The Power of One: How Akio Toyoda Led Toyota Back to the Top

[Cole]

Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k

It's not all a good thing. We've already reached the point of diminished returns. At this point cars are becoming so heavy, and have thick pillars for crash worthiness - making outward visibility more difficult. Outward visibility is a safety measure itself, and now we have to rely on cameras? Beyond that, people rely too much on their car's active and passive safety systems, and neglect their own driving ability.

Sheer idiocy. And the average sports car enthusiast could give two sh*ts about it as well...

I can attest to this. A few summers ago, my company was using rental vehicles instead of leases like they are now. I had a few different rentals (Jeep Grand Cherokee, Yukon XL, Expedition XL, etc). The Yukon had things like vibrating seats when you started to wander in your lane, vibrating seats+back up camera+radar for backing and blind spot monitors. While I'm not against blind spot monitoring, it all kind of adds up to the fact that drivers are becoming less skilled and relying a lot more on aids.

My coworker who doesn't care about cars, except point A to point B, absolutely loved having those things. Me, on the other hand, I was alright with having them, but I didn't care for them, and they're not something I'd actively look for, or pay to add on to a new vehicle purchase.

In terms of a supplement to skill, they're not bad. It's when you start relying on these things, and stop checking your blind spots, aren't able to back up without a camera and can't stay in your lane that they become a problem.

I'd also like to point out that my lifted work truck, while greatly improving far visibility has drastically reduced my near visibility. Can't see half the cars brake lights, or signals that are within 10-15 feet of me when I'm driving.

[tennisfreak]

We dont have a FT-1.

All we have is a f_king sweet _ss concept that has been floating around 3 years now with no significant development.

Its really pissed me off as I want one very badly.

[daiheadjai]

Originally Posted by tennisfreak

We dont have a FT-1.

All we have is a f_king sweet _ss concept that has been floating around 3 years now with no significant development.

Its really pissed me off as I want one very badly.

Fair enough - but I think the FT-1 has a much greater chance of being made into a production model with Akio at the helm (certainly better than under Watanabe, who basically put all Toyota's sports cars out to pasture).

Honestly, I'd be really surprised if the FT-1 doesn't make it to production.