, set temp to 20c
sorry I can't do that
ok google, set aircon to 20c
searching for aircon by 20c on youtube music

Yep, absolutely hate the way interiors are going for this "buttonless paradise".

Also lmao at the "ok google bit", no idea why peope love voice control so much, nearly always slower and does the wrong thing most of the time. My old C63 always wanted to call "John" no matter who's name I actually said. I have no one in my contacts called John, go figure.
 
Soldato
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Wetherspoons
I'm always leaving the car on Pilot Assist and catching up on Netflix - doesn't everyone ?!?

You joke but it would surprise me.

Going forward it'll only get worse to.

Maybe I am sounding like an old git before my time, but modern cars...........

I got this Volvo, to be fair aint even that modern now, but anyway, first car I had with traction control, after having it a few weeks just to get used to it, went for a drive though I would wang it round a bit, faimilar roads where I live out in the middle of nowhere. First corner in, I expected it to do one thing, and that traction control kicked in, I got that sinking feeling in my stomach felt like I had completely lost control of the car. Im like, **** that ****, that ****** is going straight off. And now as part of my pre-drive checklist, I just go through the menus on the car turning everything off.

I dont even use cruise control much, the very few times I use it is one road around here is about 5 miles has a 50mph average speed camera people its right next to a river people kept killing themselves, but the road is gernally very quiet. Sometimes on a motorway, maybe, in an average speed area if its quiet, otherwise no.

I think cars hit a sweet spot, maybe mid 2000, historically cars have not been reliable but it got to the point where the "guts" of most cars got good. So what the manufacturers did was overcomplication everything, put bloody sensors for this, sensors for that, all that fancy stuff on cars now.

So on mine, the traction control failed (the system failed that is) I did my research and pretty sure it was one of the ABS/wheel speed sensors behind one of the wheels, an easy fix and a £30 part. BUT.... to find out which one, you need to plug the diagnositcs in, so bought a £20 generic diagnostics but no, Volvo need a special one (of course) which is either £140 icarsoft, or genuine volvo software obtained under dubious circumstances.

All for a sensor to control something I didnt want in the first place!

But as cars do more, people just wont be able to drive properly or concentrate and its concerning. I think I would rather be driving now with tail gating boy racers in modified cars then some flappy woman in her fancy electronic does everything for you, because at least the former are more likely to be looking where they are going!
 
Soldato
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23,304
I saw someone swerve on to the other side of the road and nearly go head on with a van a couple of weeks ago. Definitely on the phone or playing with some other touchscreen :/

But as above. I think cars peaked in the 00s too. We had the right mix of analogue and digital. But now the focus seems to be on the toys and not the engineering or driving experience itself.

100s of sensors for everything, sometimes with the sensor costing more to replace than the thing it's monitoring.
 
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Soldato
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24 Oct 2002
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Bucks and Edinburgh
I have to say that this is very much a sweeping statement. I notice this with any number of different cars but have never thought to myself, I wonder why Ford/VW/Vauxhall, etc drivers are always distracted. I do notice that Audi drivers tailgate all the time and that BMW owners never use their indicators though...:p

Dont forget Volvo drivers are clueless anorak wearing wife swapping weirdos ;)
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Jun 2004
Posts
2,651
I think a large part of it is the move towards a button less cockpit. Everything is controlled via the onboard computer. Whereas years ago you could control say the aircon by twisting a button, once you knew where said button was you could do it without looking. These days you have to take your eye away from the road, look across to see which menu it's in, press home, scroll over to car control, press on it, scroll down to aircon, press it, scroll down to get to the up and down buttons, then tap 10 times to increase or decrease the temp. That's 5-10 seconds of you not looking where you're going.

.....and they say talking on the phone is bad!

It's only gonna get worse though :p

ok google, set temp to 20c
sorry I didn't quite catch that
ok google, set temp to 20c
sorry I can't do that
ok google, set aircon to 20c
searching for aircon by 20c on youtube music

Why, when discussing touch screen cockpits is aircon always discussed as something to fiddle with? I pressed the Auto button on mine 8 or so years ago, spent the first couple of trips sorting the temperature and have left it alone since.
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Jan 2010
Posts
21,949
Why, when discussing touch screen cockpits is aircon always discussed as something to fiddle with? I pressed the Auto button on mine 8 or so years ago, spent the first couple of trips sorting the temperature and have left it alone since.
I guess the automotive world should consult with you before making an opinion then? :confused:

I did 200 miles over the weekend and touched the auto button twice (because the passenger wanted to be warmer) and changed the fan speed 10x as many times.
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Sep 2005
Posts
16,526
Why, when discussing touch screen cockpits is aircon always discussed as something to fiddle with? I pressed the Auto button on mine 8 or so years ago, spent the first couple of trips sorting the temperature and have left it alone since.

Well.....and I'm not sure how to say this without coming across as a bit 'capitain obvious' so please don't think I'm being funny or anything

Sometimes I like to feel a little warmer, and somtimes I like to feel a little cooler
 
Man of Honour
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25 Oct 2002
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Location
Hampshire
Mid-00s might have been OK if you were in something cutting-edge in terms of high spec but I imagine the spec on a lot of cars from that era leaves a lot to be desired by modern standards. For example, no smartphones to integrate with or SatNav - OK so the first TomTom came out around that time if you fancied dropping a few hundred notes, but that was just another tiny screen to be fiddling with and hoping it didn't fall off the windscreen. Probably no parking sensors/cameras. Not the biggest losses in the world but maybe no Bluetooth, USB or DAB, so you're relying on FM reception or swapping CDs. Less efficient petrol engines.

I get the school of thought around too many things being hidden behind a touchscreen these days, but for all the 'overengineering' there's also a lot of useful toys we take for granted.
 
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