this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2024
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I think you're right about that, and I also don't think car designers actually care anymore. I see all kinds of vehicles with huge C pillars - like that Camry you rented - and a lot of them have dented bumpers like they backed into something they couldn't see.
Car companies don't fix the designs, though. They just add more features like BLIS and proximity sensors that beep at you when you're too close to something. This helps, sure, but it also reinforces the idea that drivers don't need to actually look around them.
With our aging population, we'll have even more people who can't physically turn to see what's around them. And because these folks also have trouble getting into and out of cars of normal height, they buy CUVs which have even worse visibility.
I definitely agree that automakers are trying to replace "ability" with technology. I know that I very much rely on adaptive cruise control at this point (although, I was pleased to realize I can still maintain speed without it). And while I think that is mostly about safety, I also know I have swapped out my sunglasses or grabbed a beverage in ways I never would have fifteen years ago.
But also? A lot of the cabin stuff is about safety. When your driver's side window is at bumper height, you can't really rely on that glass to do much at all. So you need to make sure the frame can take an impact. Which means thicker metal, more airbags, etc. Which means thicker pillars and worse visibility.
Which gets back to the original point: Yeah... you kind of do need bigger (or tankier) cars to survive on the road these days.