tzach

Sorry but I beg to differ, people suck way worse now than even 10 years ago. They are on medication or their phone and don't give any though to how their actions effect other drivers. They clog up the fast lane, drive right next to other drivers so no can pass. Run red lights. pull right out in front of you, don't move to the shoulder or center line when turning. I know that these things have always gone on but it is so much worse now. Driving has become so frustrating that it effects my whole day in a negative way. So sad.

I think they used Explorer because it is a more iconic name than Edge. I would think that the Edge and Mustang are closer in size than Explorer and Mustang. The X6 is probably pretty close to the Edge in overall dimensions.

If the observers job is as a back up to the cars sensors then she wasn't doing it and should be charged.

It's kind of strange to get such a minor refresh on the heels of the prior very minor refresh. What does it mean? 1) They are going to give minor refreshes every couple of years and let it die eventually or 2) This is to try to get a little more mileage out of this generation until the replacement in '21 or '22. If it is two I would say a stretched Focus on C3 is more likely than CD6.

Exactly, While the car obviously failed at detecting her ( as well as the rider who again I would assume is supposed to be there to back up the electronics) The women could easily have avoided getting hit. In fact I am baffled how she could walk out without noticing a car coming at 38 or 40 mph not 75 and not even reacting when the car was a few feet from her.

I would assume that the purpose of the rider in the driver seat is as a backup of the autonomous systems. She should be at least fired if not share some of the blame if she was not doing what she was being paid for. Also the woman who was hit seems totally unaware of the car coming at her. If you are crossing a road you would think you would be looking up the road for oncoming traffic. Especially on a road with a high speed limit as I assume the car was not speeding. Thea being said I agree the sensors should have picker her up even if she was out of the reach of the headlights.

My guess no CD6 Fusion if we get it it will be a stretched Focus. May get a midsized CD6 but an upmarket one (Thunderbird?) No Cougar to redundant unless they used that for the MKZ when it gets a name and I doubt that.

I would love for 70 to 90% of vehicles to be autonomous. With how bad everyone drives now and getting worse it would be a big help to my sanity. But i want to be able to drive myself in my own vehicle. A few questions: 1.) What about road trip vacations 2.) What about bikes or canoes or towing a boat or jetski 3.) Would my '69 Mercury and other classic cars for fun be banned

You do not have to buy new though. We bought a 2013 Taurus SHO for my wife last year and have a $250 car payment. It's like brand new coming off a lease and fast as hell.

Doubt it, if you look on lots in the N.J. you would be hard pressed to find an Explorer that is not AWD. Most people buy what is on the lot.

Sad but true, the Taurus will probably be gone after 2019. My dream would be a CD6 based RWD car about the size of the current Taurus with more interior room. Top motor 5.2L FPC with a manual trans and more aggressive style kind of like the 2007 Interceptor. That would get me out of a Mustang. Wont be holding my breath though. Obviously that is a pipe dream on every level. One can dream though.

First of all there will always be people who want to be different fro the crowd and trends do come and go. Also whatever technology you use on a heavier vehicle you can also use on the lighter one gaining even more mpg. The gap is narrowing but can never be totally erased because of the laws of physics.

Making a right turn from the left side of the lane when there is a full shoulder Putting a blinker on at the last second to make a right turn into where you were waiting to make a left Making a left turn from the right side of the lane when if they moved to the center you could get by Not only driving under the limit in the passing lane but staying right next to the car in the right lane for miles Turning off the road but somehow staying in your way for an eternity

This has made my commute torturous. It is bad enough they drive in the passing lane but also have the habit of driving right next to someone in the right lane and creating an impassable barrier. On top of that a large number of people are texting or just plain driving like zombies staring ahead with a blank look. No thought as to how there actions effect other people. I could write ten pages on things people do that are annoying and dangerous while driving. Sorry for the rant but in the last five to ten years things have quickly deteriorated on the road for some reason. I personally think it is an alien plot to take over Earth.

Five years ago I would agree with you. But in a short period of time it seems like the zoned out pokers and drivers more interested in there phones out weigh the aggressive drivers. I think smart phones have been a big part of this. Not that it matters as i don't think we are going to see driverless cars in great numbers for a long time. .

So THIS!!!!!!!!. It is unbelievable what an epidemic this is. And when you pass theses morons on the right after being stuck for miles of them not being aware of the jam of cars behind them and the empty road ahead and you look at them they are usually staring ahead in some sort of daze. One of the first things I was taught was leave yourself an out and don'rt drive right next to another car. These people seem to do their best to keep pace with the car in the right lane. It has become the most dangerous situation on the road because it causes more tailgating, weaving and cutting people off. People are not being taught to drive properly on top of people not caring about how they do anything or how their actions effect other people. It sucks all of the joy out of driving.

I think you missed my point! The people who are most disinterested and incapable of driving will hopefully be the first to buy autonomous cars making things better for the people who enjoy driving. I agree that it will take a long time and there will be derivable cars along with autonomous for a very long time. In fact I think it is going to be longer than a lot of people think until we see truly autonomous cars on the road.

This article is a little silly. It tries to imply that masses of people will be "bullying" autonomous cars. Are there people that will take advantage of them sure but the same people that will cut people driving themselves now. The nice thing is these cars will not be driving 5 mph under the speed limit in the passing lane and refuse to get over. It won't matter that their drivers are staring at there phone or zoned out on some prescription drug. It will take the control out of the hands of the disinterested driver and the "I am the most important person on the road" driver. I only wish it would happen sooner than later. I think the predictions are way overly optimistic. I am 50 and I would hazard a guess that I will be lucky to still be driving at a time when more than 50% of the cars on the road are autonomous. Sadley I think I am stuck with these idiots for a long while.

I personally do look at vehicles as masculine or feminine or some degree in between. Do most people today especially with the feminization of men, probably not. I do like the Escape but agree it has some weird proportions and angles. Ironically I still find it the most masculine of the small crossovers. I find in general Ford and even Gm lean to the masculine to middle of the scale. Of course since woman purchase or influence a majority of sales (I think I remember reading this) it seems like a good trend to move things more to the feminine side. Just not to far to keep the men happy and not my Mustang of course not to mention the F-150.

I totally agree but for different reasons. Driving has become so torturous, frustrating and annoying it is unbelievable. Most of the people on the road have absolutely no thought in their head about courtesy or how their actions effect anyone else. People are either oblivious, horrible drivers or wasted on prescription drugs. No one gets to the left or right to make a turn or has any problem with pulling right out in front of you and poking under the speed limit (even when there is no one behind you for miles). Don't even get me started on driving slow in the fast lane and refusing to move over. Then there is the cell phone issue which is a whole long rant in itself. Let the cars drive and leave the uninterested or unable to do what they please without effecting those of us who want to enjoy driving without the contamination of their disinterested, distracted or unskilled driving. This will also help with the horrible scourge of drunk driving which our government is unable or unwilling to do anything about. So I say bring on the self-driving cars as quickly as possible. I long for the return of an enjoyable driving experience. End rant!

Mustang for me since there is sadly no stick in the Fusion Sport. . I wish Ford would come up with a better name the generic "Sport'

This discussion about EV (or to be more precise... electrification) reminds me of the late 70s and early 80s when catalytic converters was coming out. At first, it was an option (a rather expensive one) so only people that really wanted it would get it. But then regulatory environment changed and all the new cars came with it when they got replaced/updated. Soon 100% of the car had it and western civilization didn't end. Cats were first on a production car in 1973 and were mandatory for 1975 on all cars sold in the U.S.

I totally agree with this and it has gotten so much worse in the last 5 years or so. I was actually given the finger by a young girl who I flashed my lights at until she moved over and she got right back over and no one was in the right lane. I have given up on that though and do what you do and pass on the right and lay on the horn and get back over giving the look as I pass. Most of the ones doing it are middle age people and not kids or older people. The other thing that irks me is people coming out of a street and making a right turn but doing it into the left lane right in front of me. Then driving a little and moving back to the right lane after I pass them. Try turning the wheel a little more it works. Any effort to follow the rules of the road or ANY thought of how their driving effects anyone else on the road has gone out the window. If it was only the morons on the phone it would be bad enough but add in the people who just don't care or are in a fog from pain killers or anti-depressants and driving has become so much less enjoyable.

Tickets are a money maker. So cell phone tickets are like $200. No one wants one but will that really deter you especially with how many cars are on the road compared to the amount of cops. If the government was really concerned with the safety of the people fines for texting would be like $2000, then I bet you would see the number go down. Better yet the Federal government should mandate some kind of blocking device for the phone unless it is through the car system and voice operated only. Maybe something would have to be done on the phone end. Unfortunately our government is to much under control of large corporations that put profit over the safety of the population. People have got to be bad drivers as it is and the phone use just makes it worse. It is not only new or young drivers and older people with slowed response times either. It is experienced middle aged people who used to know how to drive. I guess they are all on phones or drugs (legal or illegal).

For me I would love a Thunderbird on CD6, RWD 5.0 Liter V8 and a stick. That would be a perfect car for me. I know it is a pipe dream though.