Am I the only one who thinks we are on the way to a horrible future?

[Mirez]

Just watched the above video from Volkswagen, I know we are some way off this reality but OMG the notion that that's where the automotive world is heading saddens me. The idea that cars will just be little pods pottering around at a 'safe' pace means that essentially cars are now trams, all the emotion from the car journey will be gone and I think I'll end up looking just as sad as the VW Sedric does.... sad times.

[mike wilson]

I can't wait.

1. I loathe driving.
2. It will take all the tossers out of the equation.
3. I will take priority when on two wheels and all the Sedrics will have to avoid _me_ instead of the other way round. 

[Mirez]

Ha, I doubt you'll be allowed to use bikes. They'll be banned to make way for the safer option

[mike wilson]

Guerilla riders.  Love it. 

[28cartman]

haha yeah I watched it and though there are no bikes in VWs vision lmao

[Caitlin]

Ban the 4x4s they scream
Ban the diesels they yell

then along comes some snow.... err anyone with a powerful 4x4 able to take our nurse to work? No you idiots because  you banned them all. Anyone see an electric vehicle out in the snow?

I saw one, he was stuck and then had to come shelter in my car because his heater wouldn't work.

[insanitybeard]

I.M.O all this automation and technology serves to do is make us as a race more lazy, less capable and all the more screwed when it all goes down Mad Max style and nobody has the necessary skills or materials to survive without all of this wonderful technology that's designed to make our lives easier. That's a general rant at how reliant on technology in general we've become, and I don't think that's a good thing.

I say this whilst realising that we (people) are the cause of the problem and driving this out of control juggernaut along but I don't like the ever increasing amount of control being inflicted upon us by corporations, governments and technology in the name of progress.

[KingyMAK]

Look at it this way; we wouldnââ,¬â,,¢t have this community if it wasnââ,¬â,,¢t for technology...

Automation & robotics is going to be the future wether we like it or not.
We are fully heading for a ââ,¬ËœTerminator/Skynetââ,¬â,,¢ or ââ,¬ËœAvengers/Ultronââ,¬â,,¢ situation at some point.

[insanitybeard]

But is the inexorable march of technology a good thing? Yes the internet has made this forum and many other things possible but the virtual world is well on the way to taking over from people conversing and interacting face to face. And is it actually making our lives 'better' as a result? I'm not a luddite and agree that technology brings benefits but at what cost?

[KingyMAK]

The main cost is living longer;

We have far greater numbers or incidents of cancers & other diseases, add this to ageing and you have the main costs.


I mean, come on, kids are even being born with ââ,¬Ëœsmart-phone pinky-fingerââ,¬â,,¢...
Thatââ,¬â,,¢s a new genetic link over literally one generation!

[JoaquinM]

There's no stopping the technology now so all we can hope for is that we adapt as well as we can. Both on the individual level as well as the societal level.

[SirDavidAlhambra]

Looks fun. Canââ,¬â,,¢t wait to use one of those things to drive all the way to Scotland at 10mph. What used to be an 8 hour journey will now take just 1 week.