February 12, 2013 • 33 mins
Many drivers already know about Google's autonomous vehicle, but were you aware that Toyota and Audi are also entering the game? Well, partially. Join Scott and Ben as they break down the new technology that Toyota and Audi exhibited at CES 2013.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Go behind the wheel, under the hood and beyond with
car stuff from how Stuff Works dot com. Everybody, Welcome
to Car Stuff. I'm Scott Benchman and I'm Ben Bulling. Ben. Today,
we've got a topic that that i know you're excited about.
You you brought this topic to us. You know, we
(00:22):
talked about what we're going to do ahead of time.
This is one that you're really fired up about, right,
So what is it? This is our look at the
self Driving Cars of c S Consumer Electronic Show. You're
killing me. This is uh this we've talked about self
driving cars this you know that? Do you know that
this makes the fourth podcast that we've had about self
(00:44):
driving car since we've begun. Yeah, but so much stuff
is happening now. We we've i mean all the way
back to beginning. You know that one of our first
five shows, I think it was the fourth show that
we ever did, was about driverless cars. Yeah, the possibility,
and that was before the Google car. Yeah that's right,
but well we did and way back into the was
in eight we did driverless cars, which you know this
again fourth show ever, right, and we were up to
(01:05):
like four hundred and thirty something or something like that
we're way up there. Um. And then in two thousand
nine we did the oh the Pike's Peak and the
Robot Audie, which we're probably gonna mention that same vehicle here,
I think, and um. And then August of last year
we did the again how driverless cars will work, but
(01:26):
it was the Google Car. Yes, specifically the Google specifically
the Google Car. Now, I'll be honest, like we've as
we've gone along here, I've kind of lost track. Are
we still divided on this or we still together on
this issue? Like what do you think? Good idea, bad idea? Okay? Yeah,
So I don't think that we're going to find a
(01:49):
some sort of silver bullet. I just I don't think
that we, the people of Earth or whatever, are are
ever going to be happy with driverless cars or find
an infrastructure to support it. Now, what I mean by
that is totally autonomous cars. Okay. I can see them
working in limited areas such as an urban landscape, you know,
(02:12):
like maybe New York City, possibly d C or San Francisco,
But I can't see them working in most of the
United States, just because we're so big. Well, there's one
specific vehicle that we're gonna talk about later in the
podcast that I think hits that right on target. You're
just mentioning like one specific situation, one specific area, one
(02:34):
one specific vehicle. I think, I think it will all
work out. So it's kind of interesting. But so so
we talked about Google Car again. Now that's not I
mean that that's probably the most the most visible vehicle,
right the biggest newsmaker, I guess, of the of the
whole bunch, right, yeah, absolutely, Okay, So they're still working
on the vehicle, and I think they're out there driving
around Nevada, which we've heard a lot about recently in
(02:57):
the news that you know, they've got license to do this. Now,
only two accidents by this point, and neither the fault
of the Google Car. See that's okay. When you said that,
I raised my eyebrows. But so neither one is the
vehicle's fall. Right, Yeah, that's what That's what we're hearing
seeing a couple of sources. But you know, I wasn't there. Okay,
(03:17):
So back to our we divide on the issue. Though, Um,
you you're saying that you know there's no silver bullet.
I also feel I think we're exactly on the same
page with this, I think there's no no one system
that's gonna work for everybody. They're just the the amount
of uh money that it would take money and planning,
(03:38):
uh is enormous that that I don't know if it's
affordable for It's certainly affordable for the United States. Maybe
for a smaller European country you can afford the infrastructure
needed to put everybody in a self drop car. You
just said the word that I was going to get
to right in the next sentence. Now, infrastructure. We we
(03:58):
talked about that in our early episode. You know how
driverless cars will work for number one, way back in
two thousand and eight, and uh, I'm sure we touched
on it in two thousand nine with the Pike's Peak
vehicle in the audi um and when we got up
to late last year, however, the Google the Google Car,
which I'm having a hard time saying that that vehicle,
(04:20):
it doesn't really require the infrastructure that that that all
the other systems that we've seen up to that point require.
For this is this is a self kind of vehicle
that can go anywhere. Really that has like oh this
whole I mean, it's it's a it's a massive contraption
on the vehicle right now, an exterior thing. It's almost
like a big exoskeleton on the vehicle. Um actually, you
(04:40):
know they may have paired it down now, so it's
just that that top mounted laser, the the this this
the one that's like the main systems right in the
center of the hood of the roof. Rather but it's
still not it's still obviously not a not anything more
than a prototype. No no, but but the point is
that you know, it doesn't require something, you know, a
(05:01):
specific roadway to be laid down. You know that has
also has embedded censors in it that work with the
vehicle so that you know, this vehicle can go anywhere
really as long as it has a map of the
of the area that I can navigate with right in theory,
Let's also remember that this, uh, this vehicle is in
planning stages. One thing that like that we did talk
(05:24):
about with our your right. We have done quite a
few autonomous vehicle podcasts. But one thing that I think
we should punch again is that when we see the
evolution of the autonomous vehicle, which is happening now, which
is exciting, historians are gonna look back on this what
we're gonna see is exactly what's happening in cs C
(05:44):
e S, which is that the features on luxury vehicles
are starting to do more and more work that was
traditionally the job of the people in the car. Then
are you reading my notes? Yes, because I mean you're
just exactly you're exactly hitting on what I'm going to
talk about next, because, um, I wanted to mention that
(06:05):
this is like a UM, I'm gonna call it a
slow creep. I guess it's been creeping up on us
from from the beginning, you know, and that you know, um,
the rise of these technologies that that are that seemingly
really really small things, you know, at small steps become
part of this bigger thing. So a lot of these
companies are calling these building block technologies and that you know,
(06:25):
let's say that I've got a list here, like starting
with adaptive cruise control, and then there was you know,
the self parking systems and parallel parking systems, and then
there's collision avoidance systems, lane assistance in the systems, UM
blind spot detection systems. There's there's even like rear cross
traffic alert systems. Now, UM all of this stuff. Like
once you start adding all this together, and if you
(06:47):
had a vehicle with all of these together, that becomes
a pretty smart car right there. Once you get start
adding even more to that, you know, like the vehicle
that's gonna be able to handle just driving in a
straight line without smashing in anything, you know, on its own,
and you know, modulate the break in an accelerator um
in a way that you know isn't isn't aggressive towards
other drivers, or isn't you know, annoying to other drivers,
(07:10):
that isn't dangerous. See that these building block technologies are
what we we've well, you know, over the last decades,
I guess, because the adapted cruise control has been around
for a while, um, but building over the last let's
say fifteen twenty years, UM, these things have really come
a long way. And and now they're starting to compile
them all into one vehicle, and one one very very
(07:31):
smart vehicle that you know, it is capable of doing
a lot more than we thought even even four years ago. Yeah,
and I love that you say, you point out one
of the key breakthroughs here means successful integration of very
disparate technologies because Originally, you know, a lot of this
stuff came out as a gosh and the neat kind
(07:54):
of thing. You know that the the parallel the automatic
parallel parking right, great, it's it's a brilliant design and
we even talked about that in a podcast on its own.
Oh so this is our fifths. But um, but what
we're starting to see one of the things that makes
this sort of a j curve of innovation is that
(08:17):
these things, these individual pieces are being um successfully combined
into a larger thing. But if we can before we
go on, can we drill down into one of my
favorite things a little bit more detail about the Audi Connect? Yeah, yeah,
we can do that. Okay, all right, what's so interesting
(08:38):
about it? You can use your phone, dude. You can like,
you can send this car to go find a parking
space on its own and then call it and it
will leave the parking space again on its own, and
it will find you. Okay, this is you know what
this is the thing I think I think you're saying.
You're saying that that's the Audi Connect. I think it's
(08:59):
using to connect system. It's called it's gotta it's got
a title specific. One second, let me find it's it's
piloted parking, so out so if you want to search
for it, no, Ben, that's a but your spot on
and that that this is maybe the coolest thing that
I've seen in a long long time. Um, it's called
out e piloted parking, and it's it's ghost like in
(09:22):
the way that it works, right, And it's really really
bizarre to watch this happen, and it's it's truly doing it.
It's not you know, it's not a gimmick. It's not
you know, something that they're they're making up. Now, the
downside of this, and I'm gonna I'm gonna point this
out early on because you know, the we need to Um,
you've mentioned a couple of things. I want to go
back to them in just a second. But but one
(09:42):
of the downsides is this does have to have um
embedded sensors in the parking structure or parking area that
the vehicle it does need infrastructure other than you know,
and the vehicle that's also equipped. But let's get back
the positives of this, because this is this is that
vehicle that does talk talking about that is maybe one
of the coolest things I've seen all year really and
(10:04):
we see a lot of hate is the name of
the show, but we see a lot of stuff about cars. Um.
One thing, just to clarify, Scott, your excellent point, Audi
Connect is a larger system and it does there there
are things Audi Connect data services do that have nothing
to do with pology. It's the it's the entottainment center
(10:26):
for Audi. Right. So it's like your internet radio. You know,
your G S M. You can do Bluetooth that it's
really cool, your nav system, it's your it's even got WiFi,
which is really cool. And that's how this whole thing operates,
I believe. Yeah, it's your wireless computer systems. But you're right.
I mean, and for those that didn't quite pick it
up in the first you know, let's say that again.
(10:46):
This again. When it does, because this is so cool.
You can go to the mall and you can get
out of the Everybody can get out of the vehicle,
the driver, the passengers, everybody, Grandma, Ayody, whoever. Yeah, the
baby can get out in the stroll or whatever. You
stand at the curb, you push the button on your
on your smartphone, and the vehicle leaves and parks itself. Yeah,
(11:07):
without hitting anything. It finds an open parking spot in
the in the structure or in the parking lot wherever
it parks itself. And then and then what happens when
you come back out. You push a button on your
cell phone and your car says, oh, Scott and the
family are ready, I better go get them, and it
starts up. It starts itself, backs itself out, drives up
(11:29):
to the curb and picks you up. It's like, imagine
it like it's like autopilot parking is what it is. Really,
It's like it's like, um, valet less valet parking. Really,
I don't know how to how to better put it
than that. I mean, it drops you off of the
curb and it picks you up again, all on its own,
and it does shut off in between. It's not like
it's running the whole time. Um. But it's really really advanced.
(11:52):
It's a very sophisticated system that makes all this happen,
especially trying to find I mean, it finds an open spot. Man,
I can't do that on my own and happy stuff technically, um,
and I would assume that it makes a good judgment calling,
you know, if there's enough room on the uh you know,
the side. Not not that anybody has to get out
in around the vehicle, but you know, you don't want
to scrape in along other vehicles. And so there's ce
(12:15):
S demo was a success here because there's there was
already some hype building up about this, but it met
the hype. Again. The primary disadvantage is that it needs
an external infrastructure. But they did demonstrate this live on
on a video. I mean, this has happened in an
interview that you know, the person that was there representat
auty Um actually had the vehicle, you know, go park
(12:37):
itself and then come back and retrieve her during this interview.
And uh and you saw it do it. And you know,
they had obviously set up the area you know, with
it with the appropriate sensors, but the system functioned. It
actually worked and and it's really cool to see it.
So you can check out a video of it from
you know, the ce S coverage. And what's another thing
that's cool about this specifically is that what it uses
(13:01):
production sensors, but it's prototype software. I think they punched that,
so these sensors are already in production. This is not
so much a proof of concept as it is saying
a declaration that we are going to do this. Yeah,
this is you know, maybe coming to a mall near you.
I mean, And that's the thing. It doesn't have to
be a whole city that you know, they have to
(13:22):
they have to out outfit with this. You know, they
can do it at let's say our local mall here
and they've got a mall with a parking structure. They
can outfit you know, the entire parking structure with this
and then advertise that, you know, if you have a
two thousand what I don't know. Um, you know they're
saying it's like a decade out on these things. So um,
let's say that you have let's just say, just let
(13:46):
out with that has this, uh this this pilot of
parking system. They can advertise that. You know, if you
have pilot of parking, you're set to go here at
our mall, you know, you know, easy easy Christmas parking.
How how nice would that be? And if it doesn't
have you here's the thing, If it doesn't have this technology,
by then somebody is just somebody fired the wrong person.
(14:09):
Nothing's getting done. Uh this stuff. I'm gonna go ahead
and take a page from Jonathan Strickland's book, Uh, one
of the codest the tech stuff and make a prediction
here this stuff is on the way. Maybe it's it's
a it's still and don't hold your breath situation. You know,
if you're planning on buying a car and or something,
(14:31):
it's not gonna have this. It's it's probably just not
gonna help because they are saying, I mean they're saying
a decade out. Yeah, sometimes it gets bumped up, you know,
if it's if it's ready to go because you said
their production sensors. The vehicle doesn't look like a test vehicle.
It doesn't have you know, a lot of external stuff
on it. This doesn't have that Google car. This looks
like a car that you would buy on the lot today.
(14:52):
It's on a seven. I think, yeah, it's it's a
it's a current vehicle outfitted with the system, so you
know that. But they do say it's a decade out,
so I we'll see what happens. Now let's move on,
because really there were only this In a way, it
kind of surprised me, but maybe not. I mean, c
E s H. They showcased really two vehicles and now
Audi was one. Now Toyota and Alexis UM, which are Toyota.
(15:16):
Toyota's luxury brand is the Alexis brand UM. But they
were the only other ones that really had any kind
of driverless car technology at c S. Not to say
that they're not on the way, because Ford, BMW, g
m v W, Volvo, all those companies, they have driverless
vehicles in the works. They're all working on something. The
only ones that were really showcased at the latest c
(15:38):
E S were the Toyota and Audi brands. But UM,
the Toyota offering, I guess the Lexus offering we should say,
because it was Alexis vehicle Alexis LS. It's nearly identical
to the Google car. And this kind of came out
of nowhere. Yeah, this was It's safe to say this
(15:58):
was a surprise for were a lot of people when
they first heard about it. Now, of course the news
about this popped before c E people knew this was coming,
but it was still amazing because this UM the Advanced
Active Safety Research Vehicle right a s r V doesn't
(16:19):
exactly roll off the top. But again UM, despite the name,
this is great. This Toyota has been working on this
sort of response to the Google vehicle at there, I'm
gonna um, Butcher's in Japanese, Scott, you ready, at their
Hugashi Fuji Technical Center that's in Toyota City, Japan. So
(16:40):
this is their testing facility. This is like there Willy
Wonka factory where they make all the crazy stuff. And
so what what they're showing at at UM, both at
the Technical center and at c E s U is
a wealth of technologies, both vehicle to vehicle and vehicle
(17:01):
to infrastructure. Yeah, there's there's a few articles out there
that will detail exactly you know, the uh, the type
of of lasers that they use, and the ranges that
that you know, they detect objects, and you know, like
the speeds that that it's capable of, you know of
detecting objects at certain distances, and you know, all that
information is out there. It's easy to find. Um. But yeah,
(17:22):
it's a very very advanced vehicle. Now they showcased it
on what was it a production LS model. Um. Obviously
this isn't something that's gonna be you know, on the
lot anytime soon. Um. It's it's right there with with
Google vehicle and that you know, it's still doing testing.
Their Uh, they're getting licenses to licenses to do this
kind of thing out in areas like like Nevada. Um,
(17:43):
and you may think, you know, that's not That's one
thing I want to mention right now we're talking about UM.
You know, Audie, it was big news recently because they
got a driverless car permitt Nevada. They were the only
only the second ones behind Google to do so. And
why why did they select Nevada? And I thought, this
is strange, you know, And I like a lot of
people when I think of I think a lot of
people think of Nevada, they think of Las Vegas. Yeah,
(18:06):
and it's like, well, that place is crowded that why
would you want, you know, to do it there. Honestly,
like you go past Las Vegas, all of the rest
of Nevada is wide open. I mean it's it's completely
wide open roads, easy test bed, you know region. For them,
I think it makes a it's a good choice. And
there's a couple of other states that, uh, you know,
they're they're still looking into. Um. I think there's like
(18:28):
three different states that are granting permits for stuff like this.
I don't there's somewhere in my notes here but maybe
I'll come across them. Okay, the uh yeah, maybe I'm
miss remembering, but I think Utah is one. Uh couldn't be.
I'm not completely sure on that. But so here's one
thing I really want to punch about this. The the
(18:50):
Advanced Safety Research Vehicle or excuse me, the Advanced Active
Safety Research Vehicle is right now is chilling out chill
accident if you will, at Ann Arbor, Michigan. Um, you,
as you said, Scott. We can see a lot of
the stats about this vehicle online and they do have
a they do have a comparison. You can compare them.
(19:11):
They're kind of apples apples with Google. Yeah that's the thing.
Well in a way, in a way, in a way
now you're saying apples apples and that they uses a
similar system. But I also found that they want to
stress that it's uh into clear any confusion, that it's
actually independent technology like the and yeah, that they didn't
they weren't snooping around. And here's a here's a quick
(19:35):
way to to uh to dispel this is there's an
article in the Wall Street Journal from early early this
year in um, I'll just read this real quickly. Uh.
It says, well, Google uses many Toyota vehicles and its
autonomous fleet. Now that's where the confusion comes in because
you know there's a Toyota pres exactly, it's a Prius
that you saw, so you might think like, well, you
(19:55):
know they've just jumped on the band away with this, right, Okay,
So well Google uses many Toyota vehicles and it's autonomous fleet.
The two companies confirmed that Toyota's technology wasn't the result
of a partnership, and that each firm is developing different
uh developing driving systems independently. So it's very similar to
the to the Google Car united with the laser system,
(20:15):
the uh, the radar and camera equipment that they use. UM,
but it's not exactly the same. Well yeah, and it's
it's tremendously important that we point that out because the
reasons that they have similar um similar concepts independently generated
similar concepts is because these two companies are aiming for
(20:38):
some of the same goals. Now, Toyota has a lot
of information about their their vision that's driving this. They're
they're starting to ask you and being in Japanese country
or company from Japan, they're starting to ask what is
what is the long term you know, twenty fifty years out,
(20:59):
uh state of the average city life. What is what
is the average car going to be expected to do?
How do we integrate these new technological breakthroughs in a
way that the average driver is going to be able
to profit from? And one one big difference between Toyota
(21:19):
right now and Google right now is that Toyota is
very much, very much taking pains to go uh, to
go the extra mile and to let people know that
the job of this technology is safety related. It's not
too wrench control away from the driver, you know what
(21:42):
I mean. So Google has more of a pure research
driven idea. Okay, now I'm glad you're mentioning research and
technology because um, this is where my my little sidebar
comes in here. Now. I think we've kind of, uh
we've maybe you know, talked about as much as we
hand about this because there's not a whole lot out
there other than that they're doing it right and that
(22:04):
you know, here's the basics of the system. We don't
know all the details yet. Um. You know, Ford Motor
Company you kind of chimed in with, you know, we're
we're also working on something you know that, you know,
but and as as is you know, GM and Volvo
and all the others that I mentioned. And by the way,
I've got the three states that are um uh possibly
going to legalize computer control cars. Yeah, just real quick,
(22:25):
they're there, Nevada, of course, Florida and California. I was
totally wrong. Now I thought Utah was on there too,
just because the wide open spaces, but um, Florida, Florida, California,
and Nevada. Okay, okay, So back to uh technology and research.
Now this is this was interesting to me, and I
I don't know how I've I miss some things in
(22:46):
the news sometimes when this this happens. Is there's a
lot going on in the auto industry all the time,
so I try to keep up on this stuff. But
there is a there's a partnership right now between Toyota
and Tesla that's going on. And I had no idea
And I don't know why this this evaded me for
some reason. I don't know if I don't know where
this uh somehow missed me. So it's ongoing though, Yeah,
(23:07):
it's ongoing. But and do you know a little bit
about this or just maybe that it happened. That's all
I know that it happens. Okay, So the idea is that,
you know, Toyota is kind of they've got this new
relatively new chief executive officer who's the grandson of the
company's founder, and he's really focused on new technology, and
that's where a lot of this hybrid technology and all
(23:29):
this comes in, and and batteries and um that's where
you know, of course, Tesla been this this kind of
upstart company that's all about batteries and and you know,
alternative power and all this stuff. That's where this high
performance electric car this really gets interesting. And I started
to kind of dig into this just a tiny little bit.
And and you know, since we're I think we're done
(23:49):
with the the CSS, right, let me just mention this
real quickly because I found some just kind of in
a twist to this, you know that and that um Tesla,
you know, it's it's kind of had its ups and downs,
right us a bit a bit, but for the most part,
it's remained a strong company. You know, I know there's
been some bad news about you know, some some battery situations,
(24:11):
you know, like breaking and things like that happened in
the Tesla roaster. Um. But you know, I think they've
they've overcome all that and they've got some decent models
coming out. In fact, there's one that I wanted to mention.
It's a real surprise. Um. But there's a Forbes article
called why is Tesla beating GM Ford and Toyota Electric Cars? Okay,
that's so, why is Tesla beating GM Ford in Toyota? Now?
(24:35):
The crazy thing about this and it it makes great points.
It's really it's a short article, very concise. Uh, they
make a lot of good points, um in that you know,
back in two thousand nine, I think it was um
Bob Blatts specifically, they point out Bob Blatt said, uh, well,
not cool in this case because he was he was
kind of uh, he's kind of laughing at Tesla. You're saying, like,
(24:57):
you know, who do they think they are coming in
here thinking that they and you know, sell a car
like this for that kind of price. No one's going
to buy it. And it's not, you know, something that
people want and uh yeah, so but so he's laughing
at Tesla Motors. Well, at the same time they point
out um GM shutdown Pontiac Hummer sob Saturn And at
the same time, Tesla sold one of it's of its
(25:21):
inventory and they opened up a second dealership because at
the time they were a single dealership of operation, you know,
one one main office. UM. So you know, it's kind
of like the ha ha thing on their part, you know, like, well,
we'll show you. The idea is that Tesla is they're
they're they're what they call a classic example of a
disruptive innovator. Absolutely, so they've they've come in and they've
(25:44):
they've disrupted the norm the situation that's you know, like
the standard operating procedure for automobile companies from the beginning
of the automobile UM. Really and they do things completely different.
That's why, you know they were kind of laughed at
early on, but now we're starting to take notice. And
and there they made this this comparison. I thought, this
(26:04):
is interesting. Well I'll almost done, I promise. UM. They
said that that Tesla is. This Forbes article again says
that Tesla is completely changing the automotive market. Now, I
would never ever think of Tesla completely changing the automotive market.
I see it as like a UM, a luxury vehicle
that's you know, like a sports vehicle almost like um,
(26:25):
like a boutique vehicle. There's a niche. Yeah, very very
limited niche. Right, Well, I don't think that's the case anymore.
I think that they're coming on pretty strong here. But
they say this partnership, well they say that there, well
it's you know, working with them. It can't hurt, right,
it can't hurt and it can't hurt Toyota to work
with Tesla either. I mean, I think that there's something
to be learned both ways there. But they're saying they're
(26:47):
change in the market a lot like Amazon change the
retail industry, and that you know, the retailer said, well,
why would you ever go to Amazon to you know,
get the same product that you can come right down
the street, you know, to my my brick and mortar
store and by the same thing. Why would you ever
do that? And you can save three dollars if you
wait a week? Yeah, you know. And the thing is
like that's exact thing that that you know, Tesla is
(27:09):
doing to the automotive market. There there's there's like this
new way to run the business and then there's the
old standard way. And you know, they're realizing that maybe
this new way is really catching on and and so
much so in fact, then you know I said that,
you know that this is kind of like a boutique vehicle,
and you know it's a it's definitely a niche market, right,
the origin of the roads. Well, yeah, that's why that's
(27:31):
way a lot of people think about it. I think, right, well,
did you know you know what the motor train car
of the year is. It's a Tesla Model It's it's no,
it's not. It's a Tesla Model s because they quit
making the roadster, right, they make this Tesla model s Now.
The base price is kind of high. But to make
(27:51):
the motor trend car of the year after in just
two thousand nine being laughed at as you know, this
upstart that's never gonna make it, that's pretty amazing. I
this whole thing, like that article. It was just full
of little bits of information that led me elsewhere to
you know, to read and research. And I tell you
they're coming on real strong. It sounds like it might
(28:12):
be time for a Tesla podcast. Maybe maybe, But you know,
this whole thing with Toyota, it happened, I don't know
if it happened last year when it happened. Um again,
just kind of right off my radar. I didn't even
know what happened. But it makes complete sense now that
you think about the direction both companies are going, and
you know, it sounds like they've changed your mind a
little bit. Tesla has been has gotten a little bit
(28:35):
more street credit with you. I think, yeah, I think
they do. Yeah, yeah, And you know it doesn't hurt that.
You know, they also have vehicles on the lot at
the Lamborghini dealer that I like to go and you know,
press my nose against the last occasionally. One day, one
day we're gonna have to tell the folks that that
dealership that you have a car show. I'm gonna owe
them a bottle of Windex because you know there's after
(28:57):
every weekend, there's always a nose print and you know,
like two hands up on the glass. Uh, Lamborghini and Lotus.
It's a great combination. And then you know they had
Tesla to the mix and there's sometimes a spiker in there.
That's really cool. It's a neat place. So you already
responded to this guy Richard out in California. H Richard
(29:19):
had a story that I wanted to make sure the
rest of our listeners here just because I think it's
super cool. All right, thanks for the Rolls Royce podcasts.
He said it brought back some good memories. I drove
a nineteen thirty six Rolls Royce to my senior prom
Now I remember this guy. This is really cool, physic
cool story. Um wait, in ninety six Rolls Rice to
(29:40):
his senior problem. Okay, and he his senior problem was
not in nineties. He's not hundred and twenty. So Richard
says there was a company in Tucson, Arizona that had
antique cars to promote their business. At eighteen years old,
I went to the company office and told the manager
that somebody said it would be funny if we drove
a roll Is Royce his senior problem. He said, I
(30:02):
don't think it's funny. Do you want to you want
to Rolls or pierced arrow? I didn't know what a
pierced arrow was. I got, so I asked for the
Rolls Royce. The only thing he was concerned about was
if I was insured. So I called my parents agent,
who told me I was insured for anything I drive.
That's all the manager needed, and my word, I could
take care of the car. Well, I went to pick
up the car, you just asked me to park it
in front because the Flying ladyhood ornament was the least
(30:24):
expensive being on the car, and it was fifty dollars.
The rolls was right hand steering. The problem I had
with that is when I placed myself for I usually
do on the road, my date was in the lane
with the oncoming traffic. Recently I told some coworkers this story.
One of the women asked if the car was new
when I drove it. I wish I had a hundred
more pictures, har har hard Was it new when you
drove it? Yeah? I'm sure if she had a good
(30:45):
laugh over that too, right, because he would be how
old would he be if hundred again, hundred twenties something
like that? Um, I didn't figure out exactly, but you
roll back to Yeah I did. I. I said it like,
you know, back a long layer. But he um. He
sent a photo along with that, and that's that's one
of the classic looking roles, the huge fenders and the
headlights that look like they're as big as this table
(31:05):
that we're sitting at. Yeah, granted though this is kind
of a small table. Yeah, but there are massive headlights.
It's just a really really neat, neat vehicle. And I
think he mentioned and there he wished later he actually
wrote back a second time and said, I just I
just wish that I had taken about a hundred photographs
that day, because he's got just the one photo that's
got a lot of patina to it. It's really really
a neat photo, but it doesn't show a whole lot
(31:28):
of detail. And I'm sure that that, you know, the
memory of that day is just etched in his mind
because that's what a cool experience. I mean, that's Fairest
Bueller level cool to have a nineteen thirties six roles
at your senior promise. And what I thought was maybe
the coolest thing is that he's driving himself. It's not
like a chauffeurd vehicle where he steps out, you know,
they let you out, I mean, which would still be cool,
(31:48):
but to drive that vehicle and arrive in that that
that is really really neat. Well, Richard, thank you so
much for writing to us. Um we hope that you
will get a chance to mess with that roles maybe
let us know what's going on with that business. And
also to our listeners. We hope that you enjoyed this story.
(32:08):
We hope you enjoyed our little update on self driving cars.
Our fifth episode. Um, I promised Scott I'll get officially fourth,
but I think along the way we've had some of
the building block technology episodes of the account. Maybe a
the driver lest technologies. Okay, we'll call it for astering.
Yeah that's right. So um so, thank you guys so
(32:29):
much for listening. We want to hear what you think
about the future of cars. Would you be comfortable driving
in oh, excuse me writing in a self driving car? Um?
And what's the coolest car you've ever driven? Those are
good questions. Why not? So drop us a line up Facebook,
give us a holler on Twitter, or send us an
email directly, just like Richard did. Our address is car
(32:51):
stuff at Discovery dot com. For more on this and
thousands of other topics, is how stuff works dot com.
Let us know what you think. Send an email to
podcast at how stuff works dot com.
Go behind the wheel, under the hood and beyond with
car stuff from how Stuff Works dot com. Everybody, Welcome
to Car Stuff. I'm Scott Benchman and I'm Ben Bulling. Ben. Today,
we've got a topic that that i know you're excited about.
You you brought this topic to us. You know, we
(00:22):
talked about what we're going to do ahead of time.
This is one that you're really fired up about, right,
So what is it? This is our look at the
self Driving Cars of c S Consumer Electronic Show. You're
killing me. This is uh this we've talked about self
driving cars this you know that? Do you know that
this makes the fourth podcast that we've had about self
(00:44):
driving car since we've begun. Yeah, but so much stuff
is happening now. We we've i mean all the way
back to beginning. You know that one of our first
five shows, I think it was the fourth show that
we ever did, was about driverless cars. Yeah, the possibility,
and that was before the Google car. Yeah that's right,
but well we did and way back into the was
in eight we did driverless cars, which you know this
again fourth show ever, right, and we were up to
(01:05):
like four hundred and thirty something or something like that
we're way up there. Um. And then in two thousand
nine we did the oh the Pike's Peak and the
Robot Audie, which we're probably gonna mention that same vehicle here,
I think, and um. And then August of last year
we did the again how driverless cars will work, but
(01:26):
it was the Google Car. Yes, specifically the Google specifically
the Google Car. Now, I'll be honest, like we've as
we've gone along here, I've kind of lost track. Are
we still divided on this or we still together on
this issue? Like what do you think? Good idea, bad idea? Okay? Yeah,
So I don't think that we're going to find a
(01:49):
some sort of silver bullet. I just I don't think
that we, the people of Earth or whatever, are are
ever going to be happy with driverless cars or find
an infrastructure to support it. Now, what I mean by
that is totally autonomous cars. Okay. I can see them
working in limited areas such as an urban landscape, you know,
(02:12):
like maybe New York City, possibly d C or San Francisco,
But I can't see them working in most of the
United States, just because we're so big. Well, there's one
specific vehicle that we're gonna talk about later in the
podcast that I think hits that right on target. You're
just mentioning like one specific situation, one specific area, one
(02:34):
one specific vehicle. I think, I think it will all
work out. So it's kind of interesting. But so so
we talked about Google Car again. Now that's not I
mean that that's probably the most the most visible vehicle,
right the biggest newsmaker, I guess, of the of the
whole bunch, right, yeah, absolutely, Okay, So they're still working
on the vehicle, and I think they're out there driving
around Nevada, which we've heard a lot about recently in
(02:57):
the news that you know, they've got license to do this. Now,
only two accidents by this point, and neither the fault
of the Google Car. See that's okay. When you said that,
I raised my eyebrows. But so neither one is the
vehicle's fall. Right, Yeah, that's what That's what we're hearing
seeing a couple of sources. But you know, I wasn't there. Okay,
(03:17):
So back to our we divide on the issue. Though, Um,
you you're saying that you know there's no silver bullet.
I also feel I think we're exactly on the same
page with this, I think there's no no one system
that's gonna work for everybody. They're just the the amount
of uh money that it would take money and planning,
(03:38):
uh is enormous that that I don't know if it's
affordable for It's certainly affordable for the United States. Maybe
for a smaller European country you can afford the infrastructure
needed to put everybody in a self drop car. You
just said the word that I was going to get
to right in the next sentence. Now, infrastructure. We we
(03:58):
talked about that in our early episode. You know how
driverless cars will work for number one, way back in
two thousand and eight, and uh, I'm sure we touched
on it in two thousand nine with the Pike's Peak
vehicle in the audi um and when we got up
to late last year, however, the Google the Google Car,
which I'm having a hard time saying that that vehicle,
(04:20):
it doesn't really require the infrastructure that that that all
the other systems that we've seen up to that point require.
For this is this is a self kind of vehicle
that can go anywhere. Really that has like oh this
whole I mean, it's it's a it's a massive contraption
on the vehicle right now, an exterior thing. It's almost
like a big exoskeleton on the vehicle. Um actually, you
(04:40):
know they may have paired it down now, so it's
just that that top mounted laser, the the this this
the one that's like the main systems right in the
center of the hood of the roof. Rather but it's
still not it's still obviously not a not anything more
than a prototype. No no, but but the point is
that you know, it doesn't require something, you know, a
(05:01):
specific roadway to be laid down. You know that has
also has embedded censors in it that work with the
vehicle so that you know, this vehicle can go anywhere
really as long as it has a map of the
of the area that I can navigate with right in theory,
Let's also remember that this, uh, this vehicle is in
planning stages. One thing that like that we did talk
(05:24):
about with our your right. We have done quite a
few autonomous vehicle podcasts. But one thing that I think
we should punch again is that when we see the
evolution of the autonomous vehicle, which is happening now, which
is exciting, historians are gonna look back on this what
we're gonna see is exactly what's happening in cs C
(05:44):
e S, which is that the features on luxury vehicles
are starting to do more and more work that was
traditionally the job of the people in the car. Then
are you reading my notes? Yes, because I mean you're
just exactly you're exactly hitting on what I'm going to
talk about next, because, um, I wanted to mention that
(06:05):
this is like a UM, I'm gonna call it a
slow creep. I guess it's been creeping up on us
from from the beginning, you know, and that you know, um,
the rise of these technologies that that are that seemingly
really really small things, you know, at small steps become
part of this bigger thing. So a lot of these
companies are calling these building block technologies and that you know,
(06:25):
let's say that I've got a list here, like starting
with adaptive cruise control, and then there was you know,
the self parking systems and parallel parking systems, and then
there's collision avoidance systems, lane assistance in the systems, UM
blind spot detection systems. There's there's even like rear cross
traffic alert systems. Now, UM all of this stuff. Like
once you start adding all this together, and if you
(06:47):
had a vehicle with all of these together, that becomes
a pretty smart car right there. Once you get start
adding even more to that, you know, like the vehicle
that's gonna be able to handle just driving in a
straight line without smashing in anything, you know, on its own,
and you know, modulate the break in an accelerator um
in a way that you know isn't isn't aggressive towards
other drivers, or isn't you know, annoying to other drivers,
(07:10):
that isn't dangerous. See that these building block technologies are
what we we've well, you know, over the last decades,
I guess, because the adapted cruise control has been around
for a while, um, but building over the last let's
say fifteen twenty years, UM, these things have really come
a long way. And and now they're starting to compile
them all into one vehicle, and one one very very
(07:31):
smart vehicle that you know, it is capable of doing
a lot more than we thought even even four years ago. Yeah,
and I love that you say, you point out one
of the key breakthroughs here means successful integration of very
disparate technologies because Originally, you know, a lot of this
stuff came out as a gosh and the neat kind
(07:54):
of thing. You know that the the parallel the automatic
parallel parking right, great, it's it's a brilliant design and
we even talked about that in a podcast on its own.
Oh so this is our fifths. But um, but what
we're starting to see one of the things that makes
this sort of a j curve of innovation is that
(08:17):
these things, these individual pieces are being um successfully combined
into a larger thing. But if we can before we
go on, can we drill down into one of my
favorite things a little bit more detail about the Audi Connect? Yeah, yeah,
we can do that. Okay, all right, what's so interesting
(08:38):
about it? You can use your phone, dude. You can like,
you can send this car to go find a parking
space on its own and then call it and it
will leave the parking space again on its own, and
it will find you. Okay, this is you know what
this is the thing I think I think you're saying.
You're saying that that's the Audi Connect. I think it's
(08:59):
using to connect system. It's called it's gotta it's got
a title specific. One second, let me find it's it's
piloted parking, so out so if you want to search
for it, no, Ben, that's a but your spot on
and that that this is maybe the coolest thing that
I've seen in a long long time. Um, it's called
out e piloted parking, and it's it's ghost like in
(09:22):
the way that it works, right, And it's really really
bizarre to watch this happen, and it's it's truly doing it.
It's not you know, it's not a gimmick. It's not
you know, something that they're they're making up. Now, the
downside of this, and I'm gonna I'm gonna point this
out early on because you know, the we need to Um,
you've mentioned a couple of things. I want to go
back to them in just a second. But but one
(09:42):
of the downsides is this does have to have um
embedded sensors in the parking structure or parking area that
the vehicle it does need infrastructure other than you know,
and the vehicle that's also equipped. But let's get back
the positives of this, because this is this is that
vehicle that does talk talking about that is maybe one
of the coolest things I've seen all year really and
(10:04):
we see a lot of hate is the name of
the show, but we see a lot of stuff about cars. Um.
One thing, just to clarify, Scott, your excellent point, Audi
Connect is a larger system and it does there there
are things Audi Connect data services do that have nothing
to do with pology. It's the it's the entottainment center
(10:26):
for Audi. Right. So it's like your internet radio. You know,
your G S M. You can do Bluetooth that it's
really cool, your nav system, it's your it's even got WiFi,
which is really cool. And that's how this whole thing operates,
I believe. Yeah, it's your wireless computer systems. But you're right.
I mean, and for those that didn't quite pick it
up in the first you know, let's say that again.
(10:46):
This again. When it does, because this is so cool.
You can go to the mall and you can get
out of the Everybody can get out of the vehicle,
the driver, the passengers, everybody, Grandma, Ayody, whoever. Yeah, the
baby can get out in the stroll or whatever. You
stand at the curb, you push the button on your
on your smartphone, and the vehicle leaves and parks itself. Yeah,
(11:07):
without hitting anything. It finds an open parking spot in
the in the structure or in the parking lot wherever
it parks itself. And then and then what happens when
you come back out. You push a button on your
cell phone and your car says, oh, Scott and the
family are ready, I better go get them, and it
starts up. It starts itself, backs itself out, drives up
(11:29):
to the curb and picks you up. It's like, imagine
it like it's like autopilot parking is what it is. Really,
It's like it's like, um, valet less valet parking. Really,
I don't know how to how to better put it
than that. I mean, it drops you off of the
curb and it picks you up again, all on its own,
and it does shut off in between. It's not like
it's running the whole time. Um. But it's really really advanced.
(11:52):
It's a very sophisticated system that makes all this happen,
especially trying to find I mean, it finds an open spot. Man,
I can't do that on my own and happy stuff technically, um,
and I would assume that it makes a good judgment calling,
you know, if there's enough room on the uh you know,
the side. Not not that anybody has to get out
in around the vehicle, but you know, you don't want
to scrape in along other vehicles. And so there's ce
(12:15):
S demo was a success here because there's there was
already some hype building up about this, but it met
the hype. Again. The primary disadvantage is that it needs
an external infrastructure. But they did demonstrate this live on
on a video. I mean, this has happened in an
interview that you know, the person that was there representat
auty Um actually had the vehicle, you know, go park
(12:37):
itself and then come back and retrieve her during this interview.
And uh and you saw it do it. And you know,
they had obviously set up the area you know, with
it with the appropriate sensors, but the system functioned. It
actually worked and and it's really cool to see it.
So you can check out a video of it from
you know, the ce S coverage. And what's another thing
that's cool about this specifically is that what it uses
(13:01):
production sensors, but it's prototype software. I think they punched that,
so these sensors are already in production. This is not
so much a proof of concept as it is saying
a declaration that we are going to do this. Yeah,
this is you know, maybe coming to a mall near you.
I mean, And that's the thing. It doesn't have to
be a whole city that you know, they have to
(13:22):
they have to out outfit with this. You know, they
can do it at let's say our local mall here
and they've got a mall with a parking structure. They
can outfit you know, the entire parking structure with this
and then advertise that, you know, if you have a
two thousand what I don't know. Um, you know they're
saying it's like a decade out on these things. So um,
let's say that you have let's just say, just let
(13:46):
out with that has this, uh this this pilot of
parking system. They can advertise that. You know, if you
have pilot of parking, you're set to go here at
our mall, you know, you know, easy easy Christmas parking.
How how nice would that be? And if it doesn't
have you here's the thing, If it doesn't have this technology,
by then somebody is just somebody fired the wrong person.
(14:09):
Nothing's getting done. Uh this stuff. I'm gonna go ahead
and take a page from Jonathan Strickland's book, Uh, one
of the codest the tech stuff and make a prediction
here this stuff is on the way. Maybe it's it's
a it's still and don't hold your breath situation. You know,
if you're planning on buying a car and or something,
(14:31):
it's not gonna have this. It's it's probably just not
gonna help because they are saying, I mean they're saying
a decade out. Yeah, sometimes it gets bumped up, you know,
if it's if it's ready to go because you said
their production sensors. The vehicle doesn't look like a test vehicle.
It doesn't have you know, a lot of external stuff
on it. This doesn't have that Google car. This looks
like a car that you would buy on the lot today.
(14:52):
It's on a seven. I think, yeah, it's it's a
it's a current vehicle outfitted with the system, so you
know that. But they do say it's a decade out,
so I we'll see what happens. Now let's move on,
because really there were only this In a way, it
kind of surprised me, but maybe not. I mean, c
E s H. They showcased really two vehicles and now
Audi was one. Now Toyota and Alexis UM, which are Toyota.
(15:16):
Toyota's luxury brand is the Alexis brand UM. But they
were the only other ones that really had any kind
of driverless car technology at c S. Not to say
that they're not on the way, because Ford, BMW, g
m v W, Volvo, all those companies, they have driverless
vehicles in the works. They're all working on something. The
only ones that were really showcased at the latest c
(15:38):
E S were the Toyota and Audi brands. But UM,
the Toyota offering, I guess the Lexus offering we should say,
because it was Alexis vehicle Alexis LS. It's nearly identical
to the Google car. And this kind of came out
of nowhere. Yeah, this was It's safe to say this
(15:58):
was a surprise for were a lot of people when
they first heard about it. Now, of course the news
about this popped before c E people knew this was coming,
but it was still amazing because this UM the Advanced
Active Safety Research Vehicle right a s r V doesn't
(16:19):
exactly roll off the top. But again UM, despite the name,
this is great. This Toyota has been working on this
sort of response to the Google vehicle at there, I'm
gonna um, Butcher's in Japanese, Scott, you ready, at their
Hugashi Fuji Technical Center that's in Toyota City, Japan. So
(16:40):
this is their testing facility. This is like there Willy
Wonka factory where they make all the crazy stuff. And
so what what they're showing at at UM, both at
the Technical center and at c E s U is
a wealth of technologies, both vehicle to vehicle and vehicle
(17:01):
to infrastructure. Yeah, there's there's a few articles out there
that will detail exactly you know, the uh, the type
of of lasers that they use, and the ranges that
that you know, they detect objects, and you know, like
the speeds that that it's capable of, you know of
detecting objects at certain distances, and you know, all that
information is out there. It's easy to find. Um. But yeah,
(17:22):
it's a very very advanced vehicle. Now they showcased it
on what was it a production LS model. Um. Obviously
this isn't something that's gonna be you know, on the
lot anytime soon. Um. It's it's right there with with
Google vehicle and that you know, it's still doing testing.
Their Uh, they're getting licenses to licenses to do this
kind of thing out in areas like like Nevada. Um,
(17:43):
and you may think, you know, that's not That's one
thing I want to mention right now we're talking about UM.
You know, Audie, it was big news recently because they
got a driverless car permitt Nevada. They were the only
only the second ones behind Google to do so. And
why why did they select Nevada? And I thought, this
is strange, you know, And I like a lot of
people when I think of I think a lot of
people think of Nevada, they think of Las Vegas. Yeah,
(18:06):
and it's like, well, that place is crowded that why
would you want, you know, to do it there. Honestly,
like you go past Las Vegas, all of the rest
of Nevada is wide open. I mean it's it's completely
wide open roads, easy test bed, you know region. For them,
I think it makes a it's a good choice. And
there's a couple of other states that, uh, you know,
they're they're still looking into. Um. I think there's like
(18:28):
three different states that are granting permits for stuff like this.
I don't there's somewhere in my notes here but maybe
I'll come across them. Okay, the uh yeah, maybe I'm
miss remembering, but I think Utah is one. Uh couldn't be.
I'm not completely sure on that. But so here's one
thing I really want to punch about this. The the
(18:50):
Advanced Safety Research Vehicle or excuse me, the Advanced Active
Safety Research Vehicle is right now is chilling out chill
accident if you will, at Ann Arbor, Michigan. Um, you,
as you said, Scott. We can see a lot of
the stats about this vehicle online and they do have
a they do have a comparison. You can compare them.
(19:11):
They're kind of apples apples with Google. Yeah that's the thing.
Well in a way, in a way, in a way
now you're saying apples apples and that they uses a
similar system. But I also found that they want to
stress that it's uh into clear any confusion, that it's
actually independent technology like the and yeah, that they didn't
they weren't snooping around. And here's a here's a quick
(19:35):
way to to uh to dispel this is there's an
article in the Wall Street Journal from early early this
year in um, I'll just read this real quickly. Uh.
It says, well, Google uses many Toyota vehicles and its
autonomous fleet. Now that's where the confusion comes in because
you know there's a Toyota pres exactly, it's a Prius
that you saw, so you might think like, well, you
(19:55):
know they've just jumped on the band away with this, right, Okay,
So well Google uses many Toyota vehicles and it's autonomous fleet.
The two companies confirmed that Toyota's technology wasn't the result
of a partnership, and that each firm is developing different
uh developing driving systems independently. So it's very similar to
the to the Google Car united with the laser system,
(20:15):
the uh, the radar and camera equipment that they use. UM,
but it's not exactly the same. Well yeah, and it's
it's tremendously important that we point that out because the
reasons that they have similar um similar concepts independently generated
similar concepts is because these two companies are aiming for
(20:38):
some of the same goals. Now, Toyota has a lot
of information about their their vision that's driving this. They're
they're starting to ask you and being in Japanese country
or company from Japan, they're starting to ask what is
what is the long term you know, twenty fifty years out,
(20:59):
uh state of the average city life. What is what
is the average car going to be expected to do?
How do we integrate these new technological breakthroughs in a
way that the average driver is going to be able
to profit from? And one one big difference between Toyota
(21:19):
right now and Google right now is that Toyota is
very much, very much taking pains to go uh, to
go the extra mile and to let people know that
the job of this technology is safety related. It's not
too wrench control away from the driver, you know what
(21:42):
I mean. So Google has more of a pure research
driven idea. Okay, now I'm glad you're mentioning research and
technology because um, this is where my my little sidebar
comes in here. Now. I think we've kind of, uh
we've maybe you know, talked about as much as we
hand about this because there's not a whole lot out
there other than that they're doing it right and that
(22:04):
you know, here's the basics of the system. We don't
know all the details yet. Um. You know, Ford Motor
Company you kind of chimed in with, you know, we're
we're also working on something you know that, you know,
but and as as is you know, GM and Volvo
and all the others that I mentioned. And by the way,
I've got the three states that are um uh possibly
going to legalize computer control cars. Yeah, just real quick,
(22:25):
they're there, Nevada, of course, Florida and California. I was
totally wrong. Now I thought Utah was on there too,
just because the wide open spaces, but um, Florida, Florida, California,
and Nevada. Okay, okay, So back to uh technology and research.
Now this is this was interesting to me, and I
I don't know how I've I miss some things in
(22:46):
the news sometimes when this this happens. Is there's a
lot going on in the auto industry all the time,
so I try to keep up on this stuff. But
there is a there's a partnership right now between Toyota
and Tesla that's going on. And I had no idea
And I don't know why this this evaded me for
some reason. I don't know if I don't know where
this uh somehow missed me. So it's ongoing though, Yeah,
(23:07):
it's ongoing. But and do you know a little bit
about this or just maybe that it happened. That's all
I know that it happens. Okay, So the idea is that,
you know, Toyota is kind of they've got this new
relatively new chief executive officer who's the grandson of the
company's founder, and he's really focused on new technology, and
that's where a lot of this hybrid technology and all
(23:29):
this comes in, and and batteries and um that's where
you know, of course, Tesla been this this kind of
upstart company that's all about batteries and and you know,
alternative power and all this stuff. That's where this high
performance electric car this really gets interesting. And I started
to kind of dig into this just a tiny little bit.
And and you know, since we're I think we're done
(23:49):
with the the CSS, right, let me just mention this
real quickly because I found some just kind of in
a twist to this, you know that and that um Tesla,
you know, it's it's kind of had its ups and downs,
right us a bit a bit, but for the most part,
it's remained a strong company. You know, I know there's
been some bad news about you know, some some battery situations,
(24:11):
you know, like breaking and things like that happened in
the Tesla roaster. Um. But you know, I think they've
they've overcome all that and they've got some decent models
coming out. In fact, there's one that I wanted to mention.
It's a real surprise. Um. But there's a Forbes article
called why is Tesla beating GM Ford and Toyota Electric Cars? Okay,
that's so, why is Tesla beating GM Ford in Toyota? Now?
(24:35):
The crazy thing about this and it it makes great points.
It's really it's a short article, very concise. Uh, they
make a lot of good points, um in that you know,
back in two thousand nine, I think it was um
Bob Blatts specifically, they point out Bob Blatt said, uh, well,
not cool in this case because he was he was
kind of uh, he's kind of laughing at Tesla. You're saying, like,
(24:57):
you know, who do they think they are coming in
here thinking that they and you know, sell a car
like this for that kind of price. No one's going
to buy it. And it's not, you know, something that
people want and uh yeah, so but so he's laughing
at Tesla Motors. Well, at the same time they point
out um GM shutdown Pontiac Hummer sob Saturn And at
the same time, Tesla sold one of it's of its
(25:21):
inventory and they opened up a second dealership because at
the time they were a single dealership of operation, you know,
one one main office. UM. So you know, it's kind
of like the ha ha thing on their part, you know, like, well,
we'll show you. The idea is that Tesla is they're
they're they're what they call a classic example of a
disruptive innovator. Absolutely, so they've they've come in and they've
(25:44):
they've disrupted the norm the situation that's you know, like
the standard operating procedure for automobile companies from the beginning
of the automobile UM. Really and they do things completely different.
That's why, you know they were kind of laughed at
early on, but now we're starting to take notice. And
and there they made this this comparison. I thought, this
(26:04):
is interesting. Well I'll almost done, I promise. UM. They
said that that Tesla is. This Forbes article again says
that Tesla is completely changing the automotive market. Now, I
would never ever think of Tesla completely changing the automotive market.
I see it as like a UM, a luxury vehicle
that's you know, like a sports vehicle almost like um,
(26:25):
like a boutique vehicle. There's a niche. Yeah, very very
limited niche. Right, Well, I don't think that's the case anymore.
I think that they're coming on pretty strong here. But
they say this partnership, well they say that there, well
it's you know, working with them. It can't hurt, right,
it can't hurt and it can't hurt Toyota to work
with Tesla either. I mean, I think that there's something
to be learned both ways there. But they're saying they're
(26:47):
change in the market a lot like Amazon change the
retail industry, and that you know, the retailer said, well,
why would you ever go to Amazon to you know,
get the same product that you can come right down
the street, you know, to my my brick and mortar
store and by the same thing. Why would you ever
do that? And you can save three dollars if you
wait a week? Yeah, you know. And the thing is
like that's exact thing that that you know, Tesla is
(27:09):
doing to the automotive market. There there's there's like this
new way to run the business and then there's the
old standard way. And you know, they're realizing that maybe
this new way is really catching on and and so
much so in fact, then you know I said that,
you know that this is kind of like a boutique vehicle,
and you know it's a it's definitely a niche market, right,
the origin of the roads. Well, yeah, that's why that's
(27:31):
way a lot of people think about it. I think, right, well,
did you know you know what the motor train car
of the year is. It's a Tesla Model It's it's no,
it's not. It's a Tesla Model s because they quit
making the roadster, right, they make this Tesla model s Now.
The base price is kind of high. But to make
(27:51):
the motor trend car of the year after in just
two thousand nine being laughed at as you know, this
upstart that's never gonna make it, that's pretty amazing. I
this whole thing, like that article. It was just full
of little bits of information that led me elsewhere to
you know, to read and research. And I tell you
they're coming on real strong. It sounds like it might
(28:12):
be time for a Tesla podcast. Maybe maybe, But you know,
this whole thing with Toyota, it happened, I don't know
if it happened last year when it happened. Um again,
just kind of right off my radar. I didn't even
know what happened. But it makes complete sense now that
you think about the direction both companies are going, and
you know, it sounds like they've changed your mind a
little bit. Tesla has been has gotten a little bit
(28:35):
more street credit with you. I think, yeah, I think
they do. Yeah, yeah, And you know it doesn't hurt that.
You know, they also have vehicles on the lot at
the Lamborghini dealer that I like to go and you know,
press my nose against the last occasionally. One day, one
day we're gonna have to tell the folks that that
dealership that you have a car show. I'm gonna owe
them a bottle of Windex because you know there's after
(28:57):
every weekend, there's always a nose print and you know,
like two hands up on the glass. Uh, Lamborghini and Lotus.
It's a great combination. And then you know they had
Tesla to the mix and there's sometimes a spiker in there.
That's really cool. It's a neat place. So you already
responded to this guy Richard out in California. H Richard
(29:19):
had a story that I wanted to make sure the
rest of our listeners here just because I think it's
super cool. All right, thanks for the Rolls Royce podcasts.
He said it brought back some good memories. I drove
a nineteen thirty six Rolls Royce to my senior prom
Now I remember this guy. This is really cool, physic
cool story. Um wait, in ninety six Rolls Rice to
(29:40):
his senior problem. Okay, and he his senior problem was
not in nineties. He's not hundred and twenty. So Richard
says there was a company in Tucson, Arizona that had
antique cars to promote their business. At eighteen years old,
I went to the company office and told the manager
that somebody said it would be funny if we drove
a roll Is Royce his senior problem. He said, I
(30:02):
don't think it's funny. Do you want to you want
to Rolls or pierced arrow? I didn't know what a
pierced arrow was. I got, so I asked for the
Rolls Royce. The only thing he was concerned about was
if I was insured. So I called my parents agent,
who told me I was insured for anything I drive.
That's all the manager needed, and my word, I could
take care of the car. Well, I went to pick
up the car, you just asked me to park it
in front because the Flying ladyhood ornament was the least
(30:24):
expensive being on the car, and it was fifty dollars.
The rolls was right hand steering. The problem I had
with that is when I placed myself for I usually
do on the road, my date was in the lane
with the oncoming traffic. Recently I told some coworkers this story.
One of the women asked if the car was new
when I drove it. I wish I had a hundred
more pictures, har har hard Was it new when you
drove it? Yeah? I'm sure if she had a good
(30:45):
laugh over that too, right, because he would be how
old would he be if hundred again, hundred twenties something
like that? Um, I didn't figure out exactly, but you
roll back to Yeah I did. I. I said it like,
you know, back a long layer. But he um. He
sent a photo along with that, and that's that's one
of the classic looking roles, the huge fenders and the
headlights that look like they're as big as this table
(31:05):
that we're sitting at. Yeah, granted though this is kind
of a small table. Yeah, but there are massive headlights.
It's just a really really neat, neat vehicle. And I
think he mentioned and there he wished later he actually
wrote back a second time and said, I just I
just wish that I had taken about a hundred photographs
that day, because he's got just the one photo that's
got a lot of patina to it. It's really really
a neat photo, but it doesn't show a whole lot
(31:28):
of detail. And I'm sure that that, you know, the
memory of that day is just etched in his mind
because that's what a cool experience. I mean, that's Fairest
Bueller level cool to have a nineteen thirties six roles
at your senior promise. And what I thought was maybe
the coolest thing is that he's driving himself. It's not
like a chauffeurd vehicle where he steps out, you know,
they let you out, I mean, which would still be cool,
(31:48):
but to drive that vehicle and arrive in that that
that is really really neat. Well, Richard, thank you so
much for writing to us. Um we hope that you
will get a chance to mess with that roles maybe
let us know what's going on with that business. And
also to our listeners. We hope that you enjoyed this story.
(32:08):
We hope you enjoyed our little update on self driving cars.
Our fifth episode. Um, I promised Scott I'll get officially fourth,
but I think along the way we've had some of
the building block technology episodes of the account. Maybe a
the driver lest technologies. Okay, we'll call it for astering.
Yeah that's right. So um so, thank you guys so
(32:29):
much for listening. We want to hear what you think
about the future of cars. Would you be comfortable driving
in oh, excuse me writing in a self driving car? Um?
And what's the coolest car you've ever driven? Those are
good questions. Why not? So drop us a line up Facebook,
give us a holler on Twitter, or send us an
email directly, just like Richard did. Our address is car
(32:51):
stuff at Discovery dot com. For more on this and
thousands of other topics, is how stuff works dot com.
Let us know what you think. Send an email to
podcast at how stuff works dot com.
CarStuff News
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