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New York, 6:16 AM
Mon Nov 9
14 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #automotive more →

    Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?

    Self-Parking Car Works Perfectly, Except For That Whole Running People Over Thing

    Whistler Red Light Camera Detector Also Spots Reckless Drivers

    Airplanes Getting Stronger Seats and Better Pillows Airbags

    80s Superhero Alert: Motorcycle Features Full-Sized Sidecar

    An Ugly Picture of a Beautiful OLED Rearview Mirror

    Lightning Review: Autonet 3G In-Car Wi-Fi Router

    This Car Bluetooth Speaker Squeezes Inside Your Steering Wheel

    New Magazine Ad Displays 3D Car in Augmented Reality

    Mercedes to Debut Splitview Command Display this Summer
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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Homerjay is utterly alone. Homerjay is utterly alone.
    11/05/09

    In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
    Why not save a bundle and just go with the Tiddy Bear? #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Homerjay is utterly alone. was starred Homerjay is utterly alone. was unstarred
    Image of LukeDukem LukeDukem
    11/05/09

    @Homerjay is utterly alone.: hahahahaha, Titty bear! #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Homerjay is utterly alone. promoted this comment LukeDukem was starred LukeDukem was unstarred
    Image of Homerjay is utterly alone. Homerjay is utterly alone.
    11/05/09

    @LukeDukem: Hey! It's TIDDY bear and I'll thank you not to poke fun! #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Homerjay is utterly alone. was starred Homerjay is utterly alone. was unstarred
    Image of Hello Mister Walrus Hello Mister Walrus
    11/05/09

    In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
    Mmm... reducing the pressure seatbelts put on people is a good idea. However, it seems that this would be more easily accomplished by changing the way seatbelts lie across your body. I mean, is a diagonal strip really the best possible design for these things? Even if the new design is a bit harder to put on, I can't imagine that it would be more bulky then belts with airbags built into them. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Hello Mister Walrus was starred Hello Mister Walrus was unstarred
    Image of weatherman weatherman
    11/05/09

    @Hello Mister Walrus: unless you're going to get the people in the back seat to wear a 5-point harness, I don't think you'll find something that is as protective while still being convenient. The shoulder belt is pretty tried and true, and does a good job of grabbing a person at their torso's center of gravity.

    Getting people to wear a seat belt is the biggest problem - if it's less convenient to put on, people just won't do it (backseat passengers especially). The best seatbelt is the one you're wearing, after all. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    weatherman was starred weatherman was unstarred
    Image of met2art met2art
    11/05/09

    @Hello Mister Walrus: The belt crossing from shoulder to hip dramatically decreases the possibility of the upper body being thrown forward in an arc. (The lower body is restrained by the lap belt and rear declination of the sloped seat.) That, in turn, decreases the possibility of extreme neck and cranial injury due to accelerated whiplashing and subsequent snapback. A three-point harness is best, but the public would never accept it. It took decades for people to accept shoulder harness seatbelt systems, and many still find them irritating despite the overwhelming evidence of their success. The success of the "sports car" design had a large effect on the success of shoulder harnesses and "bucket seats" which were initially designed to reduce movement of the driver by hugging the legs and allowing them to be somewhat "enveloped" by the seat. Prior to that the majority of US cars had bench seats. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    met2art was starred met2art was unstarred
    Image of Hello Mister Walrus Hello Mister Walrus
    11/05/09

    @met2art: It seems like any change in seatbelt design would need to start upmarket. For instance, have you seen the back seats in a Porsche Panamera? This is the type of car model that new seatbelt designs will most likely be introduced in. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Hello Mister Walrus was starred Hello Mister Walrus was unstarred
    Image of SSgtTEX SSgtTEX
    11/05/09

    @met2art: I agree with you on everything but the three-point harness. The standard belt in cars today is a three-point system. It attaches in three places.

    Now getting the average person to wear four or five point harnesses is another story. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    met2art promoted this comment SSgtTEX was starred SSgtTEX was unstarred
    Image of met2art met2art
    11/05/09

    @SSgtTEX: You're correct... I should have said that a three-point (or more) harness that connects from mid-seat and covers both shoulders is (typically) more effective at reducing back injuries and systemically-related neck and head injuries. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    met2art was starred met2art was unstarred
    Image of met2art met2art
    11/05/09

    @Hello Mister Walrus: Well, Ford, after having invested ten years of R&D in this system will be introducing it into the Explorer model. They are hoping the rapid deployment into the market, and licensing to other manufacturers, will help recoup their significant investment. Also, they seem to be hoping that the system will become standardized in the same way that competing airbag technologies from the 60s through the 70s eventually did, and became designated as "SRS" and required rigorous testing. It would seem that Ford, despite economic setbacks, managed to develop something rather revolutionary. Here's hoping that if nothing else it helps encourage people in rear seats to wear their safety belts. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    met2art was starred met2art was unstarred
    Image of UnderLoK UnderLoK
    11/05/09

    @met2art: Oh you mean the SRS that melted to peoples faces, chest, hands, and arms? Or the SRS that split heads open like grapes? Or the SRS that they finally sorted out which saves lives? ;) #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    UnderLoK was starred UnderLoK was unstarred
    Image of Jrsy Devil's Advocate® Jrsy Devil's Advocate®
    11/05/09

    In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
    Having been inside the third car in a four car sammich I can tell you that mine and my gf's neck & shoulder hurt for a couple of days afterwards. We both also had some nice diagonal bruising where the belt made contact.
     Reply
    Edited by Jrsy Devil's Advocate® at 11/05/09 12:22 PM Jrsy Devil's Advocate® was starred Jrsy Devil's Advocate® was unstarred
    Image of RedRaider RedRaider
    11/05/09

    @Jrsy Devil's Advocate®: Been there fellow survivor... still better than the imprint my head would have made on the dash. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Jrsy Devil's Advocate® promoted this comment RedRaider was starred RedRaider was unstarred
    Image of mmmiles mmmiles
    11/05/09

    In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
    You obviously don't have kids and don't know anything about children.

    A child can never be too heavily medicated. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Mark Wilson promoted this comment mmmiles was starred mmmiles was unstarred
    Image of Pessimippopotamus Pessimippopotamus
    11/05/09

    In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
    It's a good idea. I mean, the idea's been around, but if they're actually getting around to making it work, good for them. Good for Ford.

    They're the first ones to implement the pop up hoods that are tied to crash sensors that create extra room between the pedestrian collision victims and the hard points in the car's engine bay. That allowed for cars to have low sleek looking design while meeting the European pedestrian collision requirements.
     Reply
    Edited by Pessimippopotamus at 11/05/09 12:18 PM Pessimippopotamus was starred Pessimippopotamus was unstarred
    Image of Digo Digo
    11/05/09

    In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
    For some reason I cannot bring myself to put a seatbelt on in the backseat. At the same time, I can't comfortably sit in a front seat without the seatbelt on.

    But I agree, a more comfortable seatbelt would not convince me to wear one in the backseat just like a less comfortable one would not cause me to stop wearing one in the front seat. It's all a matter of getting kids to use it early on so they get used to it, which falls mostly on the parents.

    I guess they could make seatbelts cool if they implement racing style seatbelts. When I was a kid I had an older cousin that had these in his car, there is no way I wasn't going to put those on no matter what seat I was in. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Digo was starred Digo was unstarred
    Image of Shamoononon: I shave my legs. Shamoononon: I shave my legs.
    11/05/09

    @Digo: The idea of not being thrown through the window or breaking my face on the seat in front of me is what attracts me to wear them. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Digo promoted this comment Shamoononon: I shave my legs. was starred Shamoononon: I shave my legs. was unstarred
    Image of Digo Digo
    11/05/09

    @Shamoononon: I shave my legs.: Yes because, despite your avatar, you are an educated rational person who cares abut safety. You are not the problem, the problem is the people that don't wear them despite the fact that they know they should because they can't get used to them. It's like flossing and eating vegetables, it's hard to start doing as an adult but much easier if you've been doing it since you were a kid. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Digo was starred Digo was unstarred
    Image of Timodge Timodge
    11/05/09

    @Digo: I guess you never saw this.

    *warning, slightly graphic* #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    The-Simpsons-Rule!! promoted this comment Timodge was starred Timodge was unstarred
    Image of Shamoononon: I shave my legs. Shamoononon: I shave my legs.
    11/05/09

    @Digo: Did you just call my avatar stupid? Well, I'll be...

    *Huffs and walks away* #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Shamoononon: I shave my legs. was starred Shamoononon: I shave my legs. was unstarred
    Image of Kaiser-Machead Kaiser-Machead
    11/05/09

    In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
    Even with moderate forces tugging you about in the cabin, the taught edge of the strap is pretty irritating. I can't imagine how badly the seatbelt would feel when you're in an accident. I welcome this design. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred
    Image of Jeb_Hoge Jeb_Hoge
    11/05/09

    @Kaiser-Machead: Me too. I think the carping at Ford is a little irrational. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Jeb_Hoge was starred Jeb_Hoge was unstarred
    Image of Bertone77 Bertone77
    11/05/09

    In reply to Inflatable Seatbelts...Really Ford?
    These are a good idea, I don't understand the sarcasm. I've been in an accident where the seatbelt left a nasty friction burn across my chest (I was just wearing a t-shirt) and this would have been nice to have, plus I can see even more benefit for smaller passengers.

    As far as comfort goes, a little can go a long way.
     Reply
    Edited by Bertone77 at 11/05/09 12:07 PM Bertone77 was starred Bertone77 was unstarred
    Image of anexanhume anexanhume
    11/05/09

    @Bertone77: My theories are that the sarcasm comes from it looking like an inflated condom, or perhaps Adam is disappointed he cannot fornicate with it. It's a genuinely good idea. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    anexanhume was starred anexanhume was unstarred
    Image of chinolam chinolam
    11/05/09

    @Bertone77: right? I don't get the sarcasm either. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    The-Simpsons-Rule!! promoted this comment chinolam was starred chinolam was unstarred
    Image of Michael Woods Michael Woods
    11/05/09

    @Bertone77: ^agree. I'm a fan of any safety features that come standard. Also, the same technology is being used in the seksi 2011 Lexus LFA. [www.autoblog.com]

    This is great but reading your article gave me a sadface. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    The-Simpsons-Rule!! promoted this comment Michael Woods was starred Michael Woods was unstarred
    Image of Mark Wilson Mark Wilson
    11/05/09

    @Bertone77: It's human nature to be concerned with things we can see. But imagine the impact that car emissions we breathe in 24/7 have on our overall health, lungs and environment. That's a far, far greater problem, I guarantee, that companies like Ford sweep under the rug with red herring safety features like this one. #inflatableseatbelts
     Reply
    Mark Wilson was starred Mark Wilson was unstarred
    Image of jjigen jjigen
    10/27/09

    In reply to Self-Parking Car Works Perfectly, Except For That Whole Running People Over Thing
    this won't work when people fight over parking spaces. if someone else rushes into the space after your car has already started its process, how will it react? #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    jjigen was starred jjigen was unstarred
    Image of conman577 conman577
    10/27/09

    @jjigen: It'll turn into a robot and fucking kill you.
    Volkswagon is already ahead of the game. #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    switchblade saints promoted this comment conman577 was starred conman577 was unstarred
    Image of bricatoxchod bricatoxchod
    10/27/09

    In reply to Self-Parking Car Works Perfectly, Except For That Whole Running People Over Thing
    It would have been nice to get some reference or idea where the whole "runs over people" point comes from. Rosa mentions it over and over and over but nobody is hurt in the video. No footnotes or anything
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan promoted this comment bricatoxchod was starred bricatoxchod was unstarred
    Image of Rosa Golijan Rosa Golijan
    10/27/09

    @bricatoxchod: From the linked article:

    "So what’s the hold-up? Well, the car currently can’t detect obstacles. Like, you know, people."
     Reply
    Edited by Rosa Golijan at 10/27/09 1:54 PM Rosa Golijan was starred Rosa Golijan was unstarred
    Image of günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi
    10/27/09

    In reply to Self-Parking Car Works Perfectly, Except For That Whole Running People Over Thing
    after watching this video again...... i have to say... i want some friggin' lasers for my VW... not for parking assistance... but more for .. well... let's call it 'path clearing' #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi was starred günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi was unstarred
    Image of ArcticLotus ArcticLotus
    10/27/09

    @günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi: Ah, you want to put a "laser" on your "Volksvagon," eh? #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi promoted this comment ArcticLotus was starred ArcticLotus was unstarred
    Image of günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi
    10/27/09

    @ArcticLotus: yes... crowded city streets? not any more... lumberg's porsche in my parking spot..? not any more... i think you see where i'm going with this..... #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi was starred günter macbeetle, codename: chrystlubitshi was unstarred
    Image of KingSnakeX4 KingSnakeX4
    10/27/09

    In reply to Self-Parking Car Works Perfectly, Except For That Whole Running People Over Thing
    God forbid someone leaves a shopping cart in the middle of the parking lot. How would the car know to drive around something or sit and wait? I picture gridlock at the grocery store.
    Maybe someone can use the same tech on shopping carts so they automatically return to the cart corral? Because trying to park in an open spot, occupied by a stray cart some lazy prick who couldn't walk 4 feet to put it away, irritates the living piss out of me. #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan promoted this comment KingSnakeX4 was starred KingSnakeX4 was unstarred
    Image of badhatharry badhatharry
    10/27/09

    In reply to Self-Parking Car Works Perfectly, Except For That Whole Running People Over Thing
    My boss has the Lexus that parallel parks itself, but refuses to try it out. Nothing really to add to this post, just his refusal to try out that feature sickens me.

    #RosaRocks #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    badhatharry was starred badhatharry was unstarred
    Image of justsomereportingguy justsomereportingguy
    10/27/09

    @badhatharry: your boss is a wimp. Tell him to man up and let the damn car park itself. Search thru [jalopnik.com] if you think a video of the car doing it right will help him out.
     Reply
    badhatharry promoted this comment Edited by justsomereportingguy at 10/27/09 3:08 PM justsomereportingguy was starred justsomereportingguy was unstarred
    Image of badhatharry badhatharry
    10/27/09

    @justsomereportingguy: Yeah. He's the guy who can fire me, and who I ask for more money. I'm going to tell him that it sounds perfectly sound that he does not let his car park itself. #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    badhatharry was starred badhatharry was unstarred
    Image of m.dean m.dean
    10/27/09

    In reply to Self-Parking Car Works Perfectly, Except For That Whole Running People Over Thing
    They've documented that it runs people over. That means it's no longer a bug, it's a feature. Call it the "Future Empty Space Initiator."

    p.s. thanks for the promotion, Rosa. :) #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan promoted this comment m.dean was starred m.dean was unstarred
    Image of Undead Ponies Undead Ponies
    10/27/09

    In reply to Self-Parking Car Works Perfectly, Except For That Whole Running People Over Thing
    As a personal injury attorney, I see nothing wrong with having 3,500 pounds of steel try to park itself in an urban environment. #vailautonomousvaletparking
     Reply
    Rosa Golijan promoted this comment Undead Ponies was starred Undead Ponies was unstarred
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