^Your comments are anything but offensive -- I am certain that most of us here agree with your views on this.

As somebody who works in the car marketing biz, I can tell you that the potential legal liabilities are most certainly being heeded. Automotive companies don't so much as print a napkin without it going through legal.

But there is the definite sense that luxury carmakers are doing their best to cram all kinds of gee-wiz technology into their cars for the sake of marketing and product differentiation. If you watch the commercials that have been airing for cars like the Acura RL and Volvo S80, these "nanny" systems have taken center stage and are presented as proof of concept for an entire vehicle or brand.

The thinking goes like this "What does our car have that other cars don't? The competition all have potent engines, low interior noise, navigation systems with live traffic, tire pressure monitoring... so it's hard for us to make a unique claim with this car. BUT - We can spend a few shekels engineering something really fancy and frivolous that's guaranteed to be unique! We'll create the world's first pregnant lady crossing the road detection system!"

So, when the new E debuts we'll see ads with serious, German-looking guys saying "We wanted this to be a real Mercedes-Benz, so we gave it a computer that knows when you're sleepy." The payoff is the perception of engineering superiority and that's why stuff like this is developed.

Its quite possible to satirize this trend, you know, but for the creepy feeling that in the near future some of these words said in satire or sarcasm might become options available commercially sold models (in fact, some already are):-

An onboard computer that:-

nags you when you smoke, and proceeds to wind down the windows if you
don't put it out
switches off the engine when you exhale more than a certain ug/100ml of ethanol in your breath, then phones the police
maintains a fixed, mandatory distance from the vehicle in front - whether you like it or not
uses radar to make it impossible for you to ram any object or wall by automatically braking
measures your weight and height and then issues diet and exercise advisory
can be switched off by a special police signal
tracks your location vide GPS

For more ideas, watch the old TV series ''My Mother-In-Law's a Car''

Half of what you cited are just around the corner. I know that Toyota has been working on a device that measures BAC through your skin when you grab the steering wheel. One wonders - Couldn't you just defeat the device by wearing gloves?

There's also been talk about GPS tracking being used for a pay as you go insurance system. I don't think people would ever want to go for that but it would be an opt-in, "hey I saved a shitload of money by sacrificing my privacy" kind of deal.

If I'm about to fall asleep while driving, then yes please, I would like a "nanny" system to help me.

People have been bitching about technological progress since the 18th century, nothing new here.

I don't think any of us here are luddites who want to revert back to the time where computer assistance didn't impede on our motoring routine, we just see this for what it is - Potentially annoying bloatware that doesn't benefit drivers. How many "technological breakthroughs" have made their way into cars over the years that debut, prove worthless and never come back?

The promise of the system itself is pretty thin - If you're sleepy the car will warn you. Do you really want that Ojis? Do you want your car to say "Beep - hey buddy, you look like you could use a double espresso. How about you pull over at the next stop?"

When was the last time that you were too sleepy to drive but didn't know it? If you knew, would you have stopped?

Must be lot. But all new innovations in cars faced bitching on their way to become industry standard. LOL, even ABS is a crappy innovation, it actually increases stopping distance!

People are falling sleep in their cars. This is a fact and people don't pull over easily.

One invention which could have been done with even 1960's level of technology is the AIR-COOLED VIBRATOR SEAT. On those long drives, one's seat gets hotter and hotter. and one's butt begins to ache. Even with compulsory 2-hourly stopovers and teabreaks, long distance driving is literally a pain in the butt. Yet how many car manufacturers have piped air-conditioned cold air to the drivers' seat ? Or installed a massage vibrator so as to improve circulation? My kingdom for a cool, vibrating butt! But very very few car makers (save the top of the line luxury models) offer this even as an extra-cost option.

IMHO, (and my advanced apologies), anyone sufficiently heedless and reckless enough to need your car to tell you you are weaving in and out of lane too often, or needs forward radar to force you to maintain a safe distance from the 15-ton truck infront, or need UV night vision to drive at night or in snow-storm more or less deserves to receive the Darwin Award.

With regards the last item - UV night vision - its actually quite a suicidal tool. Maybe YOU can see well enough in total darkness or fog or snow in your US$125,ooo Merc 450 CLK with such a system, but how about the other poor blokes around you driving a 1985 Opel Astra or a 1978 Ford van? They would be blind and would run into you, whether you can see them or not.The point is, when its unsafe to drive, its UNSAFE for everyone not driving an Abrams M-1 tank to go on the highway. This is the vital, life-saving realization that is over-ridden by gadgetry like UV night vision!!

^ahh you are talking about the infamous Disco butt syndrome..
Well the W220 ( previous S class) has fans in the seats and so does the new S class..
And they have massage aswell, but as you said its an extra cost option..
Im pretty sure that this new E will get those seats aswell.. but ofcourse at a price..

And as you said your kingdom for a cool vibrating butt.. so i guess it shouldnt be a problem

^^ Erm.... not sure about your points there but nice of you to share your thoughts