The New Mercedes Benz.... Different....

[007]

Nice looking car but aaahhh.... well... scroll down....

 

[Annie]

Leaving the joystick/steering wheel out of it, it looks like the Ford Probe.

 

[007]

Leaving the joystick/steering wheel out of it, it looks like the Ford Probe.

Yeah I think it's a nice looking car, but I don't think I could drive it, not at highway speeds anyway.

 

[Dan]

Doesn't seem like it'd be legal for them to make this car without getting all sorts of government clearance. Unless it's not being mass-produced, I guess.

Either way, I'm not interested. Took me long enough to figure out how to turn on the hazard lights on my car, and it's only got like four buttons on the dashboard, this thing would blow my mind.

 

[007]

Doesn't seem like it'd be legal for them to make this car without getting all sorts of government clearance. Unless it's not being mass-produced, I guess.

Either way, I'm not interested. Took me long enough to figure out how to turn on the hazard lights on my car, and it's only got like four buttons on the dashboard, this thing would blow my mind.

Not sure but yeah, I think it's just experimental at this point.

If it was easy to handle, you'd see it in race cars I'd think. Looks outright dangerous to me.

 

[Dan]

Could you imagine trying to drink and drive in that thing? Talk about a disaster.

 

[007]

Could you imagine trying to drink and drive in that thing? Talk about a disaster.

:rotflmao:

Not hardly...

 

[pegwinn]

I'd hate to try to fix a broken door glass in that thing.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

Pale...is this an actual production model or just a concept car?

 

[The ClayTaurus]

The rims double as cheese graters...

 

[GotZoom]

Pale...is this an actual production model or just a concept car?

http://www.emercedesbenz.com/Jun06/30_2028_Mercedes_Benz_CL_Class.html

2028 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class

Can you say Fugly?

 

[Mr. P]

http://www.emercedesbenz.com/Jun06/30_2028_Mercedes_Benz_CL_Class.html

2028 Mercedes-Benz CL-Class

Can you say Fugly?

And an ergonomic disaster too. Brake, accelerator where? I can’t tell. Gotta take your hand off the joystick to access the center console controls, or would you reach across your body with the opposite hand? What a mess.

 

[KarlMarx]

I used to work at Link Simulation years ago. We made flight simulators for commercial and military aircraft. Back then, I thought that cars ought to have joysticks plus a Heads Up Display for the dashboard.

A Heads Up Display projects the object of interest (in this case, the speedometer, fuel gauges and warning lights) directly onto the windshield. So then you'd be able to see how fast you're going at all times.

There are good reasons for replacing the steering wheel with a joystick. No steering wheel means less chance of injury in case of a crash. You don't have to adjust anything. People who are bigger won't have to worry about getting stuck!

I can see this as an option on cars, if it becomes popular enough, car manufacturers will probably do away with steering wheels altogether!

However, I can't see little ol' grannies and granpas trying to figure them out.

P.S. I just had a thought.... airbags on the OUTSIDE of the car. Just like they had in the Mars Explorer! Well... it's just a thought

 

[KarlMarx]

And an ergonomic disaster too. Brake, accelerator where? I can’t tell. Gotta take your hand off the joystick to access the center console controls, or would you reach across your body with the opposite hand? What a mess.

Actually... I'd like to try my hand at one.... we used to fly the simulators at lunch time... it was a blast (and sometimes, a crash)....

The joystick may be a problem for left handers... but then, maybe not.....

This is how I see it....
Stick forward - brake
Stick backward - accelerate
Stick left - turn left
Stick right - turn right

This is definitely a "fly by wire" car. That is, there is no direct linkage between the joystick and the steering mechanism/brakes/accelerator. The joystick simply provides input to a computer, the computer figures out what to do from there.

Aircraft, both military and commercial, have been using fly by wire systems for decades. The first one that I know of was the F-16. That fighter aircraft was introduced around the mid 1970s.

 

[Mr. P]

Actually... I'd like to try my hand at one.... we used to fly the simulators at lunch time... it was a blast (and sometimes, a crash)....

The joystick may be a problem for left handers... but then, maybe not.....

This is how I see it....
Stick forward - brake
Stick backward - accelerate
Stick left - turn left
Stick right - turn right

This is definitely a "fly by wire" car. That is, there is no direct linkage between the joystick and the steering mechanism/brakes/accelerator. The joystick simply provides input to a computer, the computer figures out what to do from there.

Aircraft, both military and commercial, have been using fly by wire systems for decades. The first one that I know of was the F-16. That fighter aircraft was introduced around the mid 1970s.

I hate fly by wire..old school I guess. Give me real control linkage and feel.
Or at least manual reversion systems.

 

[KarlMarx]

I hate fly by wire..old school I guess. Give me real control linkage and feel.
Or at least manual reversion systems.

Me, I'm a techie.... I think this car is cool....

but I'm also the guy who reads the morning newspaper on his laptop, doesn't go anywhere (even the shower! ) without his cellphone.... has pet names for his computers (OK, I'm kidding .... really!), puts his "to do" list on his palm pilot, has VoIP instead of regular phone service. Not only that but pays all his bills , does his Christmas shopping and only listens to radio online.

I think I'll change my phone number to match my IP Address....

 

[Mr. P]

Me, I'm a techie.... I think this car is cool....

but I'm also the guy who reads the morning newspaper on his laptop, doesn't go anywhere (even the shower! ) without his cellphone.... has pet names for his computers (OK, I'm kidding .... really!), puts his "to do" list on his palm pilot, has VoIP instead of regular phone service. Not only that but pays all his bills , does his Christmas shopping and only listens to radio online.

I think I'll change my phone number to match my IP Address....

:rotflmao: I think the car concept is interesting. I like tech too, but not gadgets.
Give me a flint and a rock, keep the Bic and watch this.

EDIT: I do love spell check though!

 

[no1tovote4]

I have gone so far into the Tech world I don't think I could even go back to when I was a kid and survive.... I can't imagine a world without Al Gore's Internet(s)...

 

[007]

Actually... I'd like to try my hand at one.... we used to fly the simulators at lunch time... it was a blast (and sometimes, a crash)....

The joystick may be a problem for left handers... but then, maybe not.....

This is how I see it....
Stick forward - brake
Stick backward - accelerate
Stick left - turn left
Stick right - turn right

This is definitely a "fly by wire" car. That is, there is no direct linkage between the joystick and the steering mechanism/brakes/accelerator. The joystick simply provides input to a computer, the computer figures out what to do from there.

Aircraft, both military and commercial, have been using fly by wire systems for decades. The first one that I know of was the F-16. That fighter aircraft was introduced around the mid 1970s.

I'd see the stick back as brake, and forward as accelerate Karl, but it could be either way. I'm not sure I'd like it.

I spent eight years in the Air Force and also flew a few different sims, including the F-16 sim. I was an Integrated Avionics Instrumentation/Flight Controls Systems Specialist on the F-16, so I know the "fly by wire" system intimately, (basically e-cores, an error voltage, synchros and servos, and a central air data computer to put the whole thing together.) Only thing is, a fighter jet is in the air, and very forgiving as far as subtle mistakes made. In a car doing 70 mph down a two lane road, you make the same subtle mistake and you could have a head on with another car, unless they're planning to put radar in it to over-ride such a mistake, I don't know. I still think things like "panic manuvers" would be quite hard.

I'd like to try it, but I'm afraid I'd be with Mr. P., I'll keep my steering wheel.

 

[007]

And an ergonomic disaster too. Brake, accelerator where? I can’t tell. Gotta take your hand off the joystick to access the center console controls, or would you reach across your body with the opposite hand? What a mess.

I agree. Putting them in the center like that was terrible idea. They should have put those things in front of the operator, even if they had to duplicate them on both sides.