5 ms·

> What is needed is for car manufacturers and society to rediscover the purpose of small, light cars. Mobility without the resource drain. I have some sympathy

> What is needed is for car manufacturers and society to rediscover the purpose of small, light cars. Mobility without the resource drain. I have some sympathy for this, but not for the accident death toll associated with vehicles that lack crumple zones, collapsible steering columns, head restraints, seat belts, and other stuff we take for granted ... all of which contributes weight and complexity. It might be possible to revive this purpose if improvements in anti-collision software/hardware makes it cheap and light enough to fit to small vehicles: avoiding an accident is always preferable to having to survive one. But we're not there yet.

bborud 6y ago
Who said a modern day utilitarian small car shouldn't have modern safety features? If you look at the "supermini" class cars in NCAP, there are several 5 star cars. Sure they are heavy (~1000-1300kg), but they also represent great potential for improvement if one were to re-think this category. Right now the technologies that make sports cars and race cars lighter and stronger are expensive. Because composites are hard to manufacture cheaply. What if we were to invest in lowering the cost of cars made from composites? By improving process, by developing new design strategies and by focus on volume? (As for "impossible": a decade ago, most current Tesla owners wouldn't have dreamt of there being a desirable electrical car. Much less one they themselves would own)
jacobolus 6y ago
If urban streets and street regulations were be modified to keep speeds under 30 km/h at all times and remove most of the SUV-type vehicles, small cars with less safety gear could be practical and safe for urban driving. Unfortunately the size/speed arms race in cars has left streets extremely dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists, and anyone who isn’t driving something weighing 1500+ kg. Perhaps if vehicle manufacturers/vendors were made partially liable for anyone injured in collisions involving their vehicles it would provide some pressure in the right direction.
usrusr 6y ago
I have little sympathy for the death toll routinely inflicted by distracted drivers of two-ton rolling fortresses upon those who leave the house without donning a tank. All those crumple zones are only helping the occupants. It's a form of violence once you start taking risk compensation into account. Personally I wouldn't mind it at all if drivers were a little more on the hook for the dangers they create. (and why did you think a rightsized car would forego seatbelts and had restraints?)
fomine3 6y ago
Suzuki has been making lighter cars like Swift, Ignis outside US.

bborud 6y ago

Who said a modern day utilitarian small car shouldn't have modern safety features? If you look at the "supermini" class cars in NCAP, there are several 5 star cars. Sure they are heavy (~1000-1300kg), but they also represent great potential for improvement if one were to re-think this category. Right now the technologies that make sports cars and race cars lighter and stronger are expensive. Because composites are hard to manufacture cheaply. What if we were to invest in lowering the cost of cars made from composites? By improving process, by developing new design strategies and by focus on volume? (As for "impossible": a decade ago, most current Tesla owners wouldn't have dreamt of there being a desirable electrical car. Much less one they themselves would own)

jacobolus 6y ago

If urban streets and street regulations were be modified to keep speeds under 30 km/h at all times and remove most of the SUV-type vehicles, small cars with less safety gear could be practical and safe for urban driving. Unfortunately the size/speed arms race in cars has left streets extremely dangerous for pedestrians, cyclists, and anyone who isn’t driving something weighing 1500+ kg. Perhaps if vehicle manufacturers/vendors were made partially liable for anyone injured in collisions involving their vehicles it would provide some pressure in the right direction.

usrusr 6y ago

I have little sympathy for the death toll routinely inflicted by distracted drivers of two-ton rolling fortresses upon those who leave the house without donning a tank. All those crumple zones are only helping the occupants. It's a form of violence once you start taking risk compensation into account. Personally I wouldn't mind it at all if drivers were a little more on the hook for the dangers they create. (and why did you think a rightsized car would forego seatbelts and had restraints?)

fomine3 6y ago

Suzuki has been making lighter cars like Swift, Ignis outside US.