Gear stick RIP.
According to reliable research, there is little to support my contention here, so let’s call it a little rant, or the musings of someone stuck in the past – either that or I am working toward being one of those splendid old bags with a misguided beef about something I can do nothing to alter.
My issue is with the fact that there is yet another skill on its way out of the human toolbox: driving. “Oh no!”, I hear all the boys shout, “But I am a splendid driver…as I sit in my automatic, electric car that thinks for me, stops me from weaving into the next lane, stops me from hitting the car in front, essentially drives itself”. Don’t get me wrong, I have no wish to be on the road with anyone who is weaving around, hitting pedestrians and inanimate objects, but is anyone really driving anymore?
Driving a manual car requires thought and a degree of motor-control, attention, and vigilance, especially when parking or tackling London streets. These skills are arguably diminished in an automatic EV. However, there is no hard evidence…yet.
A Dutch study (1) suggests that drivers of fully automated cars feel they are being more vigilant as they need to contribute less to the activity of driving, so can focus more on the road. I cannot logically contest this, but emotionally I can; studies into concentration levels amongst serving armed forces suggest that ennui and tiredness can create a perception of vigilance which is inversely proportional to the reality. As I say, I have nothing concrete to back this up, but taking all the effort out of something usually ends up with a creeping laziness and a wandering mind.
Anyone who has seen the film Wall-E will remember the lumpy humans, floating around on electric chair-thingies. We are all moving inexorably toward convenience at the expense of the essential spark that keeps our brains primed for action.
I know. I am a lone voice shouting in the wind, but I will be doing so in a car that feels like I am actually driving it and possibly going a bit too fast…
(1) Stapel et al 2019