Had to update Snagette's mode of transportation this weekend and get her a new chariot. In getting demonstrations on what all these vehicles can do now and the available options, I was blown away. Now, you guys may not believe this. I know this is going to be hard to wrap your mind around....but Snags is not the most tech savvy individual on the planet. So, some of this stuff is Christmas morning to a 6 year old for me. Some of you see this shit and go "Yeah, whatever".
I'm still amazed daily by these little devices that never leave our hands, called cell phones. As we were discussing in another thread about "Back in the day", I grew up without any of this technology. A rotary dial phone and 3 channels on the tube, if the rabbit ears were turned just right, was as much technology as we even wanted to handle. Many of you have never known anything else, so I think you "get it" much easier. I was always amazed when my son would get the latest new gaming system or some other electronic marvel as a present. He'd just tear into it, turn it on and start playing like he invented the damn thing. Wait, you don't want to look at the directions? (Eyes roll at idiotic comment from Dad)
Think about cell phones. You have the world at your fingertips. You can call someone, text, email, bookface, instatwitter, listen to music, watch videos, have a little voice tell you where you need to turn up ahead, book a room, buy concert tickets and about 8,000 other things including finding all interweb truths. It's all on this little device most of you are either holding right now or looking at it right next to you. While the endless options are utterly amazing, the trade-off is the fact that this availability and access has changed us as people. Made us lazy, far more impersonal and lacking in true communication skills. But, that's another debate for another time.
On to the car thing. You folks know how I roll. F-150 man. That's what I am. I'll never use half the technology available on that machine and really don't want to take the time to learn it. The coolest thing on the whole truck is the back up camera. That thing is so badass, I believe I could drive around town in reverse just as well. Got Snagette a mid-size Mercedes SUV. GLE 350. Yeah, Merky D's have their share of models priced out of the common man's budget, but a lot of their stuff these days is comparably priced to most other vehicles on the market. Face it, all of it is ridiculously expensive. This ride is probably about $10K less than the average new F-150. But talk about bells and whistles. Holy crap!!!
I have been seeing commercials for a lot of different car brands offering the automated parking. I think Ford offers it as well. I got to experience it first hand. Punch in a couple of commands and her SUV not only found a parking space, but put itself in there perfectly. I won't use it. Neither will she. Pretty useless if you think about it. But DAMN! Really? The car parks itself? They showed us a high end model S450 that has full massage seats in the front. You can also program the car to stay whatever distance you want it to be from the car in front of you. All you have to do is steer. It will speed up and slow down itself. Again....DAMN!!!
Once Snagette learns how to work all those bells and whistles, she'll never have to take her hands off the steering wheel for anything. All voice commands. One model has the dash screen that goes all the way across the front. Even though it's flat, the passenger can watch a movie while the driver can't see it even if he tries. WTF? Speaking of back up cameras, I was backing out of the driveway yesterday and noticed the cool back up camera was now in split screen. The right side was the camera. The left was basically Google Earth showing you an aerial view of your car and the surroundings. Seriously?
Sooooo many more things that I can't remember. Again, you guys are probably laughing at the Unfrozen Cave Man. But, your world frightens and confuses me.
13 Replies
3044 Views