Another interesting car tech article. Hyundai/Kia are developing Interconnected Shift Technology, the ability for the car to a) sense road surfaces, b) connect to traffic information networks (5G?) and gather info on traffic conditions ahead.
The car uses this to shift the transmission into the "appropriate" gear. Used with assistive brakes and lidar, this will bring us a car where the "driver" is really just a steerer. Can interconnected throttle technology be far behind?
I think this is very bad news. Not only does it erode the market for motorcycles and "real driver's vehicles" like the slingshot and other performance vehicles in the longer term, it means the manual transmission vehicle will die very quickly.
I can see my millennial students (especially Bernie supporters and iPhone users) being thrilled with this. I, on the other hand, see a tool that government can use to lock down populations, restrict travel, red flag driver laws, and more.
Does it matter if we surrender our freedom to a government, or to a corporation which can be "seized in emergency situations" by the government? I think not. Can you see a Jeff Bezos, Mike Bloomberg, or Elon Musk acting unilaterally "for the greater good"? I sure can... and it really frightens me.
