Cars with removable bodies

[Catalyst333]

I was flipping channels today and I stopped on ESPN...i don't normally do these things..but they were showing the new cars that GM was coming out with...They have removable bodies...
Like....you by the frame (wheels and bottom of car not including seats) and then you can change the tops of the car...so you can have a mini van on monday and a sports car tuesday...it was crazy...
AND the guy talking about the car also said that the inside was made for "the video game generation" it comes with no petals...you control the excellerator with the controls on the steering wheel....I thought it was neat..


Catalyst

[Hermit]

How do controls on a steering wheel tie in with video games, when companies try and sell you steering wheels and petals to use with car games ? :eyebrow:

I can see it coming from futuristic sci-fi movies where vehicles are like that... but the video game industry ? lol

Arcade car games are built to have the steering wheels and petals... companies make the steering wheels and petals for home usage... what the hell is this guy talking about :shrug:

[obi]

Actually, I wouldn't mind getting a car which had removed everything and replaced with an N64 controlled, that was the best controller, and It never failed me. Imagine what would happen with a 3rd party control, *shudders*

[UnholyFreak]

TH@ car sounds awesome, but i dont get the petals/steering wheel part.....

[Catalyst333]

The controls were set up just like a controller for a video game system..like with car games.. you go faster with one of the buttons...it just had half of a steering wheel too...
It's called the Autonomy made by GM....

http://www.canadiandriver.com/news/020108na-3.htm

Some don't have steering wheels at all...they rely on a computer to direct the car...and they are fueled on hydrogen...

[Cyclone]

On the bright side, you can't shift in the seat and accidentally slam down on the brakes...you press a button when you are ready to slow down...

This would have to be VERY good, though. I've held down cruise control on the car, but it takes forever to reach a regular speed. Brakes would have to be even more effective than what the accelerator should be.

Cyclone

[King Link]

That sounds cool, a van AND convertible? In one? That is totally awesome. That could really be a cool car and something I know I would really enjoy. Too bad I didn't see that.

[Hermit]

Petals i would think would be more reliable than buttons. Take video game controllers for example... You can get dirt and shit in em, break them, wear them down to the point of them not responding anymore, too many problems there.

I'd assume these buttons would be pressure sensative like petals are (and some games nowadays). That could also add to wear and tear or break after prolonged use.

Petals never break. Accelerator and brake problems are caused by bad car maintainence, not by the petals. I see more accidents coming out of this than there are today. Accidently brushing up against the steering wheel mashing the accelerator button and killing the guy in front of you, hitting him in the rear. Same thing with the brake button to the guy behind you. This would especially be the worst case for large folks, women/big women with huge chests that smack against everything they come near, and guys with the good ole beer bellies, and those people even bigger than that. I accidently push the wrong buttons every now and then in games I play all the time. Accidentally pushing the wrong petal is a rarity, if at all.

People also eat and drink among other things in their cars all the time. Spill coffee on the steering wheel and you're fucked because it short circuits. Too much potato chip grease has found its way in there and they don't seem to work right anymore, you're fucked again. What about that fresh cinnimon roll you just got at the drive-thru at McDonalds ? Yeah, the one where some of the goo dripped off and found it's way inside the steering wheel making the buttons stick now, you're fucked.

You also have to take into account the "hand-eye" coordination of the general populous. I have known plenty of people who drive just fine, but totally suck ass at simple video games because their hand-eye coordination is pathetic. They just pick up a controller and mash buttons at random hoping something good comes of it. Do we really want people driving this way ?

It sounds good.... but it would be foolish to implement, in my opinion. I foresee some serious Destruction Derby with this idea in play.