'Road trains' get ready to roll

[ma4t]

No, these are not trains that run on the road.

With the IP projects I get to work on, it's really hard to keep my mouth shut. But this is public - so why not?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8349923.stm

"The EU hopes to cut fuel consumption, journey times and congestion by linking vehicles together."

I honestly hope they are right.

Don't ask me what happens when the lead vehicle goes off the road...

MA4T

[VetteOwner]

neat idea but i dont think we need people watchin tv or reading while thier car drives them.

yea i wonder what happens when one car slides outa control (blowout, bald tires hitting wet puddle, patch of ice, engine failure, etc) do the other cars folow it? even if the cars engien dies the lead truck would have to be constantly watching behind him all the time, gets too far away and all the cars go nuts

[dieselbenz]

So what happens to your radiator and AC condenser when they are being blocked by the another car a few inches off the front bumper at 70mph under load? I personally can't wait to have somebody's exhaust piped directly through my dash vents. For a quick death, I hope its a diesel!

[theholycow]

I don't think that the issues named above will be show stoppers. I also don't think it will succeed, though I won't offer guesses as to why.

At first I thought it was going to be about trucks towing many tandem trailers, like a "road train" in Australia.

[bobc455]

Looks pretty cool, I've fantasized about that type of thing many times.

Looks easy (in my very oversimplified mind) in a steady-state environment, but as mentioned above I'd be scared about emergency situations.

[Mayhim]

Just what we need - American drivers even LESS involved in the driving process.

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by Mr Incredible

Just what we need - American drivers even LESS involved in the driving process.

agreed, our driving test needs to be a hell of alot harder and refresher tests every few years for ALL ages...

also need to have everyones insurance EQUAL (male and female) at a low rate untill you screw up then that parsons rates go way up. freakin rediculous just because some statistic says males total more cars my insurance is higher...isnt that profiling???

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by VetteOwner

freakin rediculous just because some statistic says males total more cars my insurance is higher...

Running the statistics makes sense. That's the whole purpose of insurance. It's not the worst way to do it.

I'd settle for liability insurance being per driver instead of per vehicle. I can't drive two vehicles at once; why should I pay twice as much liability insurance just for owning two vehicles? Do people with two vehicles statistically get in more accidents?

isnt that profiling???

Profiling is neither illegal nor generally unaccepted, except certain types of profiling.

[VetteOwner]

may not be the worst way to do it but best way for the insurance companies to make more money lol

i do agree i shouldn't have to pay insurance on 2 vehicles when i can only drive one at a time...it should be per person that way anyone can drive anyone elses car and still be covered (some insurances allow this but you have to pay more, big suprise lol) i doubt if a person owns 2+ cars thier more likely to get in more accidents, hence why they have multi car discount i would assume...

like when my truck was transfered into my name i had the chevette and the s10 put on the same insurance, truck is listed as uhh (forgot the name its not the primary) and chevette is primary. the chevette alone insurance was $230 ish for 6 mo (liability only) then when i added the truck it dropped to $216...(same liability only, ones 29 years old other is 14 with more rust lol)

[theholycow]

In RI anyone can driver anyone's car and be covered by the car's insurance. You can get secondary part-time driver coverage for a specific person if he will be driving your vehicle [B]often[/B.