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Random topic: Infrared image of my Jeep
Had to take my Audi in for servicing yesterday. They tossed me the keys to a new, technology packed, A7 as a loaner. Man oh man, I love those Germans... This one had a night vision camera on it, lane assist (steers you back into your lane), heads up display, adaptive cruise control, google earth maps, a fun supercharger that got you to 100mph (er, I meant 60mph) real quick. If it weren't for the program not allowing it, this thing could have driven me home...
Anyway, when I got home, I couldn't help but direct the night vision camera at my Jeep (based on infrared heat signature.) Made for a fun photo...
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You can see the heads up display in this one (probably just comes across as two white smudges where you see the door sill of the rear door of the Jeep. You can almost make out that it says "0 Mph".
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And here it is with the front color camera on as well. This A7 has 7 cameras on it. Front, front right, front left, back, back left, back right, plus the FLIR night vision camera. I took a look at adding FLIR to my Jeep, but the stupid cameras cost $2500!!!
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Oooh, I forgot to add. It also had automatic engine shutoff. Wow, talk about some crazy technology. So I came up to a stop sign and stopped, blinker on, nothing abnormal. Came up to a stop light, it just turned green but I was a ways back so I still had to sit there for maybe 10 seconds before traffic started moving, nothing abnormal. Came up to the next stop light, light JUST turned red, so I was first in line, and... the engine shuts off... Hmmm... I'm wanting to race someone next to me, not sure how long it will take the engine to start when I take my foot off the brake. Light turn greens, I take my foot off the brake and before I can put my foot on the gas, not only did the engine start, but somehow the car actually lurched forward a bit (I'm assuming starter motor did that) and I take off.
So, next light, curious to see what happens, I roll up, light is red, I'm probably two cars back. Car just stops and light turns green, there will be a long enough pause in waiting for the cars ahead for the engine to have turned off as previous, but this time, it didn't turn off. How much you wanna bet those little Germans are using the cameras to detect the stop light signals to determine when to shut off the engine.
Anyway, all very cool technology, cool to think that this type of technology will make it's way to all cars some day. And yet... After driving around in the A7, I couldn't wait to hop back into my "low tech" Jeep with 6spd manual. Much more entertaining to drive a miss-behaved vehicle that has some character to it.
