EVERYWHERE. AND ONE OF
THE PLACES
WITH SMART TECHNOLOGY IS
INSIDE YOUR CAR.
BUT THAT HASN'T ALWAYS
BEEN THE CASE.
IN THIS WEEK'S FLASHBACK
FRIDAY... WE TAKE A LOOK
AT
WHEN TALKING CARS STARTED
MAKING THEIR WAY ON THE
ROADS... IN 1983.
GONE ARE THE DAYS OF THE
MODEL T.
BACK THEN, THE TIME TO FIX
YOUR CAR WAS WHEN IT
RATTLED. NOW, THE LATEST
GENERATION OF CAR MIGHT
VERY WELL RATTLE... BUT IT
ALSO TALKS. "YOUR ENGINE
IS
OVERHEATING." CHRYSLER,
FOR SOME REASON,
HAS DECIDED TO MAKE THEIR
LATEST OFFERING TALK
UP A STORM. LETTING YOU
KNOW JUST
ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU
WANTED TO KNOW, OR
MAYBE DID NOT WANT TO
KNOW, ABOUT YOUR CAR'S
INNARDS.
THE NEWS CAN BE GRIM.
"YOUR ELECTRICAL
SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONIN G.
YOU ENGINE OIL PRESSURE IS
LOW. PROMPT SERVICE IS
REQUIRED."
TO ITS CREDIT, EVEN IN
TIMES OF RATHER GREAT
STRESS,
THE VEHICLE IS POLITE.
"THANK YOU."
"YOU'RE WELCOME." "IT'S
JUST KIND OF A DIFFERENT
FEELING. SOUND LIKE YOU'VE
GOT SOMEBODY WITH YOU ALL
THE
TIME." BUT, HAVING
SOMEBODY WITH
YOU ALL THE TIME CAN BE A
MIXED BLESSING.
JIM OWNS ONE OF THESE
TALKING CARS.
"YOU TAKE A CERTAIN AMOUNT
OF SATISFACTION IN
FASTENING YOUR SEATBELT."
"JUST TO SHUT IT UP?"
"YEAH, JUST TO SHUT IT
UP."
APPARENTLY NEXT YEAR'S
MODELS WILL GIVE YOU A
LITTLE TOGGLE SWITCH THAT
TELLS THE CAR TO HUSH.
"A DOOR IS AJAR." "THE
THING THAT BUGS ME
THE MOST ABOUT OURS IS
THAT WHEN YOU LEAVE A DOOR
OPEN IT SAYS, 'A DOOR IS
AJAR.' AND THEN YOU GET
INTO A BIG,
LONG ARGUMENT ABOUT, 'A
DOOR IS A DOOR. IT'S
NOT A JAR.'" THE
JAPANESE, ALWAYS
INNOVATIVE, HAVE PUT A
WOMAN'S VOICE IN THEIR
CAR.
LISTEN FOR THE ACCENT.
"LIGHTS ARE ON."
WALDEN KIRSCH, KELOLAND
NEWS.
TO SEE MORE STORIES FROM
OUR ARCHIVE, JUST SEARCH
"FLASHBACK FRIDAY" ON
KELOLAND DOT COM.
MATT AND SOPHIE CHAT
ABOUT FLASHBACK
FRIDAY
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AROUND 88. SOUTH WINDS 10
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