A bit like when they introduced the taco to stop fiddling of driving time, the way around it was just put a magnet on the gearbox. There is often a simple way to beat technology.

jules wrote:

Elon Musk's Tesla "recalls" two million cars over Autopilot defect

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-67693935


Apparently you can get weights that attach to the steering wheel to fool the autopilot into sensing that the driver has their hands on the steering wheel when they dont.

https://teslord.com/tesla-steering-wheel-weights/

Where there's a will...

The problem being that the natural selection works on the most vulnerable, think pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists or anyone in a smaller more vulnerable vehicle.

Many years ago I worked on Forklifts, there were order-picker machines with handlebars. Each bar had a grip switch that was required to be pressed so that traction would be enabled.
Had a few accidents with "failed brakes" and the small order-pickers shooting out of the aisle, one came a cropper when it was speared by the forks of a passing 6 tonnes of forklift.

So investigative work - lying on a pallet in the racking for a few hours, spotted that the operators cable tied the the grips down so that they could pick the orders on the move. So fitted a small controller that required the grips to be released at least every 10 minutes, and that they were applied within a couple of seconds of each other.
Job sorted, or so I thought, turns out that management were not happy that the "new" safety measures had dropped the productivity of the order-pickers.

It's always a fight between users and designers. You design something and users will find a way to take a shortcut. Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

I had to smile when I read in the news that falling EV sales are the fault of mr bean. Who comes up with ideas like that and it’s not even april yet.

It's Cultural Star Power

Just need Shaun Bean to give an opinion on EVs

I came across an interesting problem with my DS last week. I usually have it set to limit the speed automatically so that I don't get hit by the various traffic cameras. So I am driving along at 40 on a long straight road at night when the dashboard lights up with overspeed warnings "this is a 20mph zone" and the car abruptly slows down to 20 ( and I nearly got tail ended) but the dash still says that it's a 40 limit. I manage to disconnect and got on my way. A few days later it happened again on the same road but going in the other direction i daylight but this time I spotted that there is a road sign saying "20mph limit for track laying vehicles" (this is an army training area). On further investigation it seems that the car actually reads traffic signs (and not just speed either) and will override the GPS data that it normally uses to judge the speed limit. Where is all this going ? 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

Wait until you won't be able to turn that off, that is coming!

My present Hire Car does the same.

Although a local roundabout is within the 30 mph zone, it spots the 40mph sign up one of the exits as I go round.
It also does not like (and bleeps) cars approaching the roundabout from the motorway. I think it is the first indications of the collision warning system?

These all-round proximity sensors can be a pain, one hire car refused to let me park next to a Grit-box in Tesco's car park. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 76k+ miles) (MY2015)

&ab_channel=Harry%27sgarage


Very interesting comments Jules

Emergency lane keeping can get quite exciting on narrower roads when trying to avoid oncoming timber wagons. There’s you trying to get as close to the verge as possible and the car is trying to move you away from the verge towards the centre of the road. Something else foisted on us by the powers that nanny us!
Normal lane keeping can be (and is) switched off on a permanent basis. The emergency lane keeping can only be turned off on a journey basis. Turn off the ignition and the emergency lane keeping is back on the next time you drive!

The money that must be in Harry’s garage. He ain’t short of a Bob or 2

Farmers for you

cf Harry's Farm on Youtube Jules

BossBob wrote:

Emergency lane keeping can get quite exciting on narrower roads when trying to avoid oncoming timber wagons. There’s you trying to get as close to the verge as possible and the car is trying to move you away from the verge towards the centre of the road. Something else foisted on us by the powers that nanny us!
Normal lane keeping can be (and is) switched off on a permanent basis. The emergency lane keeping can only be turned off on a journey basis. Turn off the ignition and the emergency lane keeping is back on the next time you drive!

dorsetfreelander wrote:

I came across an interesting problem with my DS last week. I usually have it set to limit the speed automatically so that I don't get hit by the various traffic cameras. So I am driving along at 40 on a long straight road at night when the dashboard lights up with overspeed warnings "this is a 20mph zone" and the car abruptly slows down to 20 ( and I nearly got tail ended) but the dash still says that it's a 40 limit. I manage to disconnect and got on my way. A few days later it happened again on the same road but going in the other direction i daylight but this time I spotted that there is a road sign saying "20mph limit for track laying vehicles" (this is an army training area). On further investigation it seems that the car actually reads traffic signs (and not just speed either) and will override the GPS data that it normally uses to judge the speed limit. Where is all this going ?

It’s a pity it didn’t read the second line of the sign then

We've just ordered an EV, the Hyundai Ionic 5. It'll be replacing the Freelander, which it looks like it will do quite well.

I'll update when we've had some time to assess it. 2009 Rimini Red SE TD4. Soon to be sold.
Hyundai Ionic 5 Ultimate on order.
Gone. 2006 Tonga Green i6 HSE.