In Tech We Trust? – Cameras, Wires replace Windows, Shafts
By Edward A. Sanchez — April 18, 2023
Humans have an innate tendency to trust those things they can tangibly hold and conceptually understand, and can be distrustful of concepts and technologies that are more intricate and nuanced. Although statistically, purely mechanical solutions aren’t always the most maintenance-free, they’re often utilized because of familiarity and comfort with the way they operate. But the old, analog models in the automotive industry are giving way to electronic solutions, for a variety of reasons.
Lexus is about to introduce the first fully steer-by-wire (without a mechanical fallback) system to the U.S. market with the introduction of the RZ 450e EV crossover. Although there is no direct mechanical connection from the steering yoke to the rack and pinion, there are two levels of redundancy in the event of a failure of the main system. I would expect nothing less from Toyota, which has built a legendary reputation over the decades for trustworthiness and reliability.
Just this week, Polestar showed its Polestar 4 fastback sedan in China. The vehicle is noteworthy in that it has no glass rear window, just a solid opaque panel. Rear visibility is accomplished exclusively through a rearview camera that projects to an interior rearview mirror. We shouldn’t be shocked at this development, as camera sideview mirrors have been out for several years in markets outside the U.S., so it was probably just a matter of time. For that matter, any of us who have driven a U-Haul truck have learned to live without rear visibility (although it should be noted that many of the newer rental trucks have a rearview camera system).
The Polestar 4 is being teased with rear visibility accessible only via cameras. Is this a step too far, or simply progress we’ll look back on as normal in the not too distant future? (Photo courtesy Polestar)
As a decades-long gearhead, but also a technology enthusiast, I have mixed feelings about these developments. Certainly, freeing designers and engineers of the traditional constraints inherent in mechanical systems allows them more freedom and creativity in packaging and design. Yet this will probably mean a future of replacement rather than modification or customization for enthusiasts. Or, that customization will come in the form of software code to change the input/output parameters of the given system.
The Lexus RZ 450e is set to become America’s first road-going vehicle with a steer-by-wire setup not equipped with a mechanical fail-safe. (Image courtesy Lexus)
An analogy I’ve used many times is that technology is a double-edged sword. It is neither good nor bad. Its constructive or destructive power is leveraged by the user and their intent. That’s not to say there aren’t unintended consequences, as many are now warning we’re about to witness with the advent of large-scale utilization and deployment of artificial intelligence.
There’s a very good chance that in the vast majority of cases – like with Lexus’ yoke and Polestar’s rearview camera – items will operate safely and reliably for decades. But there will inevitably be isolated incidents where the system malfunctions, or user error which causes an accident, and fingers will be pointed to the system. Not to make a casual analogy, but misunderstandings and abuse of Tesla’s FSD and Autopilot systems have been implicated, rightly or wrongly, in dozens of accidents, some fatal. Even in cases where the cause was ultimately linked to human error, the bogeyman of inscrutable technology often stole the headlines.
I remember when drive-by-wire throttle first came on to the market in the late 1980s. I believe the BMW 750iL was the first car to bring the technology to market. At the time it seemed exotic, mysterious, and even raised alarm in some circles. Now, nearly 40 years later, nearly every car on the market has drive-by-wire throttle. The day may come when reflective glass rearview mirrors and mechanical steering systems may seem amusingly quaint. And indeed, for many customers that spend a good part of their waking hours scrolling through their social media feed or posting on TikTok, these nuances may be lost on them altogether. But for those of us who make nerdy hobby of following and observing automotive industry developments, this is an interesting chapter.
(Main image courtesy Polestar)
