What else can they add to cars?

Elessar

I was thinking recently about all the gadgets and new technology car companies are increasingly putting into their newest cars, but I think it has come to a point where there are no more really innovative things to add to intice people to buy.

I mean we have,
Sat nav
In car displays/movies
Memory seats
Computers telling you tyre pressure/oil levels, engine status etc.
Climate control
Radar (mercedes S class)
Advanced engines
Keyless ignition
Cruise Control
Bluetooth
And lots more

What else is there to add? When all of the above filter down to regular family saloons (if they haven't already) - how else will car manufacturers entice people?

Diddy Kong

Could do with a toilet for the kids on long jouneys

Enygma

I won't be happy until I've got heat seeking missiles and a HUD on the front windscreen.

Won't turn off your foglights eh? Click... Boom!

Even a CG simulation would do!

mike65

Better drivers!

Mike.

Rovi

Automatic pilot.

Rowley Birkin QC

Didi merc put head up display in the latest s class?? that is mucho cool

mike65

Rovi wrote:

Automatic pilot.

Thats coming, roads with lane sensors and the car kept between the lines while following a GPS-type programmed route. Kick your shoes off and read the paper? No thanks! :eek:

Mike.

crosstownk

Ah yes any year now Knight Indrustries Two Thousand will start mass producing cars.................... I hope turbo boost comes as standard.

galwaytt

I've a much simpler request: reliability. And it would be free.

McSandwich

Enygma wrote:

I won't be happy until I've got heat seeking missiles and a HUD on the front windscreen.

Won't turn off your foglights eh? Click... Boom!

Even a CG simulation would do!

Fog detectors?

gucci

sandwich toaster

AlanD

mike65 wrote:

Thats coming, roads with lane sensors and the car kept between the lines while following a GPS-type programmed route. Kick your shoes off and read the paper? No thanks! :eek:

Mike.

It's here. Honda have it as an option on their Accord. It's not a fully automatic system, but it does nudge the wheel in the right direction to keep you on track.

layke

Hover conversion kit would be awesome.

towger

wings ! ..... bye bye M50

yayamark

how about something to tidy up phone chargers abd bluetooth chargers. its a bit messy at the mo with a cable for the phone charger and a cable for the bluetooth charger

buzzard

A cracker of a bird which will give a blowj0b when your stuck on the M50.

It BeeMee

How about a link to the GPS system that will slow the car down (or at least warn you) when you hit a new lower speed limit?

Edit: already mentioned in this thread

antodeco

buzzard wrote:

A cracker of a bird which will give a blowj0b when your stuck on the M50.

I rekon the best thing that they could put into cars would be either/all:

Fridge
Vending Machine
Massaging Seats
completey collapsable seats (so the front ones AND back ones can be turned into a bed
ATM machine
McDonalds
Eddie Murphy

Owen

HUD was pioneered by BMW in a mass production car, it's available on the 5&6. Auto Pilot was pioneered by the Darpa Challenge in the States, and put into a standard car designed for mass production (But never actually made) by Opel.

Some of the cooler tech in the past few years has been Night Vision, Radar Cruise Control, Self Parallel Parking, and although it's very controversial - Run Flat Tyres.

Volvoboy

BAH!!!! We have too much **** in our cars as it is, i like the creature comforts,

Leather
elec everthing
nice 3000cc+ pulling your arse around

thats all i'd look for.

anything that mess's with the driving aspect of the car is too far.

My da has a 06 S-Class merc he's been tryin' to sell for a while now and it has everything, fupping computer 'n all, imo anything that takes the driving out of driving is a bad thing.


-VB-

Hotwheels

Could do with a toilet for the kids on long jouneys

Like this ya mean???



A for Rag-Top lovers!!!!



Lets not forget 4X4's

highdef

Wing mirrors that dip when you select reverse gear. Automatic headlights and wipers. Automatically dimming rear view mirror - handy features!!!!

colm_mcm

I always liked the oscillating heater vents on the LS430, I see they've dropped them from the LS460.
I also like heated/ventilated seats, hot or cold air.

Zaph

A chauffeur

colm_mcm

oh yeah! adaptive cruise control is the business! a bit scary the first time you use it, but amazing. keeps set distance between you and the car in front, so if they slow down, so do you.

armchairninja

anyone got any thoughts on the new bmw auto start stop system, seems like a good idea from a "green" point of view, but, i personally have a pessimistic view of it at the min, i can forsee alot of people stuck behind a broken down 5 series because of a blown fuse or something similar:rolleyes:

colm_mcm

Would have doubts about the longevity of the starter motor, unless they've uprated it. also would find the constant stop starting annoying. it's not noticable on the Prius as it doesn't use a conventional starter motor, so there's no audible cranking.

DublinDilbert

colm_mcm wrote:

Would have doubts about the longevity of the starter motor, unless they've uprated it. also would find the constant stop starting annoying. it's not noticable on the Prius as it doesn't use a conventional starter motor, so there's no audible cranking.

Looks like a big start motor:-
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/03/bosch_startstop.html

I'm surprised they are not commutating the alternator (using it as a motor) to start the engine...

MercMad

Wing mirrors that dip when you select reverse gear. Automatic headlights and wipers. Automatically dimming rear view mirror - handy features!!!!

......most high end cars have had all of these for about 8 years !!

I recall the Fiat Regatta had a system that would switch the engine off if it idled for a certain period, 20 seconds, and then restart once the clutch was depressed an 1st gear selected !

Now whatever about BMW but for an early 80's Fiat, the last thing you wanted to do was switch the motor off when it was running !!

highdef

Yeah, current car has those features, bar the auto wipers. Last car also had the auto dimming mirror and auto dipping mirror and that came out in 1994!!!

LostinBlanch

bigkev49 wrote:

Didi merc put head up display in the latest s class?? that is mucho cool

I saw a programme a couple of years ago when someone built his own and installed it on his car. He used the front cover of a CD as the screen.

G Luxel

How about making the car disappear...as in the Ice house scene in 007's Tomoro never dies featuring the Aston Martin Vanquish.....should come in handy in front of speed cameras and CCTV cameras.