[sanddrag]

That's absolutely the stupidest thing I have ever heard of. I drive 80 miles every day and witness some of the worst drivers, every day. People already don't understand that driving is a privelage, not a right, and it is a skill, not an instinct. As if people aren't already bad enough drivers, here comes along a system making it easier for them to be lazy, stupid, and careless about driving. Cars are becoming seemingly too easy to drive and as a result we have a bunch of morons out on the road who don't know how to drive properly. A car that makes driving easier for people is taking the skill away from the person and replacing it with a computer.

I wish that we could just go back to having all manual shift transmissions, so only skilled people would be driving.

In Germany, driving is almost an art. Drivers are connected with their cars and are focused while driving. There are no frivilous features such as cupholders in German cars. Driving is about driving, not drinking coffee, reading the paper, or eating a Big Mac.

When I heard that California was going to put a ban on talking on the phone while driving, I was very upset because there are dozens of other things far more distracting than talking on the phone. Also, I thought it is my personal right to talk on my own phone while driving in my own vehicle. But after the s**t I see on the road every day, I now fully support any legislation that will prohibit the use of cell phones while driving. Americans get so easily destracted while driving. Just today there was an accident on the freeway because of the rain (and somebody not being focused). Then another driver slows down to look at the accident, and they crash. Heck, most cars have cruise control and a good alignment and you don't even have to use your feet or your hands for going straight anyhow. Driving has become too easy. The requirements for driver's ed and training are too low. Testing is not done often enough.

Something must be done.

Driving a 5000 lb potential deadly weapon has become easier than riding a skateboard.

EDIT: Just to sum up my opinion, don't make the car smarter, make the people more skillful. Fix the problem at the source. If people can't drive, a car that does it for them is not the solution. Even with a smart car, they still cannot drive.