4 ms·

We have a historical record of this - a company invented the three point seat belt and felt it was too important to keep to themselves for the safety of car use

We have a historical record of this - a company invented the three point seat belt and felt it was too important to keep to themselves for the safety of car users around the world and freely licensed it so that every car company could incorporate it. That company was Volvo. https://priceonomics.com/volvo-gave-away-the-most-important-design-they/ https://priceonomics.com/volvo-gave-away-the-most-important-...

michaelvoz 9y ago
Not hating on your comment - it's actually rather interesting and informative. What is also interesting to me is how you wrote it:"That company's name? Xxxx" after a description. This reads like click bait. I've noticed an uptick in people writing like this. I wonder if this a trend others are seeing?
- ryanwaggoner 9y ago
  It reminds me of this: https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/1plnrg/why_do_people_keep_saying_that_mans_name_albert/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/1plnrg/why_do...
- DavidAdams 9y ago
  That's one of the oldest rhetorical devices in the book. It's a common technique of good storytelling. Clickbait is annoying because of its context, but the reason it works is because those techniques stimulate human curiosity, and increase their enjoyment of the story.
SilasX 9y ago
In fairness, inventing a three point seatbelt is not in the same league as designing and producing a working SDC. It's not even the same game.
- stevenwoo 9y ago
  That's true but the OP gave a mechanical example, too! :) On the other hand my out of loop observation is we're missing some tech revolution/discovery to make SDC possible because every single large car company and some big name tech companies are on the hunt and it feels like no one is close, though I have no concrete data on that, just watching the Waymo cars drive around my home.

4 ms·

We have a historical record of this - a company invented the three point seat belt and felt it was too important to keep to themselves for the safety of car use

by stevenwoo 9y ago

michaelvoz 9y ago
Not hating on your comment - it's actually rather interesting and informative. What is also interesting to me is how you wrote it:"That company's name? Xxxx" after a description. This reads like click bait. I've noticed an uptick in people writing like this. I wonder if this a trend others are seeing?
- ryanwaggoner 9y ago
  It reminds me of this: https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/1plnrg/why_do_people_keep_saying_that_mans_name_albert/ https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/1plnrg/why_do...
- DavidAdams 9y ago
  That's one of the oldest rhetorical devices in the book. It's a common technique of good storytelling. Clickbait is annoying because of its context, but the reason it works is because those techniques stimulate human curiosity, and increase their enjoyment of the story.
SilasX 9y ago
In fairness, inventing a three point seatbelt is not in the same league as designing and producing a working SDC. It's not even the same game.
- stevenwoo 9y ago
  That's true but the OP gave a mechanical example, too! :) On the other hand my out of loop observation is we're missing some tech revolution/discovery to make SDC possible because every single large car company and some big name tech companies are on the hunt and it feels like no one is close, though I have no concrete data on that, just watching the Waymo cars drive around my home.