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They were going two days earlier than usual because “usual” would be Thanksgiving Day. He went back into the house to see whether Mrs. Goines was ready yet.
“Oh,” she said, approaching in her housecoat, “I forgot we were going to Costco.”
The bit of relief Goines felt at her confession surprised him. He joked, “I don’t know whether to feel relieved that you forget stuff too, or alarmed that the whole household memory is declining.”
On the road to Costco, Goines pressed the Volvo’s adaptive cruise control and piloting assistance and bumped the speed up in its set increments of 5 until they were cruising at the speed limit.
With a start, Goines realized that the other day, when he was musing about Siri and his iPhone, he hadn’t thought of all the artificial intelligence in the S60. And here the car was, traveling at speed, slowing down when the traffic ahead slowed, speeding back up when it flowed again, turning the steering wheel slightly to nudge the car back near the center between the lane markers whenever the terrain demanded some steering. Did Siri or his phone ever do anything as critical as these things?
What was that Gospel hymn? Goines asked himself. He remembered a few of its lines and thought of a car brand name that sort of rhymed with the principal figure, and then he all but started to tap out the beat on the steering wheel.
With a start, Goines realized that the other day, when he was musing about Siri and his iPhone, he hadn’t thought of all the artificial intelligence in the S60. And here the car was, traveling at speed, slowing down when the traffic ahead slowed, speeding back up when it flowed again, turning the steering wheel slightly to nudge the car back near the center between the lane markers whenever the terrain demanded some steering. Did Siri or his phone ever do anything as critical as these things?
What was that Gospel hymn? Goines asked himself. He remembered a few of its lines and thought of a car brand name that sort of rhymed with the principal figure, and then he all but started to tap out the beat on the steering wheel.
Wha-a-at a friend we have in Ki-i-i-ia-a-sA few hours after their trip to Costco, Goines heard of a road accident from a truck-driving friend. The friend had been called away from his usual ways to rescue a load that had been involved in a head-on collision.
A-a-a-al our spins and drifts to bear
Le-e-ead us through our every ste-e-epness
Bra-a-ake us from toward the flare
Drivers sure did need a friend when they went out and about.
| Copyright © 2021 by Moristotle |
I find your concern for these "personalities in the machines" fascinating. Recent science indicates that these programs can be refined so as to be indistinguishable from humans. On the "outside", so to speak, at least. There is no least evidence that any level of sophistication will ever give such entities a true sense of self, or true emotion. The old sci-fi standard was "self-awareness", and that at some level of computing power, such machines would somehow magically achieve humanity. I appreciate the electronic help, especially on the road, I just don't think I'll need to send Siri a Christmas card this year.
ReplyDeleteLet’s hope that poor Goines isn’t ENTIRELY serious!
DeleteThat's a good story and particularly about driving safety with the new technology. Sounds like you have to remember to turn it on. Is it complicated?
ReplyDeleteGoines says, yes, you have to turn it on, but he has mastered turning adaptive cruise control on (the central button in a cluster on the Volvo’s steering wheel) and then pressing the button above to bump the speed up in those 5-mph increments. He has also mastered pressing the button to the right of center to turn on piloting assistance. He admits, however, that there are many, many other features (seat warmers, steering wheel warmer, radio stations, maps, cell phone charger, to name a few) that he has not mastered (and few of these he attempts to use without first pulling off the road).
DeleteGoines,
DeleteIt seems to me that these safety features are most beneficial for seniors, who are least equipped to manage them, so it’s a shame that they are not more automatic. What if you don’t use the speed feature. Will it slow you down if you are using the accelerator and traffic slows??
Goines is much relieved that, in the roundabout, Neil’s follow-up question was read by Nortin Hadler and answered in this fashion:
DeleteI’ve been driving the XC90 Volvo for 3 years. If you’re on cruise control it maintains the distance you set (once) from the car ahead. I set it at 4 car lengths.
If you’re not on cruise control, it warns me when I’m at 4 car lengths with red lights in the windshield. If I’m closer the lights flash, then it beeps, and then it brakes before a collision.
I don’t use the feature that automatically keeps the car centered in the travel lane. With that and cruise control, it’s auto-pilot. If you take your hands off the steering wheel for too long, there’s an alarm that is designed to wake you if you fall asleep on autopilot. I’m too much a control freak to feel comfortable giving up that much control. But you can see how a driverless car is in the near future.
Nortin, if you’re keeping your hands on the wheel, how are you losing control? I find with any distraction I can wobble out of the lane. I appreciate the insight. —Neil
DeleteWhen you push the auto drive button, the car will stay in the middle of the lane on its own – even if you are not holding the steering wheel. It’s a weird feeling to watch the car steer itself.
If you’re in the autopilot mode and take your hands off the wheel for too many minutes, the car reminds you by voice.
If you’re not on autopilot and you wander out of your lane, the steering wheel shakes and corrects the direction. You can override this by force or by turning on your directional signal.
Nortin, sounds like good options. Maybe autopilot on a limited access highway? —Neil
Goines says he likes “auto drive,” the way his Volvo steers for him, not weird at all, but rather comforting.
Exchange with Neil in the roundabout:
ReplyDeleteNeil: Why did you both pick Volvo?
Moristotle: Neil, I have no idea why BOTH Nortin & I picked Volvo. I'd have to speculate. Music of the spheres sort of thing?
Neil: Ha ha. I was imagining two answers. Similar reasons I imagine. Solid feel, crash safety, driving aids, comfort?
Moristotle: Neil, because I understand Goines’ motives much better than my own (since I created him, and I remain a mystery to myself), I’ll tell you why HE drives a Volvo: Mrs. Goines wanted the Volvos they’ve bought used or new over the years, and Goines virtually always follows her lead. (You may remember his main reason for spending October in France.) But, yes, he (and she) find Volvos comfortable, a pleasure to drive, and they both believe the reports that Volvos are constructed for safety. Goines is grateful to Mrs. Goines for not wanting sporty cars; he likes Volvos’ staid, buttoned-down demeanor.