The survey’s findings add to the mountingevidence that drivers don’t know exactly what self-driving cars are which leads them to believe their own cars are more capable than they are. It is a product of the wide gap between complex engineering jargon and colloquial terms people use all the time.
Modern cars are giant computers. They’re packed full of chips and bits, all working toward the goal of making your ride smoother, safer, and more comfortable. But when it comes time to take these technical marvels in for repairs, all the code under the hood becomes more of a nuisance than anything. Auto shops have struggled to keep up with the needs of these high-tech vehicles. And companies aren’t about to stop filling their cars with gadgets anytime soon.
Smith notes that designing apps is more complex for carmakers than it is for phone developers because the issues are complex – for example, balancing safety with usability – and the pace of automotive development is faster than it has been in the industry’s history. He also noted that apps on a smartphone often are not expected to link with another source, yet those in vehicles must.
Then the Nelsons’ contractor gave them worse news. If three or four houses on the block all did the same upgrade, he said, pointing to a nearby transformer, the system would blow. “Basically, he said that hasn’t changed,” Rob Nelson recalled. “This whole infrastructure would need to be changed if all these houses go to 200 amps.”
