You
know when you are searching for different cars on the Internet, and you can
view different pictures and videos of this car online? Now imagine being able
to test drive a car, and doing it on a computer! How insane and exciting does
that sound? Well, when this was made possible, I kept thinking to myself,
because that’s how people drive cars—with a mouse on your computer—right?
Car
companies have hired teams to take, for example the Yaris, and outfit it with
cameras and machines, allowing it to be remotely controlled. When you go to
virtually test drive the Yaris, they have four different camera angles to
view—a front view, inside the car view, back view, and a view from a car
driving behind your Yaris. It’s as if you are getting the full effect of being
in the car; one can see inside the car, and even the streets, people, and
stores around you. But I beg to differ. How are you getting the full effect of
being in a car when you are not actually driving it?
I
personally do not understand how you can buy a car by only virtually test
driving it on the Internet. Every car has a different feel to it depending on that
car’s features and one does not actually get a feel for them unless they are in
the actual car.
I
also found an article relating to how virtual driving technology is teaching
many drivers about distracted driving. This training has proved to be more
useful because students cannot fall asleep during this interactive activity.
With this program, they are to navigate through numerous interactions. The
point of this new technology is to get an old point across in a new, more
effective way.
Don’t
get me wrong, I do feel that virtual test driving can be beneficial under
certain scenarios. It can help one learn to understand the different
distractions that drivers are presented with on a regular basis. But it cannot
replace the actual feeling of being in a car and driving it.
"Textkills.com TextingKills.com Texting
Kills - The World Unites Against Texting While Driving." Textkills.com TextingKills.com Texting Kills. 15 Feb. 2011.
Web. 22 Feb. 2012. <http://www.textkills.com/?p=1887>.
"Toyota Yaris - Yaris Virtual Test
Drive." Toyota Cars,
Trucks, SUVs & Accessories. Web. 22 Feb. 2012. <http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/minisite/yaris/experience/>.
Great intro, it really draws the audience in. I think you made a strong effort to highlight both the positive and negative consequences of the technology, which is very important! You bring up a good point: although it would be exciting and fun to virtually 'test drive' a vehicle, nothing can truly replace the feel of being behind the wheel.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really interesting topic. When reading about the virtual test drive, it almost reminded me of online shopping for clothes. You can see what they look like, but how do you know if they really are a good fit? I think that this is a reflection of people's need to get things done quickly, and not having to leave the house. I enjoyed reading this.
ReplyDeleteI have seen the commercials for this and I feel the same way! How on earth could be possibly test drive a car on the internet. As helpful as the internet has been in radically changing our lives, there are just some things that people can't do. It is still necessary for people to leave their houses and be social once in awhile!
ReplyDelete