What the hell happened to the windows?? Each passing car model year, the beltline gets higher, the roofline slopes more and the pillars become more gargantuan. What's the point? Let's get rid of them altogether! As it is, it's possible to lose a semi in the average car's blind spot. Try backing up a new SUV without the use of the backup camera. Don't believe me? Take the official car of Rutgers Athletics - look at the Accord over the years starting 1995. Each year, the windows get smaller. SUVs with those ridiculous windows aft of the C-pillars. Why bother? Can't see crap out of them. Children in the backseat - wanna know why they have their noses buried in electronics? Cause they can't see squat out the windows. The windows start above their heads!
OT: Car Design of the Future
- Thread starter RUSK97
- Start date
What the hell happened to the windows?? Each passing car model year, the beltline gets higher, the roofline slopes more and the pillars become more gargantuan. What's the point? Let's get rid of them altogether! As it is, it's possible to lose a semi in the average car's blind spot. Try backing up a new SUV without the use of the backup camera. Don't believe me? Take the official car of Rutgers Athletics - look at the Accord over the years starting 1995. Each year, the windows get smaller. SUVs with those ridiculous windows aft of the C-pillars. Why bother? Can't see crap out of them. Children in the backseat - wanna know why they have their noses buried in electronics? Cause they can't see squat out the windows. The windows start above their heads!
Part of it is shifting design language, but a fair bit more of it is engineering required to meet ever more stringent collision standards. Used to be a car that wound up on its roof would emerge from the incident more or less flattened. That's no longer permitted
I thought they were getting rid of all the windows and you would get projected images on the inside cabin walls, like a flight simulator.
You laugh but have you seen the cars with eyelashes and mustaches in the front? This cartoon is so politically incorrect also
Last edited:
Agree. The size of the typical pillars is getting absurd... Also, why did bumpers become ornamental trim pieces rather than functional low speed impact protection?
What the hell happened to the windows?? Each passing car model year, the beltline gets higher, the roofline slopes more and the pillars become more gargantuan. What's the point? Let's get rid of them altogether! As it is, it's possible to lose a semi in the average car's blind spot. Try backing up a new SUV without the use of the backup camera. Don't believe me? Take the official car of Rutgers Athletics - look at the Accord over the years starting 1995. Each year, the windows get smaller. SUVs with those ridiculous windows aft of the C-pillars. Why bother? Can't see crap out of them. Children in the backseat - wanna know why they have their noses buried in electronics? Cause they can't see squat out the windows. The windows start above their heads!
They didn't. Bumpers are subject to the same low-speed impact ("5 mph") requirements as always, per 49 CFR Part 581.
Ok. But they're made of hard plastic. A 5mph impact requires work done as i just found put after my wife slightly bumped her front bumper into the backed bumper of an Audi. Seems like a good place for an insert made of non marring rubber or equivalent material. That would allow an inexpensive simple repair.
Except that it would change the impact characteristics.
Cars aren't designed to resist damage, they're designed to minimize energy transmitted to the occupants. Tests have shown that while the current 5 mph bumpers will generally sustain cosmetic damage at those speeds, they serve to greatly minimize transferred energy at higher speeds (15 - 30 mph). Above 30 mph you start getting into crumple zone deformation.
One of the worst cases Toyota FJ - and those black "windows" are really sheets of very dark tinted glass over much much smaller actual window openings - in fact one review a few years ago referred to the back seat being so visibility-compromised that those in the rear might feel like they were riding in a prisoner transport vehicle.
If Tex Avery were alive and made that cartoon today he would be burned at the stake.
True, but taken in context with the generation it was conceived in, it's pretty hilarious. Calling out "women drivers" today would get a person run over by some women drivers.
I particularly like the glass bottom design so we can check to see if that person we've run over is a friend.
The part with the guy and the shy date is quite creepy. The look on the guy's face is quite disturbing.
Auto manufactures lobbied congress to remove the requirement for 5 mph bumbers is what happened.
One of the worst cases Toyota FJ - and those black "windows" are really sheets of very dark tinted glass over much much smaller actual window openings - in fact one review a few years ago referred to the back seat being so visibility-compromised that those in the rear might feel like they were riding in a prisoner transport vehicle.
I have one of these. The blind spots are horrendous. Yes those back windows look big but they are actually half the size. The rear tire also obstructs the back view. The back up camera is about 2x2 on the rear view mirror....worthless.
Why would you buy this? There has never been anything written about the FJ that was even remotely complimentary.
I’ve had several close calls with my ‘10 Sonata because of the pillars
What the hell happened to the windows?? Each passing car model year, the beltline gets higher, the roofline slopes more and the pillars become more gargantuan. What's the point? Let's get rid of them altogether! As it is, it's possible to lose a semi in the average car's blind spot. Try backing up a new SUV without the use of the backup camera. Don't believe me? Take the official car of Rutgers Athletics - look at the Accord over the years starting 1995. Each year, the windows get smaller. SUVs with those ridiculous windows aft of the C-pillars. Why bother? Can't see crap out of them. Children in the backseat - wanna know why they have their noses buried in electronics? Cause they can't see squat out the windows. The windows start above their heads!
Where's the image?
What the hell happened to the windows?? Each passing car model year, the beltline gets higher, the roofline slopes more and the pillars become more gargantuan. What's the point? Let's get rid of them altogether! As it is, it's possible to lose a semi in the average car's blind spot. Try backing up a new SUV without the use of the backup camera. Don't believe me? Take the official car of Rutgers Athletics - look at the Accord over the years starting 1995. Each year, the windows get smaller. SUVs with those ridiculous windows aft of the C-pillars. Why bother? Can't see crap out of them. Children in the backseat - wanna know why they have their noses buried in electronics? Cause they can't see squat out the windows. The windows start above their heads!
What the hell happened to the windows?? Each passing car model year, the beltline gets higher, the roofline slopes more and the pillars become more gargantuan. What's the point? Let's get rid of them altogether! As it is, it's possible to lose a semi in the average car's blind spot. Try backing up a new SUV without the use of the backup camera. Don't believe me? Take the official car of Rutgers Athletics - look at the Accord over the years starting 1995. Each year, the windows get smaller. SUVs with those ridiculous windows aft of the C-pillars. Why bother? Can't see crap out of them. Children in the backseat - wanna know why they have their noses buried in electronics? Cause they can't see squat out the windows. The windows start above their heads!
I've generally enjoyed my 2008 Civic Si over the past 10 years, but one thing I didn't fully evaluate was the less than optimal visibiility in front due to those friggin huge body to roof pillars. It makes it harder to see things off to the side in front of you. It's even worse in the back, as the even wider pillars (that looks like a design feature and not a safety feature, since I wouldn't think one would need them much wider than the front ones) cut down on rear visibility. Fortunately, I usually drive fast enough that I don't have to worry about people behind me, lol, except when in heavy traffic, which is pretty often in NJ.
Might be true, but a fried of mine in California has one and claims it has increased in value since 2013. This is one of those vehicles with a crazy following that drives used prices absurdly high (they stopped selling them in the US in 2014). Personally I don't get it.
People pay ridiculous money for original VW vans, too. That doesn't mean they don't suck.
OP (yours truly) is a moron who can’t figure out how to post a picture. It was a pic of a Russian nuclear sub. The inside of which probably offers nearly as good visability as many of today’s cars.
Perfectly illustrates my point. The FJ Cruiser’s spiritual ancestor was the FJ40 which offered a ton more visibility.
It's an off road vehicle. Just like a wrangler they're meant for more than malls. Not every car us trying to be a civic or a crv despite what many on this board believe.
Sorry, still don’t get it. Even with a spotter, you need pretty good visibility for serious off roading. Also if you’re offroading, there might be the suggestion that you like the outdoors. It’d be nice to be able to see the outdoors while you’re driving around in it.
I'll speak slowly for you.... what I don't get is spending more for a used 2013 vehicle in 2018. I'm sure it serves a niche market but it's just not that special. Oh and I have 3 four wheel drive vehicles including a 1990 Wrangler. See ya at the mall.
Number 1 don't be a dickhead... number 2 it is a niche market and as supply declines those that want that or a wrangler for off roading the prices hold. I don't know about it being worth more than when purchased but I can tell you here in So cal both models are highly sought after. And no you won't see me at the mall
The manufacturers decided to color-code bumpers, and so no rubber. A body shop operator once pointed out to me that the bumpers do not exactly match the body.
Nothing is stopping them from crafting a dovetail or similar grove to receive a thin maybe 1in wide by 1/2 in thick rubber insert. It would really just need to be positioned at the outermost tip of bumper to serve its purpose.
Are you listening to yourself? You make no sense. Let’s see. You are a decision maker at auto company X. What would you prefer for design: an easily replaceable non-marring bumper insert...so easy to install your average DIY-er can replace it in 20 minutes...retail through your dealership parts store for $150 each bumper. OR...a one piece bumper cover that is installed using specialized clips and tools that only a dealership would carry...and the dealer would charge $1800 per bumper plus $250 installation? What’s your decision?
Neither one of you are making any sense. What's the point of this "insert"? At any collision speed sufficient to damage the front clip, sans "insert", the front clip is going to get damaged even with this "insert".
It's strait-up dumbassery.
Nah. Just talking about slight contact... which can easily cause $500 worth of damage.
