It turns out that the “Internet of Things” is full of automated snoops and spies. Data collection, now integrated into new car designs, is more pervasive than ever and is ushering in a brave new world of surveillance and corporate collusion.
It turns out that the “Internet of Things” is full of automated snoops and spies. Data collection, now integrated into new car designs, is more pervasive than ever and is ushering in a brave new world of surveillance and corporate collusion.
My next car will probably be a 1986 Ford Bronco with an EV conversion and zero network connectivity. Just a hunk of 4x4 steel with a ton (literally) of batteries under the hood.
Well an EV conversion would be the only way to get one of those out of its own way. There’s a reason OJ’s bronco chase was so slow… My ex insisted we get a mid 80’s bronco, and it was so bad. I think it averaged about 6mpg and good god it was laughably anemic. If it was me, I would look for a early 70’s or late 70’s bronco. Totally different styles for each, but still better than the mid 80’s anything.
I think OJ single handedly killed the Bronco as a car anyone with self-respect would own.
The image of that white Bronco rolling down the highway in the slow lane with a long procession of cop cars behind in second gear was one of the most iconic images of the 90s. You couldn’t have picked a worse getaway car.
Funny they discontinued the Bronco after the associated bad press only to call it’s replacement the Escape!
I guess they decided to lean into it.
My friend rolled one in highschool by taking a turn too hard
The 2-4000lbs that would make up the new floor would def change the handling.
fair point
Sure! We can insure that for you! Oh we just noticed that our InsureLink service isn’t connecting to your car. So I’ll just need you to sign this waiver saying that you’re declining the InsureLink Safety discount. Just sign right here. It’s just saying that we cannot offer you all of our insurance services, just like if you get in an accident or something and we can’t remotely verify what you were doing at the time, we can’t help you. Great! And without the Safety discount your premiums will go up by only 372.50 a month.
Dragging around a Ton of extra weight for no reason kinda defeats the purpose of going electric. Actually, dragging around the extra ton in the Broncos body kinda defeats the purpose of going electric too.
Just catch a bus!
for to drive
“Real drivers” prefer lightweight cars that are more responsive and can corner, take off and stop on a dime.
Track racing, off-road racing and even Motorkhana and technical rock-crawling is more fun in a vehicle that is the bare minimum.
The only reason any driver would want something with superfluous extra weight is in Monster Trucks for stability, and then only if they are a shit driver.
Even Tractor pulls (where the object is to pull a heavy weight) need the right balance of power:weight and ballast to have sufficient traction to offset the dead weight of the load.
Have you considered the International Harvester Scout?
The mid-80’s Bronco is just for sentimentality. It was a piece of shit but given that little of the original’s powertrain survives the conversion, I don’t mind. My second option is a Range Rover from the same era. There I would also replace the electronics.
What about the Unimog? That’s a bog hopper mobile.