Too much car automation?

[lnfletcher]

Originally Posted by Silverback51

Traction control is your right foot.

One of the things I love about the Cobra is how primative it is, and I plan on keeping mine that way.

Ditto! If you want all of those things, buy a vet.

[SP01715]

Originally Posted by lnfletcher

Ditto! If you want all of those things, buy a vet.

Exactly what I told a friend that was going off about traction control and paddle shifters in a Cobra.

[Dan40]

If the car does all the work, we might as well be on an amusement park ride!

My Magnum has the 'slap shift' for up or down shifting. I had to quit driving the car hard. The computer went batsh!t every time I blipped the throttle when down-shifting. I heel and toe with the right foot and the left is searching for the phantom clutch. Finally said the hell with this, its a station wagon anyway.

[olddog]

Actually the technology of hooking the load peddle to a sensor input going into a computer and then connecting the throttle to a positioner controlled by said computer is an ugly thing. When I saw the first one, I said this is a disaster waiting to happen.

It looks like Toyota has proven me right. I have spent 30 years in process control working for a chemical company. I have seen some of the most brillant fail safe technological marvals fail where a simple device would not have. It just doesn't get much simpler than a couple springs and a cable.

That said a Cobra is not the car to give the throttle control to a computer. Too fast a car for you to react to a sudden uncontrolled WOT.

[Joe Wicked]

Not to stir the pot, but my first car (1976 Mercury Monarch 2 door) had a 302 and the throttle return spring broke from the throttle cable. Instead of it springing back, it hooked on the throttle bracket which held it at about 3/4 throttle. I was on the local 1/4 mile drag strip and it happened towards the end of my run. Suddenly the pedal got real soft and the engine RPM dropped. I noticed quickly that I was still accelerating and luckily I had the presence of mind to shut it off before I passed the traps.

Just wanted to point out that sometimes the simple technologies will fail too. Obviously it was an isolated incident on a well used car, but the possibility still remains.

[Jamo]

Which is why double throttle return springs are muy goodo.

[Joe Wicked]

True enough Jamo. I can say it did not take long for me to realize something was wrong and I went strait for the ignition key. That was the first time anything had ever gone wrong and I think I reacted well.

[Jamo]

Yup...cuz you're here to talk about it.

Speaking of reactions...a couple of years ago I was damn near falling asleep coming back from a business trip in the Vette. Barely kept my eyes open enough to pull off and park at a gas station against the back wall. Nodded off...

...woke up staring at a concrete wall thinking I was still driving!!!!!! Slammed both feet onto the clutch and brake pedals and rammed them to the floor! Damn near loaded my pants and my legs hurt for several days.

[Joe Wicked]

I have done something similar stopping when I was too tired to drive. It took a few moments for me to realize what was going on.

[DougD]

My wife has had two cars with traction control - a 2003 Mustang and a 2008 Caddy CTS.
I live in Iowa where we regularly have to deal with snow and ice. I'll never forget the first time I encountered the TC. I was sitting in her Mustang at a stop light on a slight incline. When the light turned green, I stepped on the go pedal and nothing happened. I pushed a little harder - still nothing. It seems the car was sitting on a patch of ice, and when I applied the throttle, the wheels started to slip. So the TC cut the throttle. Completely. I'd still be sitting there if I hadn't shut the damned TC off. The guy behind me in traffic was not amused.
The second time was in the CTS. Great car, but it, too, has TC. I was attempting to pull out into rush hour traffic from a side street. I saw a gap in the traffic, so I gunned it to merge. As soon as I entered the main street, I drove over a patch of ice. The TC completely cut power for a couple of seconds. I've got to tell you that it's a strange feeling, watching the oncoming traffic bearing down on me, while I have my foot firmy planted on the firewall as I helplessly pushed and pushed the throttle down. No one hit me, but it was close. I easily could have caused a major traffic accident because the damned TC decided I could not handle the situation.
In my opinion, any device that takes control (or eliminates your ability to control) of a car is a potential disaster waiting to happen. Mercedes has a car that will brake for you when you follow too closely. Nissan or Toyota or one of those jelly-bean brands has a car that will park itself. My feeling is that we need to encourage at least a passing level of proficiency amongst our drivers here in the US. These devices do nothing to achieve that goal.

Hell, I'm still mad at whomever invented air bags. The people who thinned themselves from the gene pool through their stupid acts behind the wheel now live to drive another day. And procreate. So there will be more.

[Joe Wicked]

Doug,
I daily drive a 2003 Mustang GT and when it is icy or snowy out, the first thing I do when I get in the car is turn off the traction control. More than once I have experienced the same thing.

[Silverback51]

My wife has a Jeep SRT/8, and in snow and ice, the traction control sucks. I also have to turn it off or else you are subject to the whims of a computer.

[DougD]

Originally Posted by Joe Wicked

Doug,
I daily drive a 2003 Mustang GT and when it is icy or snowy out, the first thing I do when I get in the car is turn off the traction control. More than once I have experienced the same thing.

I just can't figure out what the heck TC is for if a person has to defeat it to drive on an icy day. Seems like that's what it should be made for.