Electronic Driving Aids - Good or Bad?

Choices are always good.....as long as I can turn it on or off. That's my take.


Cars:

2013 Ferrari 458 Spider (Daily Driver)

Ordered - 2017 Lotus Evora 400

 

I think the level of performance offered on cars today is so high, that without the electronic drivers aids, most people could not even begin to access that performance.

We have road cars today that would outperform race cars of 15 years ago, and they are in the hands on non professional drivers on public roads.

I am on on the race track an average of 30+ days a year, in a car with no drivers aids whatsoever. I have 250 hp (2000 lbs) and, after maybe 100 days in that car, have still not reached it's total potential.

I can't imagine the average, non trained, driver on a public road with 600+ hp and no drivers aids at all...it would be chaos.

 

I think you just put your finger on the cost of the bargain for those of us who are fascinated with and enjoy sports & performance cars. Simply put power sells. No sales = no cars. But as r lips (sorry my computer keeps correcting me- ironic!) above says- we need these things otherwise the manufacturers couldn't build these cars.

And convenience sells- hence Ferraris with cupholders, nav, sat radio, AC, trip computer, hi-fi, etc... All of which makes the cars heavier which is the enemy of every performance metric.

And I think this also explains the appearance in the market place of more and more track cars like Radical and Ariel Atom- even cars like the GT4.

So much in life has to do with your point of view. From the point of view of someone who wants to use these high powered cars on the street- even with some good track experience- Im glad to have the helpers.

But from the point of view of someone who likes to do things for themselves, yes, it feels like we are losing some of our autonomy- the machines are thinking for us.

The magic of Ferrari is they have been able to take all these systems and aids and integrate them in such a way, they make most people feel like a hero- especially when exercising the magnificent engine!

 

Well...that is the point! And, of course, some of that is because we are force fed that by the industry as well. Imagine an automotive magazine that criticized a car for having too much horsepower, or for being too fast...not going to happen. The emphasis is always about more performance.

 

Thanks! I think yes, the cars don't feel as connected. And if you go back and drive a car from the 60s you will see just how much more mechanical and visceral those cars feel. I look at this the same as I look at favorite teams or players- you have to look at them in the context of their eras. This is our era now. It could be worse- remember how bad cars got in the early 70s- probably the early 90s. These systems are all there because in essence we have an abundance of power.

Rlips- thats right- the only time I can ever remember a journalist saying a car has too much power is Clarkson's review of the F12.

 

True...and having one of those, I can attest to that. And yet, go on the F12 forum, people are asking for more power for the next update of the F12!!!

 

My cars have this convenient nob on the steering wheel called a manetino.. it lets you turn all the electronics off. I use it every day.

 

u can switch the nannies off any time u want
Just make sure u are up to the job when u want back to basic....

 

I haven't driven a 488 so impossible for me to make that judgement. Between my Speciale and FF or my past F430 and 458 I would have to say the Speciale.

 

To answer the "why" part of the question.. I grew up in the great white north and learned to drive a stick shift, rear wheel car in the snow. Fishtailing, sliding and donuts in the ice and snow was a daily part of life in the winter where learning to handle your car without any nannies (not even anti-lock brakes) was a necessity of life.

I learned to drive fast in a Viper at Sebring from some excellent instructors. That car had no nannies and more power / torque than pretty much anything else on the road at the time. Trail braking and power sliding were necessary skills when you are approaching 2:20 lap times at Sebring in a Viper.

I absolutely hate traction control on any car but especially my fast cars. I paid enough money for them that I believe me and my right foot should be in control of when my tires spin or not. If I wanted someone (or something) to do that for me, I would hire a chauffer.