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AIBU?

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Original poster

My new car is too bossy

219 replies

PolkaDotMankini · 06/04/2023 19:35

I got a new car a couple of weeks ago. It's pretty (if already muddy) but the bossiness is never-ending.

If I change lane on the motorway and there's a car next to the lane I'm going into, it flashes up hazard lights on the dashboard and wing mirror, beeps loudly and nudges the steering wheel away.

When I stop the car, it flashes up a reminder to check the back seats for people and belongings.

And the final straw: it sent me a text reminding me to lock it. I was sitting in it at the time, minding my own business in the car park Confused

AIBU to find this annoying? I particularly dislike it screeching and wrenching the wheel round when I'm changing lanes. It's dangerous!

OP posts:
TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 07/04/2023 02:51

My car is judgemental and tells me off if I do something it perceives to be wrong. Wish I could tell it to STFU 😂

difficultdifficultlemondifficult · 07/04/2023 03:34

Mine is ridiculous it beeps hysterically as soon as I put it in reverse even though there is absolutely nothing there.

Incidentally my daughter moved the just emptied wheely bin off the street onto the driveway right at the back of the car just before I was about to set off (I will never understand why she did this) I reversed and knocked it over and it didn't so much as murmur Grin

(I would like to add this was on my driveway where nobody would ever be passing as its private and well away from any public area , and I'd just been looking in the boot and walked around the car before getting in , when there was no bin. She literally wheeled it up the drive put it right behind the car then waved me goodbye and went in the house Grin)

DrHousecuredme · 07/04/2023 03:58

This thread is hilarious!!
I suddenly don't mind so much that I can't sleep 😆
I'm loving the idea of a range of celebrity voices for the cars though...personally I'd go for a Paul Hollywood style assessment of my driving.

QuizzlyBears · 07/04/2023 04:28

The back seat check is linked to Australia and America, research on children being left in cars. Some models send an emergency alert to police if the car thinks a child has been left inside!

Moraxella · 07/04/2023 05:10

Mine’s prone to an emergency brake every now and then often when I’m in a high pressure three point turn.
and I’ve had to have a locksmith out 3x to get me back in the car when the keys have been left on the passenger seat but the door has blown closed/been closed by over enthusiastic toddler and it has self locked 🙄

BouleBaker · 07/04/2023 07:19

I feel very grateful now. Mine has a lot of these things but the can all be turned off. My handbag doesn't set off the person sensor and it doesn't judge my driving.

It took me 6 months to work out why it would occasionally "ting" at me though. Turns out that means it is below 5 degrees, but it doesn't work this out straight away but takes a random few minutes after starting to drive, meaning it would sound and I would have no idea why.

I have the lane assist option, but even when on it just rumbles the steering wheel as a warning. It would be awful if it actually turned the wheels for me. Fortunately even when I had it on it only went off rarely.

TakeMyStrongHand · 07/04/2023 07:49

My first "modern car" was a golf and I was happily driving to work and something popped up with a message and a big bong. Obviously I look to see what it's bonging about and it's decided I'm too close to the car in front which I was by the time I looked back up at the road as there was a sudden stop on the motorway.

My current car is actually older than that car but has lane assist which as a lax indicator when lane changing on the motorway is a bit of a wobbly nightmare but I suppose that's my fault. I always indicate if someone is near.

It also constantly tells me to keep hands on the steering wheel when they are already bloody on there. It doesn't however tell me when all of the engine coolant has leaked out and sprayed over the engine and it's overheating or about to die.

Tumbleweed101 · 07/04/2023 07:59

I haven’t got a high tech car but one day it started random beeping. Really worried me into thinking there was a problem with the car. It was only a bit later I realised I had something heavy on the passenger seat and it was telling me the belt needed to be done up!

I think a high tech car would just worry me all the time lol.

Pottedpalm · 07/04/2023 08:04

I assumed you had mis-typed and meant your CAT was too bossy.. came along to sympathise!

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 07/04/2023 08:07

I hate all the extra bells and whistles on new cars - I think many can be turned off, though.
The only thing that drives me mad with my Honda Jazz (2 hrs old when I bought it 2 1/2 yrs ago) is that a tyre pressure warning light comes on constantly. Honda garage says it’s a common ‘thing’ with the Jazz, apparently can’t turn the sodding thing off.

Dh had to call the RAC the other day because his electronic car key wouldn’t work - couldn’t get into his car. Must say I was nostalgic for the days when a car key was just a key - nothing to go wrong - unless you lost it.

DashboardConfessional · 07/04/2023 08:37

I think the bags on seats needing a belt thing is years old though. My 2012 Peugeot 208 did it.

TheGirlOnTheLanding · 07/04/2023 08:38

This thread has made me laugh but also made me very grateful we own a secondhand basic car which has almost no bells, whistles, bings or beeps. I've already been driven mad by our needy washing machine and told DH that when we buy another one, I won't be asking about drum size or economy, just whether it beep-nags you at full volume for 4 minutes to open the door every time it finishes a cycle or stops randomly midway through if it thinks it's off balance. At least it can't talk or mark my laundry loading skills out of 100!

NormaTheWife · 07/04/2023 08:42

DashboardConfessional · 06/04/2023 20:34

In seriousness - this is all going the wrong way. Imagine the accidents in 20 years if these all become automated actions with no driver override.

The car does tend to react faster than a human does though!

Iguanainanigloo · 07/04/2023 08:44

Yes mine is like this, and even brakes for me if it doesn't think I'm doing a good enough job 😆. The most annoying thing though is when I jump out the car and leave the key fob inside (which is quite often as the key is always in the bottom of my bag) and when dropping the kids to school I don't need to lock it, as I'm literally out the car all of 30 seconds. As soon as you shut the door, it beeps the horn 3 times reallllly quickly and loudly, and everyone turns around to stare, thinking there's some road rage going on... No, just my demanding car!

Hawkins003 · 07/04/2023 08:45

I guess modern tech.

Hawkins003 · 07/04/2023 08:45

Although I'm presuming it will be similar with demolition man type self driving cars

Oblomov23 · 07/04/2023 08:49

Most of these would get on my nerves. I had a hire car last month and didn't like it.

happinessischocolate · 07/04/2023 09:22

My car is 4 years old and probably just the right level of warnings, I couldn't cope with anything newer, if it gave me a rating every time I drive I would probably deliberately drive worse and worse each time.

Could do with the don't forget your phone and check the back seat reminders though, as I'm always going back for my phone and once left the dog in the back of the car when I got home late and didn't realise until an hour later when I went to bed.

happinessischocolate · 07/04/2023 09:23

DashboardConfessional · 06/04/2023 20:34

In seriousness - this is all going the wrong way. Imagine the accidents in 20 years if these all become automated actions with no driver override.

No accidents as all the cars will stop if one does 😂 you'll just never get anywhere.

Fizbosshoes · 07/04/2023 09:57

DashboardConfessional · 07/04/2023 08:37

I think the bags on seats needing a belt thing is years old though. My 2012 Peugeot 208 did it.

My golf is older than that and it bings when it thinks a bag (or pack of cans) is a person in the passenger seat, and also when it is less than 4° but other than that it doesn't seem to have the capability to be bossy!

Rosula · 07/04/2023 11:24

QuizzlyBears · 07/04/2023 04:28

The back seat check is linked to Australia and America, research on children being left in cars. Some models send an emergency alert to police if the car thinks a child has been left inside!

I bet the police love being called out to endless alarms about people leaving miscellaneous bags on the back seat.

Mylittlesandwich · 07/04/2023 12:05

One of the things I did like about an previous car was that if I had to break suddenly it applied my hazards for me. That was handy.

LadyFlumpalot · 07/04/2023 12:23

I've got a 9 year old Subaru. The only time it beeps at me if if it's below 2 degrees or if it's my birthday when she wishes me a good day.

I took a work car recently and oh my, it binged and bonged, if I switched lane it beeped at me, if another car passed me it beeped at me and my wing mirror lit up, it binged at me when I went to park, it binged at me to tell me to remember to take the keys...

All the binging was so distracting I'm surprised I made it home in one piece.

I did enjoy the reversing camera though. Will have to see if I can fit an aftermarket one to mine.

Original poster
PolkaDotMankini · 07/04/2023 12:48

The reversing camera and heated seats were deal-breakers for a new car. I don't really care about the heated seats but DH moaned endlessly when my last car didn't have them. This car is an EV and having them on reduces the range by about 75 miles!

OP posts:
Original poster
PolkaDotMankini · 07/04/2023 12:49

Pottedpalm · 07/04/2023 08:04

I assumed you had mis-typed and meant your CAT was too bossy.. came along to sympathise!

Sadly no cats here :( My neighbours' cat has a very insistent miaow though and invites itself in to nap on DD's bed.

OP posts:
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