Vel Satis: A car of this type rests as from spirit hand over the motorway
Okay, know going in that this story is going to cause your brain to curdle. You've got French technology, French manufacturing, and a French driver all going wildly, terribly wrong. On top of that you have a not-ready-for-prime-time Google translation from German to English. It's going to be a rough ride, but once you get into the spirit of the thing it just sort of skips along.
To set the scene: You have a cutting-edge French car with "smart" technology that takes so many little, irritating tasks away from the driver. You know, little things like air conditioningl, seat adjustment, radio tuning, control over acceleration, braking, and the ability to shut the whole thing down. Add in a wide open road and what do you have? Terror on the tarmac!
[Text verbatim, but cut -- out of respect for our shared humanity.]Zoot alors! It is that "asynchronous operation button" at the bottom of all this merde dans les epinard! Posted by Vanderleun at October 5, 2004 10:28 PMIt was worse than a nightmare: A normal route on the motorway. To be stopped suddenly will the car ever faster, is no more.
Well one hour long hunted a French driver with speed 200 over the runway, in the Slalom around the other cars. ...
It has a truck overhauled, when its car accelerated suddenly independently on 190 kilometers per hour, quoted the French daily paper "Le Parisien" the driver Hicham Dequiedt on Tuesday:
"It was impossible to drive more slowly. On the brake to step, nothing proved functioned. as useless. " ....
A cause for the Horrortrip was a electronics error in the vehicle: the Tempomat of its Renault Vel Satis was defective. The ignition to switch off is not possibly been, since the car has a smart card instead of a key....
The police certified Dequiedt a "admirable behavior": "you discussed solution types at the telephone with me." The officials let a Mautstelle on his distance vacate, all barriers were eliminated and fire-brigade and ambulance alarmed as a precaution.
"I stood, said the fear of my life. It became dangerous, when before it a truck on the left trace overhauled another vehicle. It could change over only to the standing tire. "I thought, my last Stuendlein struck."
Only after approximately one hour and 200 kilometers he could finally bring the cars to holding. "I stepped as firmly, as I could, on the brakes, and the car came finally to a halt."
The pressestelle of the manufacturer Renault confirmed the incident, which occurred on Sunday. "The car is examined for the moment in France", said spokeswoman Caroline Sambale. To the causes she can say to still nothing for the moment. ....
The model Vel Satis is steered via the smart card: Door locks open automatically, as soon as the driver equipped with the map, whom grasp affects.
Preferences of the driver such as air conditioning system and seat position, in addition, vehicle-relevant data such as maintenance dates are stored on the smart card. As soon as the driver puts it into the reader in the center console, going away barrier and steering column bolting device are solved.
The driver must operate then an asynchronous operation button, in order to start the engine.
Am terror! Is the driving of one with malfunctioning danger? Of course, to answer!
Am never to buying as automated car. Hazardous is like George Jetson! Jane to be stopping crazy thing! Yes!
However, in fair, such good has possible. Air conditioning switch not with hands, yet buggy is system. Cold as ice cube in Alps, gloves are to be wearing in August!
Cheers to all are cowboys American. Pickup trucks to Wal-Mart is all U.S. for buying XX large stretch pants for wives!
Kerry in 2004 to be winners!!
Posted by: Mumblix Grumph at October 6, 2004 1:17 AMThat's horrific enough. Now imagine the same thing in the cockpit of a jumbo jet. Now we know why those Airbuses crash like that.
Posted by: Eric Blair at October 6, 2004 5:15 AMSpirit hand!
Posted by: Duane at October 6, 2004 7:58 AMKerry would love a car like that - it goes and goes and goes, but in random directions, with no restraint. Let us in the U.S. know if you need some XX large stretch pants for yourself - we'll drive our Pickup trucks (actually Suburbans and Expeditions, mostly) and get ourselves to Wal-Mart. Maybe the French need a few pickup trucks of their own - just as long as it's not a "smart truck".
Posted by: Dr. JAC at October 6, 2004 8:32 AMWell I know this is a political site which does not care for facts. But I feel the need to pick up the glove for the french manufacturer.
Renaultīs are exceptional for their safety hence the biggest sellers in Europe. The claims in this story is false and the driver is being sued.
"We know that can't have happened technically like that," he said. "All you have to do is press on the brake. It's not exactly difficult."
Lochard added: "If he'd really had this problem, the brakes would have suffered the consequences. But the brake discs aren't worn."
the story in whole
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2004/10/06/ap1578811.html
P.S. If your aim is to gain some political grounds on any random story coming from france, then please double check the story cos this is embarrassing.
Posted by: Lord Duncan Mathews at December 1, 2004 6:20 PMWell I know this is a political site which does not care for facts. But I feel the need to pick up the glove for the french manufacturer.
Renaultīs are exceptional for their safety hence the biggest sellers in Europe. The claims in this story are false and the driver is being sued.
"We know that can't have happened technically like that," he said. "All you have to do is press on the brake. It's not exactly difficult."
Lochard added: "If he'd really had this problem, the brakes would have suffered the consequences. But the brake discs aren't worn."
the story in whole
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2004/10/06/ap1578811.html
P.S. If your aim is to gain some political grounds on any random story coming from france, then please double check the story cos this is embarrassing.
Posted by: Lord Duncan Mathews at December 1, 2004 6:22 PMGasoline dependency in any country of the world brings about the necessity of SMART thinking. Lord Mathews, thank you for setting the record straight. As a US citizen, I am incensed at the cost of fuel and the refusal of US auto manufacturers to follow the obvious path that other countries have taken. We do not have to wait another 10 years for Ford or Chevrolet,etc., to create more fuel efficient automobiles. This is rediculous. We need Smart cars in the US, and we need them now. It makes no difference who the President of any country is. We are living on one planet, and we need to get with it. I am tired of being held hostage by oil and gasoline.
Posted by: Becky Nelson at March 16, 2005 11:55 AM
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