The end of the gasoline powered car?

[IowaRam]

 

[Mackeyser]

Pretty funny.

But seriously. They told us metric would be taking over shortly and we better learn it quick. That was in the early 70s. It’s obviously going to take more than being able to convince a chick that 6 is the new 15.

It’s just sad that we’re one of only three countries that use the Imperial system.

and actually its 15 is the new 6.

And just think of it. A guy with just over 6” could refer to his piece as his “sweet sixteen”, all sorts of funny stuff at 18 and 21...

They went about it all wrong in the 70s. I remember it well.

I never heard mention of penis size ONCE. (That might have had something to do with the fact that I was 10 or something when they started)

And there’s an upside for women, too!

Instead of being 165 lbs, she’d be 75 kg. How does THAT not win the female vote by a country mile?

I think it could work!!!

 

[Mackeyser]

On the Carbon DIOXIDE emissions: they are generally not a huge deal. Plant food. Most of it is absorbed into trees and plants. CO2 sensitivity to temperature is actually way over-stated. I get that recent generations have been peppered with the opposite information.

If smog is the issue, the catalytic converter and smoke stack filtration have solved most of those issues. Fossil-fuel energy is one of the greatest gifts to man kind. It enhances our lives and saves lives.

If the market comes up with greater options, awesome. But even battery powered energy requires trade offs.

As far as the freedom thing, I’m talking about the notion being thrown around that vehicle ownership, or vehicle possession will become a thing of the past.

So if you want a pizza? Boom. You go on your app. And a stooge shows up in 30 minutes. Hey. Don’t forget the parm. and a side of ranch!

Beer run? Ha! Pull up your Amazon app. You can even stay in your boxers! Nice cold 12 pack. Boom. Beer stooge is here! Set down your joystick for a sec.

Travel? Ha. Automated vehicle shows up. I’m off to Vegas. Got my automated Living Wage check from the State loaded into my account this morning.

Yeah. That’s the way it will play out! No travel restrictions. Totally sustainable. That’s the plan.

Well, you’re dead wrong, but I’m just not going to convince you here or anywhere else. (The CO2 stuff is so wrong I’m shaking my head, but I’m not going to argue science here)

And you’ll probably be one of the last holdouts, which is fine.

But the change is coming whether anyone likes it or not.

Autonomous driving solutions built into electric cars IS the future.

Mobile phones were the future and countless people refused to believe it. Believe it now?

It’s happening. Period. And...I bet a bunch of people won’t like it just like bunches of people now don’t like mobile phones. Doesn’t change their market and societal penetration.

So yeah... subscription service or some sort of membership service is a likely outcome as well as fully autonomous cordons in cities and a lack of insurance products (rich can always bond).

Not trying to be salty, but it’s like not wanting the tide to come in. It’s gonna. That’s not the question. It’s how does one respond to the change that’s coming?

 

[Farr Be It]

Well, you’re dead wrong, but I’m just not going to convince you here or anywhere else. (The CO2 stuff is so wrong I’m shaking my head, but I’m not going to argue science here)

And you’ll probably be one of the last holdouts, which is fine.

But the change is coming whether anyone likes it or not.

Autonomous driving solutions built into electric cars IS the future.

Mobile phones were the future and countless people refused to believe it. Believe it now?

It’s happening. Period. And...I bet a bunch of people won’t like it just like bunches of people now don’t like mobile phones. Doesn’t change their market and societal penetration.

So yeah... subscription service or some sort of membership service is a likely outcome as well as fully autonomous cordons in cities and a lack of insurance products (rich can always bond).

Not trying to be salty, but it’s like not wanting the tide to come in. It’s gonna. That’s not the question. It’s how does one respond to the change that’s coming?

Thanks for the feedback Mack. Yeah. We don’t need to go round and round on the science. We disagree.

I don’t know who dislikes mobile phones. But your point is that there are people that resist all change. Sure.

And yes, I would be one of the last holdouts on the vehicle issue. You didn’t address the privacy or liberty issue. You see my point, right?

Anyway. I don’t see you as being salty. Still love ya brother.

 

[1maGoh]

It’s just sad that we’re one of only three countries that use the Imperial system.

and actually its 15 is the new 6.

And just think of it. A guy with just over 6” could refer to his piece as his “sweet sixteen”, all sorts of funny stuff at 18 and 21...

They went about it all wrong in the 70s. I remember it well.

I never heard mention of penis size ONCE. (That might have had something to do with the fact that I was 10 or something when they started)

And there’s an upside for women, too!

Instead of being 165 lbs, she’d be 75 kg. How does THAT not win the female vote by a country mile?

I think it could work!!!

Did you mean how did it not win by a country meter?

 

[Farr Be It]

Did you mean how did it not win by a country kilometer?

Fify -good catch @1maGoh

 

[Mackeyser]

Did you mean how did it not win by a country meter?

Country kilometer, but yeah.

Oh, @Farr Be It beat me to it

 

[Mackeyser]

Thanks for the feedback Mack. Yeah. We don’t need to go round and round on the science. We disagree.

I don’t know who dislikes mobile phones. But your point is that there are people that resist all change. Sure.

And yes, I would be one of the last holdouts on the vehicle issue. You didn’t address the privacy or liberty issue. You see my point, right?

Anyway. I don’t see you as being salty. Still love ya brother.

I don't think liberty is fully removed from economics. I mean everyone is free to buy a $1M RV. Very few can afford it.

Freedom is being able to make the choices in one's life that affords the ability to have life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I live in an exurb and having an improved transportation system would allow most people to have MORE freedom than they do now. Many people are paying much more for multiple vehicles when having a "family sharing membership" would cost significantly less which would allow the family to have more resources for other things.

As for the privacy, we're going to have to redefine privacy. Every single place you visit online and everywhere you go with your phone on is tracked and recorded.

If you have any of those Alexa, Google or listening devices, you have to know that not only are they always on, but they're always listening and network professionals/white hats have caught them constantly streaming when a conversation is present. As more and more products make those things attractive, we will have all of our conversations recorded.

The old definition of privacy will quickly recede as we acknowledge that there's no way to put the genie back in the bottle.

*I* am not getting that stuff and want my privacy as long as I can get it (plus, I don't want someone to come in, order a ton of fertilizer and confirm the order because they can do a decent job of imitating my voice).

My point isn't what I like (we actually agree on some things while disagreeing on others). I'm entirely dispassionate when it comes to these projections at which I was very good when I did it professionally as a network architect/workflow analyst/consultant.

I put this stuff out there so that people have more time to acclimate and make better, more intelligent decisions that are in their best interest.

I'm not really arguing about what will happen, because it's coming and it's really just a matter of the details.

The TL;dr is that it won't matter if people hold out. At some point in the relatively near future, you won't be able to insure your car. When that happens, it won't matter if you want privacy or liberty. As a regular human who's not a billionaire, you won't be able to afford it.

Moreover, with the inevitable cordons, depending on where you live, you may not be able to drive it beyond your driveway or to anyplace that you want to go.

Again, that's coming. I can speculate on the likely ways it manifests, but the gas engine is dead tech. That includes for heavy duty applications.

 

[Farr Be It]

If you have any of those Alexa, Google or listening devices, you have to know that not only are they always on, but they're always listening and network professionals/white hats have caught them constantly streaming when a conversation is present

I don't have any of those creepy devises. No thanks. THIS is my social media.

Moreover, with the inevitable cordons, depending on where you live, you may not be able to drive it beyond your driveway or to anyplace that you want to go.

Again. I know you are just reporting what you see coming. But the above statement kind of betrays your earlier comments about the retention of our freedoms. Doesn't it?

 

[VegasRam]

Great thread. Read a TON of science fiction as a kid - I'm talking late 50's and 60's - (when "1984" was way way WAY into the future), and most everything that was fiction became fact.

May be generational, (although I don't know @Farr Be It's age), but I like his version/vision better.
That said, @Mackeyser is 100% correct in everything he says, as far as what's coming.

The operative word however, is when? It's like servo-robotics. The technology not only exists, but there are myriad operational prostheses in use as we speak, but if I lose my arm tomorrow, can I get a new one? No. Not even if I was a billionaire. 50 years from now, it'll be an outpatient procedure, also at which time, people will read in history books that we actually cut into people, (like we do about bloodletting).

The point of this ramble, is that we don't need to fear change, because it usually happens so gradually as to be virtually unnoticeable. What's particularly riveting about the time we live in now, is how the technology keeps feeding on itself, from geometrically to exponentially to logrithmically, so it becomes impossible to predict the state of anything in a fixed time frame.

Thirty years ago, when I was 40, knew everything, had the world by the ass, and was up to speed with the latest tech, (which at the time was the fax machine), the thought of a face to face conversation holding a tiny TV in your hand was the stuff of dreams.

Well guess what?

 

[Farr Be It]

The point of this ramble, is that we don't need to fear change, because it usually happens so gradually as to be virtually unnoticeable.

Not to resurrect this thread, Vegas. (By the way I’m 52) but this is part of my point. “We don’t need to fear change” said the frog, hopping into the lukewarm water.

So let us trust the move to automated EVERYTHING? Those in charge will ease us in gracefully. Ahhh. First it is an option. Then it is a preference. And finally, mandated.

It’s the driving/access to travel. Banking and the use of money. Access to food and property.

I don’t trust in government. Or young know-it-all CEOs that want to control free speech.

There is only One I trust. The rest need to be watched.

 

[VegasRam]

Not true resurrect this thread, Vegas. (By the way I’m 52) but this is part of my point. “We don’t need to fear change” said the frog, hopping into the lukewarm water.

So let us trust the move to automated EVERYTHING? Those in charge will ease us in gracefully. Ahhh. First it is an option. Then it is a preference. And finally, mandated.

It’s the driving/access to travel. Banking and the use of money. Access to food and property.

I don’t trust in government. Or young know-it-all CEOs that want to control free speech.

There is only One I trust. The rest need to be watched.

Not real sure why you chose my statement to give your opinion (cherry picked and out-of context), since I pretty much agree with your vision of how things should be/stay, but you could also contend that we should still be hand drafting and travelling on horseback.

My point was (and is), it's going to happen whether you like it or not, or agree with it or not, but probably won't have the horrible impact you perceive it will, based on the fact that, even at your young age, you won't be around when that world is the norm.

Loved the frog analogy - hadn't heard that one before.

Keep the faith.

 

[Farr Be It]

Not real sure why you chose my statement to give your opinion (cherry picked and out-of context), since I pretty much agree with your vision of how things should be/stay, but you could also contend that we should still be hand drafting and travelling on horseback.

My point was (and is), it's going to happen whether you like it or not, or agree with it or not, but probably won't have the horrible impact you perceive it will, based on the fact that, even at your young age, you won't be around when that world is the norm.

Loved the frog analogy - hadn't heard that one before.

Keep the faith.

First of all. Not directed at you. Just responded to a couple of your points. I saw that you were in basic agreement. (Also, spell-check changed my first word.-iPhone. Making it look like I was challenging you. I edited)

Cheers Vegas.

 

[VegasRam]

First of all. Not directed at you. Just responded to a couple of your points. I saw that you were in basic agreement. (Also, spell-check changed my first word.-iPhone. Making it look like I was challenging you. I edited)

Cheers Vegas.

No problem.

Actually what REALLY hurt was having to agree with @Mackeyser.alm::rolllaugh::boxing:

 

[Mackeyser]

No problem.

Actually what REALLY hurt was having to agree with @Mackeyser.alm::rolllaugh::boxing:

Broken clock and all that...

I don’t know much and most of what I do really bums people out.

I mean my Tamagotchi committed suicide and the last nun I met... flipped me off.

/sigh

 

[1maGoh]

Not to resurrect this thread, Vegas. (By the way I’m 52) but this is part of my point. “We don’t need to fear change” said the frog, hopping into the lukewarm water.

So let us trust the move to automated EVERYTHING? Those in charge will ease us in gracefully. Ahhh. First it is an option. Then it is a preference. And finally, mandated.

It’s the driving/access to travel. Banking and the use of money. Access to food and property.

I don’t trust in government. Or young know-it-all CEOs that want to control free speech.

There is only One I trust. The rest need to be watched.

Fun fact: the frogs in that experiment, the ones that didn't jump out of the water, we're lobotomized first. They didn't jump out because someone screwed up their brains. Normal frogs will jump out of water when it gets hot. Brain dead frogs... Not so much.

 

[Farr Be It]

Fun fact: the frogs in that experiment, the ones that didn't jump out of the water, we're lobotomized first. They didn't jump out because someone screwed up their brains. Normal frogs will jump out of water when it gets hot. Brain dead frogs... Not so much.

Wow! So that illustration is even MORE true to life!

 

[cvramsfan]

Got my email to build my Model 3. Do I wait for the all wheel drive or just get the extended range in 3 to 6 weeks?

 

[Mackeyser]

If you don’t have snow, I’d think the extended range is where you want to be.

Only places you might want awd outside of snow are places with heavy rain like Florida, West Washington state and Hawaii.

I wish the SUV had better front seats. It’s perfect for what I’d need in a second car except that damn seat is so narrow, the thigh bolsters were under my thighs. I’m big, but not seat belt extender big...

Dealbreaker, unfortunately

 

[Riverumbbq]

Ford will stop selling most of its cars in North America
Jon Fingas,Engadget 4 hours ago

• 
  
  

If there was any doubt that the auto industry is rapidly changing, Ford just delivered proof. The industry pioneer is scaling back its North American small car lineup in North America to just two vehicles, the Mustang and the unrevealed Focus Active crossover, in the "next few years." The rest of its range will be limited to SUVs, trucks and commercial vehicles. Ford isn't shy about its reasons: "declining consumer demand and product profitability" make it impractical to develop other sedans. You'd better act quickly if you've been looking at a brand new Fusion or Taurus.

While the brand wasn't too specific beyond that, it noted that it was adding hybrid powerplants to many of its vehicles, ranging from the Mustang to historical gas guzzlers like the Explorer and F-150. It reiterated that it'll launch its first all-electric vehicle (the Mach 1 SUV) in 2020, and that it would have 16 EV models on the market by 2022. Some of the incentives for buying small cars, such as fuel economy, are going out the window -- you don't need to buy a compact car to get decent mileage. Combine that with North America's fondness for SUVs and small cars faced a major challenge.

There's also the matter of overall declining car ownership. Even if you discount changing tastes and economic situations, there just isn't as much reason to own a car as there once was. You can order many products online instead of visiting the store, and ridesharing can frequently cover quick trips. That's before self-driving cars arrive, too. Why pour so much money into sedans when many people might hop into robotic cars?

Other automakers haven't cut most of their lines, and we wouldn't count on when competitors like Honda and Toyota are still committed. Just don't be surprised if Ford's move is the start of a trend rather than an exception.

Ford (PDF)

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/ford-stop-selling-most-cars-235400380.html