Why Don’t Cars Have Common Sense?


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Because they cannot think for themselves, I know.

But the point I am trying to make is that even though most modern cars that cost over ₹10 lac have a fancy and lengthy equipment list, there are very few that actually give the impression that they are well put together.

Cars now have keyless entry, a start/stop button, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlamps, reverse parking sensors, and a whole host of other features. This is great, but where’s that innate human wiseness behind these features? Where, in other words, is the common sense?

I booked a Hyundai Fluidic Verna CRDi SX (O) 1.6 on Tuesday, and while I wait for my car to arrive, I found myself puzzling over these questions as I considered the car’s impressive list of features. So I’ll be using it as an example in this post, but most of my points apply equally well to other cars of its class (and above).

The Verna has true keyless entry and start. You approach the car, pull the door handle and sit inside. You press a button and it turns on. Excellent stuff, this!

But then you realise that the electrically folding mirrors haven’t automatically opened for you. This is neither an extra feature nor would including it have significantly added to Hyundai’s cost of building this car. It just isn’t there for some reason we don’t know.

When you start driving, speed sensors in the car automatically lock the doors for you. But when you stop and turn off the ignition, it doesn’t unlock them. What? Why? You step out of the car and move away from it and it doesn’t fold the rear view mirrors, roll up the windows or lock the doors (until one minute later, which is ridiculous). It won’t even alert you to the fact that you just left your keys inside the car until you try to lock it by pressing the request sensor on the door.

The electric connections for these features are already there, and so is a bunch of logic to make them function the way they are currently. All it would’ve taken to make them smarter is throw in some more logic. So why not?

Why can’t I press a button on my remote to have the car turn on all its lights and give a honk so that I can locate it in a crowded parking lot? Why doesn’t it turn off the lights for me when I forget to do so and leave the car? Why won’t it even turn off the ignition once the key is outside the car? Why doesn’t it automatically tilt the rear view mirrors downwards when I engage the reverse gear?

I know that the lack of some of these features is specific to the Verna, but I also know that these are deficiencies shared by many cars. We need more intelligence in our cars, more human-centric engineering. Money can buy you more features, but you need a thinking mind to make them more useful.

It’s just a thought that struck me today and I thought it was worth posting here. I hope it’s not terribly inappropriate and sparks a discussion.
 
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@Arya

Welcome to TAI !!

Nice post buddy, but if cars start having more common sense than us, then for sure they will put us in trouble in lot many ways.

Just watch and see all the new features and advanced techniques they are very good one way, but are dangerous at certain times, where we wanted something to happen and due to some faults are by given instructions they do something else will lead to a panic situation and disaster[:)]
 
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@arya,

After reading your thread, i feel that not the car, the car maker has no common sense or the real world sense or other way they(some car makers) have only cost cutting sense
 

Ad!tya

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Very nice thread arya!
Yes, these car makers do cost cutting measures.
If it all would be here in our cars, they would cost much much higher than they are now.
 
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You missed one point, Manufacturers are not fools.

check higher end models you will know who got the sense.

they intentionally avoid to give away everything for granted to keep some gap between the premium models.

Most of the time the control systems and hardware are almost same with OEM but certain firmwares features remains deplete with certain functions. of course if you tweak them that will be death of warranty .
E.g Indian Punto and Linea have everything to include cruise control but they don't provide it,god only know why.
 
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Your thread has now inspired me for my next research work. [:)]

Lets start making a list of common senses that we may like to see in the cars.

1. Automatically adjustable ORVMs
2. Door locking system (locks as soon as we are X meters away from the car)
3. Lights turn on with one click on remote.
4. Boot door open automatically when the car sees you coming with both hands full of bags
5. continued . . .


You may see few of these in future in my Maruti 800 [;)]
 
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I liked the subject and forced me to read this thread. Well i think the car should have stable mechanicals which is more important than the electricals and electronics. For me the ride should be stable, no breakdowns and safety features. ABS, Hill descent, ESP, Airbags / Side Airbags are more required.Tires should be puncture proof.
When these all are fulfilled then I require some songs so that i can drive normally. Then comes to electricals. For me I am fine with no such electricals if the car is stable and reliable. I think car manufacturers should focus more on that.
 

allhyundaicars

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good points but i'd like to say on these points.

But then you realise that the electrically folding mirrors haven’t automatically opened for you. This is neither an extra feature nor would including it have significantly added to Hyundai’s cost of building this car
it won't add significantly to the cost of the car but the company also have to decide a maximum price point of the car.

you increase your budget , you will get features like - wise. they have to separate premium features with basic features.

But when you stop and turn off the ignition, it doesn’t unlock them. What? Why?
this is present in the verna only when you take out the key. as soon as you take out the key it'll unlock the doors.
don't really know what happens in smart key like you have.

Why can’t I press a button on my remote to have the car turn on all its lights and give a honk
this is present in many cars and i think i saw this in a superb.

Why doesn’t it turn off the lights for me when I forget to do so and leave the car?
You step out of the car and move away from it and it doesn’t fold the rear view mirrors, roll up the windows or lock the doors
what if you want to keep the lights on and windows down even if you leave the car ? for some reason. kids are sitting in the car but you don't want to leave the car with keys inside. and if car automatically keeps doing that then the next thing you'll want a switch to turn this feature on and off which will make electricals more complicated.

Why doesn’t it automatically tilt the rear view mirrors downwards when I engage the reverse gear?
again you can't get these features in a low end car. a similar feature - headlights will turn as you steer. present in volvo cars.

heated side view mirrors - you get this in elantra but not in verna. why ? verna's segment doesn't needs this feature.

_____________________________________________________________________

so i'll conclude - all the features vary from car to car and manufacture to manufacturer.

do you know about auto lane and auto breaks system ( don't know the exact names )

auto lane will keep you in one single lane. auto breaks will break if you get too close to a car. i think this is common sense in a car [;)]

all this systems are being developed but are only present in high end cars. i saw a documentary on lexus and they shared these features.
 

Ad!tya

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Yes. For a common sense containing car, you will have to shell out some extra bucks also.

As shantanu said:
1. Automatically adjustable ORVMs
2. Door locking system (locks as soon as we are X meters away from the car)
3. Lights turn on with one click on remote.
4. Boot door open automatically when the car sees you coming with both hands full of bags
5. continued . . .
5. Cabin lamps do not turn on (in 'door mode') during daytime.
6. When there is some smoke in the car, the windows open themselves and the blower also turns on.
7. Assume you are driving with Headlights on and the car stops in between (lights will remain on). Then, when you start the car again, the lights will go off and then automatically move to on position (otherwise this hurts the battery when starting the car with lights on).
8. ... To be continued
 
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Because Cars are not supposed to have.

Many of the drivers in our roads lack common sense and manufacturers cannot control that. They cannot check the Common sense quotient before selling car to a person. Likewise there seems to be no proposal from Government to ask RTOs to check the Common sense quotient before issuing a driving licence.

Regarding cars, its what Jayadev said. Car manufacturers want to keep a distinction between premium and entry level cars.

Premium do not mean 10 lacs segment - thats only entry level extended with more features and bigger engines.
Premium used to be 20+ lacs. Now with times and after the Fortuner, Accord etc., premium tag shifted to 30 lacs +
 
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What you got in Verna is more than what others offer. You get hell lot of features which act logically but then the price is 30L+. If you see what Toyota is offering in Altis, you will be more than happy with Hyundai.

And as far as common sense is concerned, well, when the drivers don't have it, how can you expect a car to have one ? [lol]

Saw that tyre ad - The street is filled with idiots. [lol]
 

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