Appears that the steering was very precise.
Posted on 06/26/2013 5:56:33 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Whatever happened here, Clarke is a buffoon.
Sorry, but you must not know much about modern cars.
First, most modern luxury cars don’t have a ignition interlock, and even if they did, the computer wins, since the ECM remains active even if the ignition key is off, if the engineers who designed the control system deem it so.
Secondly, most systems have ABS now. The solenoid for ABS can interrupt braking force to any given wheel in a modern car ... it’s part of the government mandated stability system. It can also *apply* brakes. My car, a 2012 Civic Si, actually did this tonight for me in a rain storm, to keep me from spinning into the ditch (low speed on wet road, but sport Michelins and rain water don’t get along).
Thirdly, most modern cars have a fly-by-wire throttle. The system simply has a sensor that tells it how far you have the accelerator pushed. The computer can choose to adjust the throttle plate via the servo, or not. This is also linked to the vehicle stability program. It allows the computer to maximize fuel economy (open the throttle all the way, turn off spark and fuel, and you waste a lot less energy on deceleration, just one scenario).
Fourth, many cars are shipping with electric power steering. Another computer controlled system, also under command of the stability program, you will not be able to steer against it.
Fifth, all these systems are networked, so they can figure out what is working and what is not, and can send control commands back and forth, modulating throttle, braking force, and steering force.
Sixth, a simple easter egg in the stability program could simply apply breaking force to one wheel, remove it from another. It does this all the time in normal operation. Having it fail spectacularly all at once wouldn’t be beyond the pale. It could also, ask the computer to go to maximum throttle.
I am a software engineer. Given the source code to these systems (or stolen source code for these systems -— do you really think Mercedes could keep NSA hackers out of their systems?), I could probably generate the hack in a day or less.
Even more interesting, is the fact that many systems are now sharing the same bus as the stability & ECM. Whose to say you couldn’t just upload the program using unintentional security gaps in the control software via the car’s Bluetooth interface, or key remote interface? It’s all possible if you have people paid lots of money to find these holes. Or at least stable day jobs to find these holes. Many hackers would jump at the chance of trying to pull off something like that.
When I read about him blowing through a stoplight at 100mph, this was my immediate thought on the matter, but I tend to not let my conspiracy mind out to play publicly, but I think it must be said this time.
So where do you get your technical info, seems as though it may be out of date?
If it makes the car go 140 MPH directly into a tree, it might.
Nice! We just bought a new GLK 350 and I love it!
Appears that the steering was very precise.
One of the nice things about diesel fuel is it doesn't burn like gasoline.
That's why military vehicles are all diesel, an ordinary accident won't make them burst into flames.
That takes an explosion to aerosolize the fuel...
Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping!
To get onto The Nut-job Conspiracy Theory Ping List you must threaten to report me to the Mods if I don’t add you to the list...
Note that in the video of the crash fire, there is a gusher just ahead of the tree. That has to be a fire hydrant smashed off, causing damage to the underbody and gas tank prior to hitting the tree.
It would help if someone who knows the street there could verify or refute the presence of a hydrant there. Most of the visible damage to the vehicle is to the front. If the vehicle had hit a fire hydrant, the engine should have been shoved more underneath the vehicle, not launched down the road.
Also, a gushing water source would tend to spread the fuel more (gasoline floats), not leave it in a puddle under the vehicle.
Sounds like drone technology, applied to a car.
Sweet!
A lit of people wanted him dead.
Lemme ask y’all this, if there was a cybercarjacking scene in a Jimmy Bond double-naught spy movie and the guy’s car drives off the road into a tree and explodes, would you accept it or would you scream, “NO WAY! WHAT A CRAPPY PLOT TURN!!”
oh goody....Dick Clarke weighs in again...mister ‘let me apologize to the American people’ Clarke....the doofus who’s hair is on fire and he still doesn’t know a bit from a bot
The car exploded before it hit the tree.
Bluetooth has a range of about 3 feet.
Beat me to it. That’s probably what the accident report will say.
They learned that with Snowden.
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