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Regarding cars: "Some carmakers are now leaving out high-end features as a result of the chip shortage, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday. Nissan is

Regarding cars: "Some carmakers are now leaving out high-end features as a result of the chip shortage, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday. Nissan is reportedly leaving navigation systems out of cars that would normally have them, while Ram Trucks has stopped equipping its 1500 pickups with a standard “intelligent” rearview mirror that monitors for blind spots" I have an unpopular opinion, especially when we start to look at the increase of safety features and increase in pedestrian injuries, that we may be better off going back to smaller trucks designed for good visibility and less reliance on features. (bias: I drive a 16 year old wagon, and feel panicked around bicycling with what feels like more trucks in the US) --- "Hertz said it is “supplementing” its fleet “by purchasing low-mileage, preowned vehicles” from auctions and dealerships." I find it wild that just a year ago Hertz filed for bankruptcy [0] and was selling vehicles by end of year [1]. [0]: https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/22/business/hertz-bankruptcy/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/22/business/hertz-bankruptcy/ind... [1]: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/hertz-must-offload-almost-200000-cars-by-the-end-of-2020-as-part-of-its-bankruptcy-deal/ar-BB17waZL https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/hertz-must-offload...

epistasis 5y ago
Yeah, the size of these trucks has completely put me off ever wanting one. I miss the small ones from a few decades ago... great for surfing, hauling the ver occasional bit of stuff, just as useful as the ugly beasts of today but far cheaper and more maneuverable and safer. I think we need to start requiring commercial drivers licenses on some of these beasts. They are intentionally designed to be difficult to see out of, difficult to see around. And the high point of contact on a human body means that they are deadly. Definitely should not be allowed on a residential street without an explicit commercial purpose, IMHO.
- istjohn 5y ago
  I don't disagree, but there would be a political shitstorm if you tried to take away their trucks.
  - systemvoltage 5y ago
    Trucks are vehicles. How can they be political? I know plenty of people from all kinds of backgrounds owning a truck.
    - benjohnson 5y ago
      The same reasons usually apply to large BMW and Mercedes SUVs. The correct people own those so they don't attract the same Attention.
      - epistasis 5y ago
        Up until this year I would have agreed with you, but grills this year have gotten completely out of control. The lack of visibility and the height of the impact zone has really changed on some trucks.
    - ericbarrett 5y ago
      "Rolling coal" (modifying a diesel engine to run rich and increase soot in the exhaust, a.k.a. incompletely combusted fuel) has become a statement in many places of the U.S. that you are opposed to the EPA, clean air rules, regulation, and in general the perceived nanny state. My friend is a Tesla owner in Georgia and has been deliberately blasted by these guys at stoplights a few times. They tried, anyway—hard to do this to a car with superior acceleration and a HEPA cabin filter. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_coal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_coal
      - salawat 5y ago
        I don't understand it myself. I'm fascinated by the energy extraction from a properly calibrated diesel engine. They get more efficient the more air you pump in. Ruining that for the sake of pissing people off seems a travesty against the machine.
      - libraryatnight 5y ago
        Ah yes, we have tons of these folks in AZ, frequently they're the same people with the "Don't tread on me" stickers and flags that seem to think "don't tread on me" means "But I can tread on you."
- dokem 5y ago
  Do pick up trucks cause more accidents? Is there data that supports this?
  - infogulch 5y ago
    Or are modern pickup-pedestrian accidents more deadly than other classes of cars?
    - dehrmann 5y ago
      This will be a weird number because I rarely see pickups in urban centers with lots of pedestrians, but I see them all the time in rural places.
      - throwawayboise 5y ago
        They are actually useful vehicles in rural places.
        artificialLimbs 5y ago
        This thread is filled with ignorant city boys who have never done any useful farm work. I cannot imagine how excrutiating it would be for my wife to have to pay a bunch of stupid taxes and follow a bunch of fascist new laws in order to grow her 100sq ft garden every year which, even so small, STILL requires truckloads of compost and mulch since we are just in the process of building our soil. And that's just for the gardens. I don't have any idea how many times we've hauled in cow, pig, and goat panels. I propose that the assholes proposing taxes and limits on trucks find a way to bring us these goods.
        deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
        epistasis 5y ago
        Lol, one would have to be an "ignorant city boy" to believe your claims here, don't BS us. We are talking about the poorly designed showboats that do nothing to improve hauling capacity or utility. In my experience, I'd vastly prefer a lower bed for any of the tasks you mention. The extended crew cabs, stubby beds, and jacked to hell trucks are for aesthetics, not hauling mulch. Plus you don't even seem to realize the distinction, just emotionally (and perhaps intentionally?) misunderstand what is under discussion.
- fy20 5y ago
  > I think we need to start requiring commercial drivers licenses on some of these beasts. In the EU the maximum authorized mass (US: GVWR) you can drive with a standard car license is 3500kg or 7700lbs. That means for some models of the F150 you do need a commercial license.
  - minhazm 5y ago
    There are no F150 models in the US that weight 7700 lbs or even close to it. The heaviest one is 5517 lbs. https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North%20America/US/product/2021/f150/pdfs/2021-F-150-Technical-Specs.pdf https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North%20America...
    - heftig 5y ago
      It's not dry vehicle weight that counts. GCWR must not be above 3500 kg for the basic car driver's license. PS: Actually, the limits for the basic German driver's license (B) are: Max GVWR of 3500 kg. With trailer, if GTWR not above 750 kg, no GCWR restriction, otherwise max GCWR of 3500 kg. There's an extended license (BE) for max GTWR of 3500 kg and no GCWR restriction. (Max GVWR still 3500 kg.) https://www.adac.de/verkehr/rund-um-den-fuehrerschein/klassen/pkw/ https://www.adac.de/verkehr/rund-um-den-fuehrerschein/klasse... (German text).
    - saalweachter 5y ago
      The curb weight of the F150 tops out at ~5000 pounds, the GVWR [which is what it is when full of people and stuff] tops out at ~7000 pounds. The F250 line tops out at a curb weight of ~7500 lbs with a GVWR of an even 10,000.
      - wcunning 5y ago
        And the GCWR can top 15000 pounds (my personal spec, though I had to custom order to get that combination). My 2018 F150 can tow a little over 10000 pounds vs the 6000 that my dad's 1995 F250 could tow. Things have definitely shifted a category or more. Similar comparisons for a current Ranger and an older F150. Basically, the older Ranger is an Escape with a hitch.
- speeder 5y ago
  I am from Brazil, I've heard plenty of stories of people that bought imported Ford trucks and then are confused when their trucks get impounded because they drove without a license, not realizing that trucks here require a different license unless they are literally car-sized. Example: Fiat Fiorino: https://www.hojeemdia.com.br/polopoly_fs/1.792949!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_653/image.jpg https://www.hojeemdia.com.br/polopoly_fs/1.792949!/image/ima... It used same Chassis as Fiat Uno https://quatrorodas.abril.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uno-mile-modelo-1980-da-fiat-do-colecionador-secc81rgio-minervini.-e1566934866507.jpg?quality=70&strip=info https://quatrorodas.abril.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/... So it was obviously a car, with the rear-part modified to carry cargo. Meanwhile the 1980s F150: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/89/50/8a/89508a513b5076ef6413543f21e91b44.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/89/50/8a/89508a513b5076ef6413543f2... It is obvious that thing is NOT a car, when you learned to drive in a UNO you can't expect a F150 to drive the same!
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- mkoubaa 5y ago
  The needless bloat of pickups is what got me more interested in minivans
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  >Yeah, the size of these trucks has completely put me off ever wanting one. I miss the small ones from a few decades ago. <rolls eyes> You (statistical you as a HN user, not you personally) say this with one breath but one look at the B pillar of an 80s minivan and you'd start coming up with excuses for why it's not safe enough for your kid. The same demographics that complain about cars growing do a hell of a lot more complaining about safety and efficiency. So the OEM adds space for crumple zones, thick strong doors, a bulbous front end that pedestrians can gently (lol) bounce off of. And the OEM makes smooth sculpted curves so the vehicle can punch the cleanest possible hole in the air. And then they realize there's no room for people, so they scale it up to make more space so we get a Civic that's bigger than a 90s Accord. You can't have it all HN, so which is it?
  - qubidt 5y ago
    Modern trucks are still huge relative to other vehicles on the road. I want smaller trucks.
    - frogpelt 5y ago
      Small trucks are available. A base model, 2wd, 2-door Tacoma is not big.
      - psadauskas 5y ago
        They don't make a 2-door Tacoma any more (for the US market). The smallest now is an "access cab". I bought a 2-door Tacoma 5 years ago, and the dealer struggled to find one for me. It shipped from over 1000 miles away, meanwhile they had 20+ 4-door Tacomas on the lot.
      - aidenn0 5y ago
        It may be poor memory, or maybe different styling, but a 2020 Tacoma feels a lot bigger than a late 80s Toyota Pick Up or Ford Ranger. Looking it up, the longest fourth-generation Hilux was 195.5 inches long, and the shortest Tacoma is 212 inches. Similarly its ~60 inches vs ~70 inches of height. For the single cab, long-bed it's 10 inches higher and 16 inches longer and the Hilux was available with a single-cab short bed that was even 12 inches shorter.
nradov 5y ago
Smaller trucks are available for those who want them. Most buyers prefer larger trucks.
- NegativeLatency 5y ago
  The Toyota Tacoma is now the size of older F150s, there aren’t many or really any good options for buying a small truck currently.
  - Snoozle 5y ago
    Can you give examples of model years and decisions to back up your claim? Last I checked this (common) misconception is patently false.
    - undeadcomment 5y ago
      Curb weight of base Tacoma has increased almost 2000 pounds (2700lb to 4400lb) from 1990 to 2021. Length increased >3ft (174" to 212"). The 1990 Tacoma was shorter and lighter than a "modern" sedan. But you really should learn how to use the internet, it's rad.
      - Snoozle 5y ago
        Okay wise guy: A 1990 f150 crew cab is 74" high, 232.2" long, and 79" wide. A 2021 Tacoma crew cab is 212" long, 71" high, and 74" wide. This proves false the the assertion that a modern Tacoma is bigger than an old F150, but glad I could get downvoted by people with no mental rigor.
        dang 5y ago
        Please don't reply to a bad comment by breaking the site guidelines yourself. Your comment would be just fine without the swipes at the beginning and end. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
      - 5y ago
dahfizz 5y ago
I definitely agree that car size inflation is a real problem. Cars are too big and getting bigger every year. That said, "good visibility" is not a replacement for safety tech. The sensors and cameras in a car are always going to be better at spotting danger than a human for things like blind spot monitoring and backup cameras. You sound a bit like the teachers that would drill mental math because "you won't always have a calculator in your pocket". It's good to be able to do mental math, and it's good to be an alert driver, but let's not ignore the massive capabilities that technology allows.
- tomrod 5y ago
  > Cars are too big and getting bigger every year. /me waves from my tiny Corolla, slightly larger than my 2002 Prius, which a Camry has shrunk in size to meet relative to the 2009 model.
  - leetrout 5y ago
    Yep. I noticed that as well when I bought my 2018 Corolla. The size comparison to a 2003ish Camry is very similar. 2003 Camry: 189″ L x 71″ W x 58″ H 2018 Corolla: 183″ L x 70″ W x 57″ H
    - dahfizz 5y ago
      Doesn't this prove the point that cars are growing? The modern "compact" corolla is the same size as the "midsized" from 15-20 years ago.
      - leetrout 5y ago
        Ah yes it does and that was my point and I misread OP.
  - dahfizz 5y ago
    The Toyota Corolla has grown 8 inches longer, 4 inches wider, and a full 500 pounds heavier from 2001 to 2021. It may be a small car by today's standards but it's as big as mid sized sedans used to be. https://www.caranddriver.com/toyota/corolla/specs https://www.caranddriver.com/toyota/corolla/specs https://www.autoblog.com/buy/2001-Toyota-Corolla-CE__4dr_Sedan/specs/ https://www.autoblog.com/buy/2001-Toyota-Corolla-CE__4dr_Sed...
gumby 5y ago
> Nissan is reportedly leaving navigation systems out of cars that would normally have them Wonder if this will begin a trend. The car navigation system is pretty worthless these days except if you find yourself unexpectedly out of phone range (I still carry paper maps, but these days many phone navigation apps allow you to pre-download your route so you don’t have to worry about being out of coverage).
- hindsightbias 5y ago
  Awesome. I won’t consider any vehicle with a touchscreen for controls. Everybody already has phone navigation, so why duplicate it with a craptastically different UX? And then half the cars can’t sync your phone without a dozen menu selections.
  - gumby 5y ago
    And cans update the maps, except in a rare, cumbersome and expensive manner.
- Pxtl 5y ago
  Yeah, in spite of Google's best efforts to the contrary you can still download maps for offline use.
- easton 5y ago
  In all of the recent cars I’ve been in, the navigation system wasn’t present but the screen was for CarPlay/Android Auto. I wonder if the screen is not there at all in these cars or just the GPS parts of the head unit.
clairity 5y ago
the only recent-ish safety feature i've found genuinely useful is the backup camera, which does aid low-ground reverse visibility. all the rest can go in the trash bin, especially lane-keeping warnings and auto-braking, which tend to reduce driver alertness and increase distractedness, the overwhelming principal cause of collisions and death (not speed or intoxication, as are commonly assumed).
dan-robertson 5y ago
The hertz bankruptcy was just weird. My understanding of it: They have massive loans with their cars as collateral, when the pandemic started, used cars went down in value so their creditors margin-called them. Hertz didn’t have the money and couldn’t come to an agreement so filed for bankruptcy. Used cars returned to more normal values so hertz isn’t really insolvent anymore so will probably get to survive bankruptcy.
- VVertigo 5y ago
  The Accenture software outsourcing debacle was probably a big contributing factor to the Hertz bankruptcy too.
yamellasmallela 5y ago
Driving would be pretty damn safe if every single car stopped being an enormous truck or SUV. 99% of the population does not need one. American roads are just so damn unsafe
immmmmm 5y ago
i might have an even more unpopular opinion: we might have too many cars.. in switzerland, we have 6.3 mio cars for 8.4 mio ppl, almost none of my friends have one, i just don't understand how it's even possible. but what's shocks me the most is their size, every swiss city is packed with huge +100k vehicles, i know we're rich, but WTF honestly: when one knows one third of the time they're used to do -1km trips. i know i know i have free work schedule, no children, and the best (and most expensive) public transportation system and can afford to commute without one... yet, soon more (huge) cars than ppl in my country.. i'm not a big patriot, i know how my country can be evil (we call that "neutrality" lol), yet i'm shocked again

epistasis 5y ago

Yeah, the size of these trucks has completely put me off ever wanting one. I miss the small ones from a few decades ago... great for surfing, hauling the ver occasional bit of stuff, just as useful as the ugly beasts of today but far cheaper and more maneuverable and safer. I think we need to start requiring commercial drivers licenses on some of these beasts. They are intentionally designed to be difficult to see out of, difficult to see around. And the high point of contact on a human body means that they are deadly. Definitely should not be allowed on a residential street without an explicit commercial purpose, IMHO.

istjohn 5y ago
I don't disagree, but there would be a political shitstorm if you tried to take away their trucks.
- systemvoltage 5y ago
  Trucks are vehicles. How can they be political? I know plenty of people from all kinds of backgrounds owning a truck.
  - benjohnson 5y ago
    The same reasons usually apply to large BMW and Mercedes SUVs. The correct people own those so they don't attract the same Attention.
    - epistasis 5y ago
      Up until this year I would have agreed with you, but grills this year have gotten completely out of control. The lack of visibility and the height of the impact zone has really changed on some trucks.
  - ericbarrett 5y ago
    "Rolling coal" (modifying a diesel engine to run rich and increase soot in the exhaust, a.k.a. incompletely combusted fuel) has become a statement in many places of the U.S. that you are opposed to the EPA, clean air rules, regulation, and in general the perceived nanny state. My friend is a Tesla owner in Georgia and has been deliberately blasted by these guys at stoplights a few times. They tried, anyway—hard to do this to a car with superior acceleration and a HEPA cabin filter. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_coal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolling_coal
    - salawat 5y ago
      I don't understand it myself. I'm fascinated by the energy extraction from a properly calibrated diesel engine. They get more efficient the more air you pump in. Ruining that for the sake of pissing people off seems a travesty against the machine.
    - libraryatnight 5y ago
      Ah yes, we have tons of these folks in AZ, frequently they're the same people with the "Don't tread on me" stickers and flags that seem to think "don't tread on me" means "But I can tread on you."
dokem 5y ago
Do pick up trucks cause more accidents? Is there data that supports this?
- infogulch 5y ago
  Or are modern pickup-pedestrian accidents more deadly than other classes of cars?
  - dehrmann 5y ago
    This will be a weird number because I rarely see pickups in urban centers with lots of pedestrians, but I see them all the time in rural places.
    - throwawayboise 5y ago
      They are actually useful vehicles in rural places.
      - artificialLimbs 5y ago
        This thread is filled with ignorant city boys who have never done any useful farm work. I cannot imagine how excrutiating it would be for my wife to have to pay a bunch of stupid taxes and follow a bunch of fascist new laws in order to grow her 100sq ft garden every year which, even so small, STILL requires truckloads of compost and mulch since we are just in the process of building our soil. And that's just for the gardens. I don't have any idea how many times we've hauled in cow, pig, and goat panels. I propose that the assholes proposing taxes and limits on trucks find a way to bring us these goods.
        deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
        epistasis 5y ago
        Lol, one would have to be an "ignorant city boy" to believe your claims here, don't BS us. We are talking about the poorly designed showboats that do nothing to improve hauling capacity or utility. In my experience, I'd vastly prefer a lower bed for any of the tasks you mention. The extended crew cabs, stubby beds, and jacked to hell trucks are for aesthetics, not hauling mulch. Plus you don't even seem to realize the distinction, just emotionally (and perhaps intentionally?) misunderstand what is under discussion.
fy20 5y ago
> I think we need to start requiring commercial drivers licenses on some of these beasts. In the EU the maximum authorized mass (US: GVWR) you can drive with a standard car license is 3500kg or 7700lbs. That means for some models of the F150 you do need a commercial license.
- minhazm 5y ago
  There are no F150 models in the US that weight 7700 lbs or even close to it. The heaviest one is 5517 lbs. https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North%20America/US/product/2021/f150/pdfs/2021-F-150-Technical-Specs.pdf https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North%20America...
  - heftig 5y ago
    It's not dry vehicle weight that counts. GCWR must not be above 3500 kg for the basic car driver's license. PS: Actually, the limits for the basic German driver's license (B) are: Max GVWR of 3500 kg. With trailer, if GTWR not above 750 kg, no GCWR restriction, otherwise max GCWR of 3500 kg. There's an extended license (BE) for max GTWR of 3500 kg and no GCWR restriction. (Max GVWR still 3500 kg.) https://www.adac.de/verkehr/rund-um-den-fuehrerschein/klassen/pkw/ https://www.adac.de/verkehr/rund-um-den-fuehrerschein/klasse... (German text).
  - saalweachter 5y ago
    The curb weight of the F150 tops out at ~5000 pounds, the GVWR [which is what it is when full of people and stuff] tops out at ~7000 pounds. The F250 line tops out at a curb weight of ~7500 lbs with a GVWR of an even 10,000.
    - wcunning 5y ago
      And the GCWR can top 15000 pounds (my personal spec, though I had to custom order to get that combination). My 2018 F150 can tow a little over 10000 pounds vs the 6000 that my dad's 1995 F250 could tow. Things have definitely shifted a category or more. Similar comparisons for a current Ranger and an older F150. Basically, the older Ranger is an Escape with a hitch.
speeder 5y ago
I am from Brazil, I've heard plenty of stories of people that bought imported Ford trucks and then are confused when their trucks get impounded because they drove without a license, not realizing that trucks here require a different license unless they are literally car-sized. Example: Fiat Fiorino: https://www.hojeemdia.com.br/polopoly_fs/1.792949!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_653/image.jpg https://www.hojeemdia.com.br/polopoly_fs/1.792949!/image/ima... It used same Chassis as Fiat Uno https://quatrorodas.abril.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/uno-mile-modelo-1980-da-fiat-do-colecionador-secc81rgio-minervini.-e1566934866507.jpg?quality=70&strip=info https://quatrorodas.abril.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/... So it was obviously a car, with the rear-part modified to carry cargo. Meanwhile the 1980s F150: https://i.pinimg.com/564x/89/50/8a/89508a513b5076ef6413543f21e91b44.jpg https://i.pinimg.com/564x/89/50/8a/89508a513b5076ef6413543f2... It is obvious that thing is NOT a car, when you learned to drive in a UNO you can't expect a F150 to drive the same!
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
mkoubaa 5y ago
The needless bloat of pickups is what got me more interested in minivans
throwaway0a5e 5y ago
>Yeah, the size of these trucks has completely put me off ever wanting one. I miss the small ones from a few decades ago. <rolls eyes> You (statistical you as a HN user, not you personally) say this with one breath but one look at the B pillar of an 80s minivan and you'd start coming up with excuses for why it's not safe enough for your kid. The same demographics that complain about cars growing do a hell of a lot more complaining about safety and efficiency. So the OEM adds space for crumple zones, thick strong doors, a bulbous front end that pedestrians can gently (lol) bounce off of. And the OEM makes smooth sculpted curves so the vehicle can punch the cleanest possible hole in the air. And then they realize there's no room for people, so they scale it up to make more space so we get a Civic that's bigger than a 90s Accord. You can't have it all HN, so which is it?
- qubidt 5y ago
  Modern trucks are still huge relative to other vehicles on the road. I want smaller trucks.
  - frogpelt 5y ago
    Small trucks are available. A base model, 2wd, 2-door Tacoma is not big.
    - psadauskas 5y ago
      They don't make a 2-door Tacoma any more (for the US market). The smallest now is an "access cab". I bought a 2-door Tacoma 5 years ago, and the dealer struggled to find one for me. It shipped from over 1000 miles away, meanwhile they had 20+ 4-door Tacomas on the lot.
    - aidenn0 5y ago
      It may be poor memory, or maybe different styling, but a 2020 Tacoma feels a lot bigger than a late 80s Toyota Pick Up or Ford Ranger. Looking it up, the longest fourth-generation Hilux was 195.5 inches long, and the shortest Tacoma is 212 inches. Similarly its ~60 inches vs ~70 inches of height. For the single cab, long-bed it's 10 inches higher and 16 inches longer and the Hilux was available with a single-cab short bed that was even 12 inches shorter.

nradov 5y ago

Smaller trucks are available for those who want them. Most buyers prefer larger trucks.

NegativeLatency 5y ago
The Toyota Tacoma is now the size of older F150s, there aren’t many or really any good options for buying a small truck currently.
- Snoozle 5y ago
  Can you give examples of model years and decisions to back up your claim? Last I checked this (common) misconception is patently false.
  - undeadcomment 5y ago
    Curb weight of base Tacoma has increased almost 2000 pounds (2700lb to 4400lb) from 1990 to 2021. Length increased >3ft (174" to 212"). The 1990 Tacoma was shorter and lighter than a "modern" sedan. But you really should learn how to use the internet, it's rad.
    - Snoozle 5y ago
      Okay wise guy: A 1990 f150 crew cab is 74" high, 232.2" long, and 79" wide. A 2021 Tacoma crew cab is 212" long, 71" high, and 74" wide. This proves false the the assertion that a modern Tacoma is bigger than an old F150, but glad I could get downvoted by people with no mental rigor.
      - dang 5y ago
        Please don't reply to a bad comment by breaking the site guidelines yourself. Your comment would be just fine without the swipes at the beginning and end. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
    - 5y ago

dahfizz 5y ago

I definitely agree that car size inflation is a real problem. Cars are too big and getting bigger every year. That said, "good visibility" is not a replacement for safety tech. The sensors and cameras in a car are always going to be better at spotting danger than a human for things like blind spot monitoring and backup cameras. You sound a bit like the teachers that would drill mental math because "you won't always have a calculator in your pocket". It's good to be able to do mental math, and it's good to be an alert driver, but let's not ignore the massive capabilities that technology allows.

tomrod 5y ago
> Cars are too big and getting bigger every year. /me waves from my tiny Corolla, slightly larger than my 2002 Prius, which a Camry has shrunk in size to meet relative to the 2009 model.
- leetrout 5y ago
  Yep. I noticed that as well when I bought my 2018 Corolla. The size comparison to a 2003ish Camry is very similar. 2003 Camry: 189″ L x 71″ W x 58″ H 2018 Corolla: 183″ L x 70″ W x 57″ H
  - dahfizz 5y ago
    Doesn't this prove the point that cars are growing? The modern "compact" corolla is the same size as the "midsized" from 15-20 years ago.
    - leetrout 5y ago
      Ah yes it does and that was my point and I misread OP.
- dahfizz 5y ago
  The Toyota Corolla has grown 8 inches longer, 4 inches wider, and a full 500 pounds heavier from 2001 to 2021. It may be a small car by today's standards but it's as big as mid sized sedans used to be. https://www.caranddriver.com/toyota/corolla/specs https://www.caranddriver.com/toyota/corolla/specs https://www.autoblog.com/buy/2001-Toyota-Corolla-CE__4dr_Sedan/specs/ https://www.autoblog.com/buy/2001-Toyota-Corolla-CE__4dr_Sed...

gumby 5y ago

> Nissan is reportedly leaving navigation systems out of cars that would normally have them Wonder if this will begin a trend. The car navigation system is pretty worthless these days except if you find yourself unexpectedly out of phone range (I still carry paper maps, but these days many phone navigation apps allow you to pre-download your route so you don’t have to worry about being out of coverage).

hindsightbias 5y ago
Awesome. I won’t consider any vehicle with a touchscreen for controls. Everybody already has phone navigation, so why duplicate it with a craptastically different UX? And then half the cars can’t sync your phone without a dozen menu selections.
- gumby 5y ago
  And cans update the maps, except in a rare, cumbersome and expensive manner.
Pxtl 5y ago
Yeah, in spite of Google's best efforts to the contrary you can still download maps for offline use.
easton 5y ago
In all of the recent cars I’ve been in, the navigation system wasn’t present but the screen was for CarPlay/Android Auto. I wonder if the screen is not there at all in these cars or just the GPS parts of the head unit.

clairity 5y ago

the only recent-ish safety feature i've found genuinely useful is the backup camera, which does aid low-ground reverse visibility. all the rest can go in the trash bin, especially lane-keeping warnings and auto-braking, which tend to reduce driver alertness and increase distractedness, the overwhelming principal cause of collisions and death (not speed or intoxication, as are commonly assumed).

dan-robertson 5y ago

The hertz bankruptcy was just weird. My understanding of it: They have massive loans with their cars as collateral, when the pandemic started, used cars went down in value so their creditors margin-called them. Hertz didn’t have the money and couldn’t come to an agreement so filed for bankruptcy. Used cars returned to more normal values so hertz isn’t really insolvent anymore so will probably get to survive bankruptcy.

VVertigo 5y ago
The Accenture software outsourcing debacle was probably a big contributing factor to the Hertz bankruptcy too.

yamellasmallela 5y ago

Driving would be pretty damn safe if every single car stopped being an enormous truck or SUV. 99% of the population does not need one. American roads are just so damn unsafe

immmmmm 5y ago

i might have an even more unpopular opinion: we might have too many cars.. in switzerland, we have 6.3 mio cars for 8.4 mio ppl, almost none of my friends have one, i just don't understand how it's even possible. but what's shocks me the most is their size, every swiss city is packed with huge +100k vehicles, i know we're rich, but WTF honestly: when one knows one third of the time they're used to do -1km trips. i know i know i have free work schedule, no children, and the best (and most expensive) public transportation system and can afford to commute without one... yet, soon more (huge) cars than ppl in my country.. i'm not a big patriot, i know how my country can be evil (we call that "neutrality" lol), yet i'm shocked again