Matt wrote a Morning Dump that contained a story about Polestar adding Google Gemini AI to its cars. Do you want to have an AI chat in your car while driving? DialMforMiata returns to COTD for a second night in a row:
“With a simple prompt: “Hey Google, let’s talk”, users can activate the new feature, which enables them to brainstorm aloud, ask follow-up questions, and access new learning opportunities on the go. Gemini will replace the current Google Assistant in all Polestar cars.”
Huh. And here I am, just paying attention to the road like an idiot when I could be “accessing new learning opportunities”.
Andy Individual:
Me: Google, where’s my rear window?
Polestar: This vehicle is not equipped with one.
Me: But I want a rear window.
Polestar: It has been determined that you don’t need one.
Me: Please put in a rear window.
Polestar: I’m sorry Dave, I can’t do that.
David wrote an extremely nerdy analysis on why the Recon is going to be good off-road. The problem is, our readers are not sure if the rest of it adds up. Nsane In The MembraNe delivered a passionate rant:
I appreciate the deep dives David! I’m not an off-roader by any stretch of the imagination but your knowledge and engineering know-how always make for a neat read.
…with that out of the way, this thing is DOA and that’s putting it politely. The range sucks mondo ass, the price is absolutely hilarious, and the market for something like this in the US literally doesn’t exist. I’m honestly shocked that they didn’t cancel it a while ago.
The Rivian R2 is almost here and it’s going to start at $20,000 less than this and offer 300 miles of range. The Scouts will be here soon enough and offer a range extender. They will also undercut this. If you don’t want an EV but do want an off-roader this is closing in on Bronco Raptor territory price wise.
Who is this for? Who is going to pay $65,000 for a Stellantis EV with 250 or less miles of range? These things will be bricked on buy here pay here lots by the time the initial leases are up. It’s just a profoundly unserious product, and not in a good way…
Finally, Thomas wrote about the Overfinch Holland & Holland Range Rover, and Rad Barchetta found a way to unite everyone:
Poor: Old Milwalkee, a stolen Glock, and a 2003 Escalade.
Rich: 30 year old scotch, bespoke hunting rifle, and a Holland & Holland Range Rover.
See? Booze, guns, and SUVs. We’re really not so different after all. World peace achieved.
Have a great evening, everyone!
Top graphic image: Polestar
“Accessing learning opportunities”, presumably regarding content, products, and services relevant to your interests.
The point of self-driving is to turn your commute into twice-a-day captive audience time in a padded cage with a big tablet to interact with, and it’s disgusting.
Auto makers really just need to stay in their lane and build vehicles that move people/things around. Leave the disposable tech to someone else.
My ’06 silverado has plenty of AI in it, when I stick my phone on the dash with the little suction cup mount.
I don’t know if the cameras are so much better, but in poorly-lit areas of ill-defined borders where I have to do more than back out of a space, the rear view camera doesn’t come close to being as useful as the limited vision out my small rear window. Other than being able to see any obstructions below the window line (which means I kind of need both), the window beats the camera and that’s assuming everything is clean. Dirty, the camera is even worse. When cars had actual visibility (and I was younger), I used to be able to thread my car through narrow spaces at reverse’s top speed and pull a J turn out of the opening. Now, trying to reverse a distance at idle speed off the clutch with fallen leaves slightly obscuring any borders and I’m thankful there isn’t curbing.
Pedantic Rant:
The lede picture is from the Polestar 3. It has a rear window. P4 (the one without the window) ha a horizontal center display.
/Pedantic Rant
Indeed, it doesn’t go with the joke. The Image used for the topshot is Polestar’s press image for the Google Gemini thing. 🙂
Thanks, Mercedes!
World peace acheived indeed! But you forgot the middle class: 12 year old Scotch, mass market shotgun, and CRV.
Good call. Cheers!
“What middle class?” – your government representative, probably.
GOP Middle Class: 90th-99th percentile
Dem Middle Class: 10th-20th percentile
And all of it is no longer what it was supposed to mean. Middle class was those who weren’t royalty and land owners, and weren’t laborers. They typically were merchants and business owners in cities and managed their finances and affairs, but didn’t need to “work”. But it hasn’t meant this for a long time and there truthfully isn’t any consensus for what it means now.
12 year old blended Scotch. Middle class is having to make sacrifices, you know.
Single malt. Glenlivet,
Glenfiddich perhaps.
Maybe a Glengoyne… any Glen.
Laphroaig or Lagavulin for me, love that Islay peat.
I’m ashamed to admit I bought some Johnny Red a couple weeks ago. It was cheap. It wasn’t worth it.
Depends on where you’re coming from (Passport, Cutty Sark)