Shape-Shifting Car Will Brace For Impact

New Scientist ^ | 5-10-2006 | Tom Simonite

[blam]

My first thought is tanks and humvees.

[mmercier]

My wife is a shapeshifter.

Sometimes she is an evil bitch, sometimes she is a demure princess.

[new cruelty]

My first thought is tanks and humvees.

Sadly, my first thought was-

Sweet.

[coconutt2000]

I'm still waiting for the total awareness HUD for civilian vehicles.

Imagine a car with an HUD display on its interior windshield. The computer and vehicle sensors tie into the "roadway" network and exchange data with other vehicles regarding environment, conditions, and safety hazards, and those hazards are outlined on your windshield. The more cars on the road, the more information. A speeding vehicle can transmit that its driver is driving recklessly, preparing drivers nearby to avoid a collision. The car in front in the right hand lane will broadcast the presence of a pedestrian about to step out on the street. Emergency vehicles will be able to request route clearances well ahead of themselves, and request data back from surrounding vehicles regarding road conditions along different routes.

But what I really want is to be able to hack my car to play PacMan when I'm stuck in heavy traffic.. ;-)

[Alouette]

I could have used a car like that before my crash last year.

[bannie]

Treat her like a thoroughbred, and she won't [have to] be a nag.

;-)

[BobS]

A good test would have a driver run through a red light and hit my F-250 that has a .500 walled square tube wrapped around the underside. I believe it's 4140 steel.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Exactly. Why not just install some ablative armor? It'd be cheaper.

[mmercier]

Treat her like a thoroughbred, and she won't [have to] be a nag.

She is treated like a queen.

She does not even have to work, and we have no children (yet).

I am trying to adopt a 17 year old Korean daughter, and she is against it.

gofigger.

[Reaganesque]

It's nice to see Odo has found work after the cancellation of Deep Space 9

[bannie]

Sounds like you married a friggin' BAAAAAD SEEEEEEED!

:-p

[KoRn]

Beat me to it lol.

[TheWasteLand]

Me too. More than meets the eye.

[BobS]

"I could have used a car like that before my crash last year."

I hope you bought a comfy F-250 or an F-350. You will find from 6+ feet up that little cars will BOW DOWN in your presence on any street or freeway. You are BIG, faster and have 4000 lbs. more of kinetic energy. Good sound system, AC, and room to put "stuff" in. I like mine! Get the BF/Goodrich A/T radials and put a US flag on the back of your matching grey/metallic camper shell. Price=&40K.

[Revolting cat!]

My first thought is tanks and humvees.

My first thought was: another sure proof of evolution!

[mmercier]

so you are like a psychic or something...?

she is a bad seed to be sure.

we have come to terms.

otherwise i die.

now what?

[RichInOC]

My first thought is that VW should have saved its "Safe Happens" commercials for that.

[Boiling point]

So Why can't I get a car, that when a camera detects hot babes, shape shifts into a red convertible sports car, then when it detects a Home Depot, shifts to a long bed 1 ton pick up!

[Michamilton]

"..the computer would then activate a shape-memory alloy in the side door by feeding an electrical current through it. The alloy changes shape in response to heat and swells to make a stronger connection with the car's frame."

Why can't they just do this whenever the door is closed - it would be a whole lot easier than this whole sensing scheme.

[new cruelty]

Starscream rocks.