DRIVEN: Infiniti Q50 – a first taste of ‘steer-by-wire’

infiniti-q50-hybrid 003

Contesting in the compact executive segment is like trying to academically stay afloat at the prestigious Heidelberg or Munich Technical universities. Ja, this is very much Germania’s institution. With some of her brightest, most sophisticated, athletic and experienced children on the roll, the school floors are littered with the bones of many an a-Ford-able X-Type and more-desirable-than-reliable 15-series Alfas.

But today we have a new student of Japanese origin joining us (strangely enough, she speaks American English better than she does Japanese). Thrilled to have another overseas pupil in the class, IS and S60 flash her their most welcoming smiles. C-Class and A4, unfazed, barely look up from their books. 3 Series is absent (he rarely attends lectures, but aces all the exams every year anyway).

They don’t come even remotely close to realising it, but the ‘new girl’ is in fact a returning student. Thanks to a thorough makeover by stylist Shiro Nakamura and a newly-acquired degree in advanced steering systems, none of her classmates recognised her as the quiet, plain Jane they knew as G Sedan. But how many hearts would her new-found beauty and brains win her this semester?

Amusing image, isn’t it? But lest I end up writing the entire screenplay for the next instalment of Pixar’s Cars, I’d better stop here and get down to business. As you would know from our 2013 Top Five cars list, some time back, I enjoyed a short taster of the Infiniti Q50 – along with its world-production-first ‘steer-by-wire‘ system – at the Nissan 360 event in California.

infiniti-q50-driven-8

Be honest – if I didn’t tell you it carried forward the G Sedan’s FM (front-midship) platform, along with its double wishbone-front and multi-link rear suspension, would you really have guessed? After all, the Q50’s appearance is clearly galaxies away from that of its frumpy and frankly prosaic-looking predecessor, being a well-proportioned blend of all the desirable classic physical qualities of man and woman.

Let me explain. The long, sculpted and projectile-shaped nose, hawk-eye LED headlamps, big twin tailpipes, wide mesh front grille, 245/40 R19 alloys and the S variant’s glowering front bumper convey aggression, dynamism, dominance and power. Taming and softening it all are discreet chrome detailing, dainty surfaces, the almost-organic crescent-cut C-pillar and the way the roof glides down to meet the rising rear hips before sweeping up in a curved lip at the boot lid. It’s a very sensual design indeed.

I’m not sure if the same can be said of its interior. Everything seems to be locked in portrait orientation, particularly on the centre stack, where vertical air vents and a plethora of climate control buttons stacked on top of each other frame two seven- and eight-inch screens on a pretty upright cliff face. The spokes of the steering wheel are equally button-infested; goodness gracious, there’re more buttons in here than you’d find in a haberdashery.

There is a clear enough impression of luxury – albeit a slightly old-fashioned one – exuded by the maple wood and aluminium trim, stitching and bright-coloured leather. Switchgear materials are of notable quality, particularly the metal-and-leather gear knob, knurled InTouch infotainment control knob and Drive Mode Selector. Still a rather pleasant place to be in, and a big improvement over the G Sedan’s cabin.

Quite a big car, this. Length, width, height and wheelbase are 4,783, 1,824, 1,443 and 2,850, making it 33 mm longer horizontally, 51 mm wider and 10 mm shorter vertically than the G Sedan. The class-leading wheelbase is retained to a tee, beating even that of the new standard-wheelbase W205 Mercedes C-Class by 10 mm and pretty much eclipsing all the others in the compact exec playground.

And that’s not all. While everybody else in the class holds about 480 litres in the boot, the Infiniti Q50 can stomach 500 litres (G Sedan 382 litres) – although the hybrid can only take 400 litres due to the 346-volt lithium-ion battery under the boot floor. Generally, where space is concerned, you won’t be left wanting – unsurprising really, when you consider the fact that Infiniti’s been in the States for so long it’s pretty much become a naturalised American citizen.

3.7 litre V6 (left) and 3.5 litre V6 hybrid

But now that it’s added Europe, China and Japan to its portfolio, it has had to tone down its voracious appetite by introducing two small, fewer-cylindered, direct-injected and force-inducted motors borrowed from Daimler. A 2.2 litre four-cylinder turbodiesel goes to Europe while a 2.0 litre four-cylinder petrol turbo will be offered in Japan (Skyline 200 GT-t), China, and before the year ends, in Malaysia.

Unfortunately the Merc engines weren’t yet available at the time. I only got to try, very briefly, the 3.7 litre V6 petrol and 3.5 litre V6 petrol-hybrid powertrains in the Q50 S 3.7, Q50 Hybrid and Q50 S Hybrid – all RWD (AWD variants are also available). First things first: we’re not going to get the big 3.7. We should be getting the hybrid, although since it almost certainly won’t be locally-assembled, it’s going to ask a whole lot for you to take it home.

Of course, these powerplants aren’t new. The hybrid powertrain is the Q70 Hybrid/M35h’s, and the 3.7 litre VQ-series V6 has been an Infiniti staple for nearly half a decade. But that doesn’t matter – what you really want to know is whether that steering system feels like it’s been made by Logitech, right?

direct-adaptive-steering

Ten years in the making, Infiniti’s Direct Adaptive Steering system does without any mechanical connections between the wheel in your hand and the wheels on the tarmac, relying instead on electronic signals to transmit steering inputs. Infiniti asserts that the system transmits the driver’s intentions to the wheels faster than a mechanical setup, and only gives the driver feedback that he or she needs (road surface and grip conditions in, excessive vibrations out). Big claims.

A lane-keeping function is also incorporated – using a camera mounted above the rear-view mirror, the system ‘sees’ the road markings ahead and subtly steers the car to keep it within its lane, while making equally discreet corrections for crosswinds or surface undulations that could throw the car off its intended course. Three ECUs constantly check the overall operating condition, and a back-up clutch can provide conventional physical connection if absolutely necessary.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I only had one day at the event. Having finished driving and photographing the L33 Nissan Teana, I was running out of time, but I couldn’t go without giving this a go. Excitedly, I stepped aboard the Infiniti Q50 Hybrid on the ‘World Course’ – the same makeshift, cone-marked circuit I drove the Teana on.

Infiniti Q50 Hybrid

Initial impressions were good. The car pulled away with a spring in its step, whirring softly in EV mode. Give it more throttle and the 3.5 litre V6 seamlessly chimes in with its 302 hp and 350 Nm of torque, to join the electric motor’s 67 hp and 270 Nm of twist. Delivery is relatively linear, and when you make pedal meet metal, you are rewarded with a near-instant purposeful surge, with a sweet soundtrack to match.

Then came a corner, and I’d nearly forgotten about the car’s pièce de résistance since it all felt so normal up to that point. I turned in at moderate speed and was pleasantly surprised by the quickness of response, the low ratio and the adequate weight. While feel and feedback could not be accurately evaluated (an airfield is about as flat a surface as you can get), nor vehicle ride comfort for the same reason, I can safely substantiate the steering system’s claims of speed and response.

The Drive Mode Selector offers Snow, Eco, Standard, Sport and Personal modes which influence the behaviours of the engine, gearbox, throttle, steering and Active Trace Control. I didn’t get to properly try this out, but in Personal mode, which obviously allows custom settings, you can tweak two aspects of the steering: weight (Heavy/Standard/Light) and response (Quick/Standard/Casual). You even have three Eco pedal reaction force settings (Off/Soft/Standard). Pretty impressive.

Done with the hybrid, I moved over to the even shorter ‘Performance Course’, where the S variants – the Q50 S 3.7 and Q50 S Hybrid – were waiting. Going the S (Sport) route gives you a more aggressive-looking front bumper, sports-tuned suspension and brakes (four-pot callipers fore, two-pot callipers aft), shift paddles, aluminium foot pedals and front sports seats with thigh extensions.

I didn’t realise how the hybrid’s mountain of immediately-available torque had me spoilt until I drove the Q50 S 3.7. By any means, 328 hp and 365 Nm of torque are not to be scoffed at, but they’re only to be found at 7,000 and 5,200 rpm respectively. As such, the spread of power is most linear here, and you don’t have to be as precise with the loud pedal as you do in the hybrid – just mash it!

The familiar seven-speed auto with Adaptive Shift Control and Downshift Rev Matching (used on all automatic Q50s regardless of engine) rows through its ratios cleanly even when hurried, and kicks down eagerly enough. The shift paddles don’t turn with the steering wheel and so are made tall, but they look good and feel good to operate, being hewn out of solid magnesium and having a relatively short click travel.

infiniti-q50-driven-39

With a wide, sweeping semi-circle approaching, I engaged Sport on the Drive Mode Selector, gingerly tucked the long nose in and gave it the beans. With Active Trace Control’s involvement reduced, the tail was more prone to stepping out, but the reining in was done gradually, precisely and instinctively – all via electronic signals. Took me a while to ‘brain’ that; clearly a lot longer than the system took to assess the situation!

By the time I got into the Q50 S Hybrid, I was convinced of the new Infiniti’s sporting nature. It’s not so much the power (although there’s plenty of it), but rather the delicacy and poise with which it carries itself through bends. A rapid slalom revealed a commendable ability to yaw and stay pretty much flat, thanks to a balanced, unyielding chassis.

You know what? This is a car that’s really not bad at all to drive. At least on an airfield – I will say that much. The real world with its potholes, manhole covers, sudden dips, thin-and-tall speed humps and uneven cambers beckons, and is almost certainly a completely different story which, hopefully, will be coming your way very soon indeed.

Having acquitted herself well in the Driving Dynamics and Space lesson, Q50 packs up her books and gets up to leave. 3 Series enters the classroom at that very moment. She pushes her LED spectacles further up her nose, tucks a lock of hair behind her wing mirror and smiles wryly at him as she saunters past. He shoots back a suspicious and incredulous glare. Now where have I seen that chick before…

Infiniti Q50 Hybrid

Infiniti Q50 S 3.7 and Q50 S Hybrid

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Jonathan James Tan

While most dream of the future, Jonathan Tan dreams of the past, although he's never been there. Fantasises much too often about cruising down Treacher Road (Jalan Sultan Ismail) in a Triumph Stag that actually works, and hopes this stint here will snap him back to present reality.

 

Comments

  • kardashian on Jun 15, 2014 at 11:38 pm

    lovely review! I love the whole concept of the story .. very enticing and intriguing.. here’s to wishing more story-like reviews in the future.. *cheers

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 29 Thumb down 9
    • Jack Maverick on Jun 16, 2014 at 1:34 am

      I agree. Don’t like the car because I think it’s ugly, but the writing is great! Kudos!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 7
      • Same L0r on Jun 16, 2014 at 1:30 pm

        Bravo! Again sushi car shines!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
      • Obviously (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 8:36 pm

        To each their own!

        I like the look of restrained aggression that it sports.

        However, I shall join the applause brigade praising the write-up for this review but it’s good that you know when not to get carried away, Jonathan. ;)

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Painter on Jun 15, 2014 at 11:44 pm

    Can you trust wire over mechanical linkage?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 10
    • Jack Maverick on Jun 16, 2014 at 1:30 am

      If set up properly, the system is all-around better to a hydraulic system in almost every way. Lighter, smaller, no maintenance, virtually infinitely adjustable, safer (lane departure and assists), cheaper, more reliable (no missed top-ups or using cheap oil), more power efficient (doesn’t sap engine power), and potentially easier to implement for 4-wheel steering.

      Even if it does have a few flaws, it still overall better than a hydraulic system.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 1
      • What if I keep the car for 20 years and the system suddenly F-Up…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 4
        • Jack Maverick on Jun 16, 2014 at 1:31 pm

          Well, I’ve been having my remote control car for almost 17 years, the electronic steering system hasn’t F’ed-up yet.. :D

          But like I said la, a 20yo hydraulic system also poses the same threat, possibly more, than an electronic one.

          Also, technically speaking, if an electronic system hasn’t failed in 20 years, then there is virtually no reason for it to fail, unless maybe the mechanical actuators are worn or ECU kena water.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
          • kadajawi (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 9:59 pm

            The difference with a hydraulic system, or any other system in the past, is that when the system failed, you still had steering. Just not assisted anymore. I’m not so worried if the steering doesn’t work when I start the car and I can’t drive it as a result. I’m worried that I’m driving and the electronic system fails/locks up/crashes or has any other sort of bug (or is even hacked).

            However on the graphics it looks like there IS a direct linkage between the steering wheel and the wheels. It’s just that that is usually overridden. I’m fine with that.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Obviously (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 5:17 am

      Every time you step into an aircraft, you’re trusting wires over mechanical linkage. Can you brain that?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 26 Thumb down 1
      • Yellow on Jun 16, 2014 at 2:05 pm

        that’s a different story.. because we all know that the pilot will do the flight-check every single time before they take off… will you do the drive-check every time you start your car.. i don’t think so..

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 0
        • Obviously (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 7:46 pm

          Ok, if you believe you need to do a pre-drive check every time, have you ever checked your ethrottle? All modern engines are using an ethrottle (drive-by-wire). The system should be robust enough to be trusted by the driver and unlike a mechanical system, an electronic system should be able to show an error code and give the driver a warning in the event of a failure.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
          • kadajawi (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 10:16 pm

            Given that cars can be easily hacked these days, taking over control over it, I’d like to keep some backup.

            There was the case of a hacked Prius (for example) where the person who hacked it could do pretty much _everything_ to screw with the driver.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
          • Obviously (Member) on Jun 17, 2014 at 1:13 am

            Were you talking about this?
            http://www.infoworld.com/t/hacking/video-watch-what-happens-when-prius-gets-hacked-224270

            I don’t think having a mechanical connection to the wheels would have helped much. The scenario is quite disturbing, though.

            But with the amount of work they had to do to find the ECU’s and connect to them, I don’t think you can say that it is easily hacked. But I have heard of cars that allow service computers to connect wirelessly to the diagnostic system and that is not very far away. And now with the global trend towards EV’s and self-driving cars, who knows what will be in store in the future.

            It looks like it really depends on how digital the car is. The Prius is very digital, no doubt about that. Did not even know that it has an eBrake. I guess car companies would soon have to think of encrypting their ECU’s in order to prevent this sort of thing happening. Might be big bucks for autosecurity companies in the future…haha.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Rokuth on Jun 20, 2014 at 5:46 pm

        The latest airliners are even doing away with wires and are going to fibre-optics. It not only saves wieght but it offers a much larger and faster transmission of data.
        Oh, and by the way, if any of the naysayers had actually read the article, they would have noted that there is an actual mechanical linkage that is clutched for the steering. If you also look at the picture of the steering system you will see a linkage going from the steering wheel to the front wheels.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • droll on Jun 16, 2014 at 12:53 am

    i still find it hard to believe an electronic system can react faster than a physical one. wouldn’t the electronic system add electronics response time into the overhead? i mean an electronic system would still have a physical system in place to deliver the final input into the wheels after taking into account the driver’s intention. a pure physical setup would respond quicker, no (unless the physical setup was flawed in the first place)?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
    • Obviously (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 5:28 am

      Physical setups would depend on the rigidity of the material involved in the steering mechanism and the ratio of the gears used in the (now common) rack-and-pinion gears for response. In an electronic controller, the whole steering column and rack-and-pinion system for delivering driver intention to the wheels are replaced by sensors that can be mighty sensitive. The system also would not have to deal with the stresses of making the wheels turn so they have the potential to last longer. Ever heard of a cracked steering column?

      And if you’ve played racing games before, you can sort of see the immediateness of the response such systems can potentially give, bar the quality of the feedback. Electric signals travel mighty fast.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
      • droll on Jun 16, 2014 at 10:06 am

        ah! thanks for the explanation. I actually thought about stresses in material but I would expect the time it takes for the material to stress and flex would not be significant enough for a driver to feel it. guess I am wrong (maybe due to gearing ratio, the “lag” gets magnified).

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
        • Obviously (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 8:09 pm

          No problem. :)

          But for normal people who don’t race cars (presumably, like you and I), we probably wouldn’t notice the difference anyway, so the normal systems we see today are good enough.

          The biggest advantage I see for this system is the adjustable steering feel and response.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • noname on Jun 16, 2014 at 1:08 am

    We’ve been flying-by-wire for so long, and millions are still comfortable with boarding planes. Give it some time, steer-by-wire might be the future in automobile.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
  • Marieta on Jun 16, 2014 at 6:57 am

    What if the steering system failed..what’s the fail safe ?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 8
    • Jack Maverick on Jun 16, 2014 at 9:53 am

      Admittedly, that’s the main distrust towards anything electronic. I agree that there must be a fail-safe or at least some form of protection in the however unlikely event of a system failure.

      A backup ECU, crawl-home mode, or maybe some other form of redundancy would be nice. That said, in a hydraulic setup, if there was a failure, for instance oil leak, you’d still be able to turn the steering, it’d be very difficult, but still operational. However, if the rack or steering box gets jammed, it would be a catastrophic failure and you’d lose steering completely, with nothing to help you regain control.

      Considering the two and looking at the overall big picture, personally I think the electronic system would be safer because it’s simpler with less moving parts and oil, but it depends really.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • TooSmart on Jun 16, 2014 at 1:21 pm

      There is still mechanical backup system. In fact, the steering remains mechanical until you start it up. There is a clutch in the steering column that provides full mechanical linkage between steering and the wheels. When the car is switch off, or when there is a electrical/electronic failure, the clutch will be closed. During normal driving, it will be opened.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • Jack Maverick on Jun 16, 2014 at 3:14 pm

        I was wondering what the clutch is for. Thanks man, cheers!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Obviously (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 7:54 pm

      Besides the aforementioned backup clutch, the system has a redundancy safety net of 3 ECU’s. I think just 1 can do the job but having redundant systems in case 1 fails is normal for critical systems such as steering.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Rokuth on Jun 20, 2014 at 5:54 pm

      There is an actual clutched steering linkage for back up… in case the ecu and the electrical system goes kaput… as stated in the article. Take a closer look at the cutaway picture of the steering system and you will also see the mechanical linkage. Besides, how is the mechanic going to push the car into the garage without being able to steer it…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • gaviny on Jun 16, 2014 at 8:06 am

    i’m looking much forward to this car, xpecting to book sometime next year, just choosing between the 2.0 and 3.5 hybrid.

    Rumors say the 2.0 will be the 3 series contender here making that approximately 280k but fully CBU car instead of the CKD nonsense we get and stripped out also. the 3.5 hybrid if that tops 310k, hard to argue against 300 horses, hyrbid FC and more filled out with accessories

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • sudonano (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 8:20 am

    Nice way of reviewing it. Where is part two? LOL.

    But can the Infiniti beat the new W205 C Class and F30?? The A4 is not doing that well compared to the Mercedes and BMW.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
    • W204 C63 AMG on Jun 16, 2014 at 12:55 pm

      Part of the reason BMW is able to move the F30 in huge volume is due to legacy image, just like how Toyota is able to sell so many cars. BMW sells the Ultimate Driving Machine image, whereas Toyota sells the reliability image. Today a Kia doesn’t necessarily drives worse than a Toyota, and the same with BMW, an Audi doesn’t necessarily drives worse than a BMW. Lexus has already proven that they have a very good chassis with the latest IS, the only thing that bog down the IS is the pathetic 2.5 V6, but that’s about to change when they launch the IS200t.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • tokong on Jun 16, 2014 at 9:28 am

    To me, this is a marketing strategy. If one day the computer has firmware issue or the resolver of the servo motor that drive the steering have error, you will go no where from this car at 100kph. Cause you are connected to your wheel via wire, not mechanical shaft as backup.

    Mechanical and cam is still a very good solution. It works for centuries and will give you symptom in the case they wear out.

    Undoubtedly, you can do lots of things with the motor controlling the wheel direction, you can even auto drive them using google software, not to mention respond or feeling of the ground. But we are gonna go into a era where computer takes over the control.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
    • Rokuth on Jun 20, 2014 at 5:58 pm

      There is an actual clutched steering linkage for back up as stated in the article. Take a closer look at the cutaway picture of the steering system and you will also see the mechanical linkage.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • the driver on Jun 16, 2014 at 9:29 am

    This is not the future, just like hybrids are not the future (carrying an extra engine to extend the range). This is old technology but in a new suit – you detach the steering from any mechanical linkage and later you have to engineer the ‘feel’ into it, to provide feedback. If you like riding in buses, MPVs, vans, perhaps you will like driving it but not most of us. Planes are different – we have drivers (pilots).

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • DBW and SBW is stupid…Its dangerous if I plan to keep the car for 10/20+ years.

    Most Malaysians keep their cars for 10-15 years…Unlike people from other countries who changes their cars every 3-5 years

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 6
    • mizuru on Jun 16, 2014 at 3:44 pm

      you do realize dbw and sdw can still operate if they somehow manage to fail.and not to mention the integration with other electronic safety feature (such as vsa )would offer superior safety assurance compared to its counterpart.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Obviously (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 8:19 pm

      There’s a big chance that your current car is a drive-by-wire car (ethrottle). Every Proton car with a CamPro engine is throttle-by-wire and other marques have moved into throttle-by-wire much earlier.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Look like Nissan Teana, but the prices is a lot different.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • beemer on Jun 16, 2014 at 5:29 pm

    Please do correct me if i am wrong… but isnt the steer by wire tech is already used in the E60 5 series’ named as adaptive steering?? Is this an improved version or are they totally different concepts???

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • beemer on Jun 16, 2014 at 5:29 pm

    Please do correct me if i am wrong… but isnt the steer by wire tech is already used in the E60 5 series’ named as adaptive steering?? Is this an improved version or are they totally different concepts???

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
    • Obviously (Member) on Jun 16, 2014 at 8:29 pm

      Adaptive steering is usually the name given to a steering system that adjusts the steering ratio according to your current speed. It still has mechanical linkage but it is able to change how much you need to turn your steering to turn your wheels a certain angle according to speed. The faster you go, the more you have to turn the steering to make, say a 15 degree deviation from a straight line. This is for the sake of control at high speeds. At parking lot speeds, it doesn’t take much of a steering wheel turn angle to turn the same 15 degrees. This is to make parking easier.

      Found this after I typed to make sure I know what I’m talking about and as evidence:
      http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/technology/technology_guide/articles/mm_active_steering.html

      Most luxury marques have a version of this and Ford is going to introduce it into their future cars as well.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Autoengineer on Jun 16, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    This is already the 21st century and yet there are readers here who are so ignorant that they DO NOT know that:

    1. Their brains controls their muscles by electrical impulses which in turn moves the skeletal structures to get things done. (A.K.A “Drive by wire”… stupid)
    2. Electricity/electrons flows at speed of light; no mechanical system in the world can beat an electronic system!

    Go figure!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 2
    • Jack Maverick on Jun 17, 2014 at 10:47 pm

      I understand the point your trying to convey, but your delivery is crude and your insulting presumptions of the readers intelligence is revolting. Instead of belittlement, maybe some tolerance, positive attitude and finesse would suit better.

      Or you could just get your head out of your ass, may work.

      Finally, as an engineer, I can’t agree with your statement that ‘no mechanical system in the world can beat an electronic system’. That sir, is bullshit. Maybe learn a bit on mechanics, hydraulics and thermodynamics before making half-assed statements like that.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 4
 

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