Cars are getting dumber

Drew Gooden
25 Apr 202431:57

Summary

TLDRIn this humorous and insightful video, the creator narrates a personal tale of purchasing a 2021 Hyundai Sonata and the ensuing challenges with modern car features, particularly the shift from traditional PRNDL stick to buttons. He humorously recounts damaging his new car by mistakenly hitting the reverse button while trying to avoid a closing gate. The video then critiques various 'dumb' modern car features, such as touchscreen dashboards and the removal of physical buttons, questioning their contribution to distracted driving. The creator also discusses the trend of increasingly larger and heavier vehicles, like the Tesla Cybertruck, which despite its futuristic appeal and marketing, has faced numerous issues including high costs, design flaws, and functionality problems. The video concludes with a satirical take on the Cybertruck's appeal and the paradoxical nature of modern car design, where form sometimes overshadows function.

Takeaways

  • 🚗 The speaker admits to making a mistake with their new car, emphasizing it was entirely their fault and there were many ways they could have avoided the incident.
  • 🚙 The speaker used to drive a 2012 Honda Civic, which was reliable but had started showing its age, leading them to purchase a 2021 Hyundai Sonata sports car for a more premium feel.
  • 🔄 The new car has many modern features like a rear view camera and blind spot indicators, but also lacks the traditional PRNDL (Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low) gear stick, which the speaker misses due to muscle memory.
  • 🚧 A mishap occurred when the speaker accidentally hit the forward button instead of reverse while trying to avoid a closing gate at a U-Haul facility, causing damage to the car.
  • 🤔 The speaker reflects on the incident, questioning why the car did not go into reverse as expected, and concludes that they might have pressed the accelerator and reverse button simultaneously.
  • 🚘 The speaker criticizes modern cars for having touchscreen dashboards, which they believe contribute to distracted driving and are less safe than physical buttons.
  • 🔆 They discuss the issue of increasingly bright headlights in new cars, which can impair the vision of oncoming drivers despite improving visibility for the driver.
  • 🛣️ The speaker is concerned about the trend of larger vehicles, which, while safer for their occupants, pose a greater threat to other cars and pedestrians.
  • 💰 The speaker mocks the high price and lack of functionality of the Tesla Cybertruck, including its $20,000 'foundation series' fee for undelivered features like self-driving.
  • 🛠️ Despite the speaker's negative views, they acknowledge the 'Cybertruck effect', where driving the vehicle makes them feel like a celebrity due to its unique design and the attention it attracts.
  • 🏆 The speaker humorously concludes by saying the Cybertruck should cost a million dollars and should have no brakes and two accelerator pedals for a more exciting driving experience.

Q & A

  • What car did the speaker previously own before purchasing the new one?

    -The speaker previously owned a 2012 Honda Civic that was bought from CarMax in 2015.

  • What model of car did the speaker purchase after the Honda Civic?

    -The speaker purchased a 2021 Hyundai Sonata, which is a sports car.

  • What is the speaker's complaint about the new generation of cars?

    -The speaker complains about the shift from the traditional PRNDL (Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low) stick to buttons or touchscreens for gear selection, which he finds less intuitive and more prone to user error.

  • Why did the speaker's new car move forward instead of reversing when he pressed the reverse button?

    -The car moved forward because the speaker accidentally pressed the accelerator and the reverse button at the same time, which the car's computer interpreted as a command to drive forward.

  • What feature of modern cars does the speaker criticize as being potentially dangerous due to distraction?

    -The speaker criticizes touchscreen dashboards in modern cars as they require drivers to look at the screen to operate basic functions, which can be a source of distraction and potentially dangerous.

  • What does the speaker think about the trend of cars getting bigger and heavier?

    -The speaker is concerned that while individual cars may be safer due to their size and weight, this trend contributes to a false sense of security and can lead to an increase in accidents and pedestrian deaths due to the increased mass and height of vehicles.

  • What is the speaker's opinion on the Tesla Cybertruck?

    -The speaker is critical of the Tesla Cybertruck, pointing out its high cost, various reported issues, and the fact that some of its touted features, like bulletproofing, may not be as useful or practical as they seem.

  • What is the main reason the speaker believes touchscreens are becoming more common in cars?

    -The speaker suggests that touchscreens are becoming more common not because they are the best solution for drivers, but because they are a cheaper option for manufacturers to implement compared to physical buttons and switches.

  • What is the speaker's view on the necessity of physical feedback when operating a vehicle?

    -The speaker believes that physical feedback, such as feeling the position of a gear stick, provides a level of assurance and safety that cannot be replicated by visual indicators or touchscreens.

  • How does the speaker feel about the experience of driving the Cybertruck for a day?

    -Despite having many criticisms, the speaker admits to feeling like a celebrity while driving the Cybertruck due to the attention it garnered, but also found the driving experience to be less than ideal with issues like the rearview mirror and the sensitivity of the controls.

  • What is the speaker's final recommendation for the Cybertruck?

    -The speaker humorously recommends that the Cybertruck should cost a million dollars and should have two accelerator pedals and no brakes for a driving experience that allows going fast without stopping, indicating a sarcastic stance on the vehicle's design and functionality.

Outlines

00:00

😀 My Misadventure with a New Car

The speaker humorously recounts a mistake they made with their new car, a 2021 Hyundai Sonata, which they had recently purchased as an upgrade from their old 2012 Honda Civic. They lament the loss of the traditional PRNDL gear stick, which led to an incident where they accidentally drove forward into a closing gate at a U-Haul facility, causing damage to their new vehicle. They reflect on the societal shift from physical controls to digital interfaces in modern cars, and the lack of tactile feedback from the latter.

05:00

🤔 The Downside of Modern Car Features

The speaker expresses concerns about the shift towards modern features in cars, such as touchscreen dashboards, which they argue are not always an improvement over traditional controls. They discuss the potential safety issues associated with touchscreens, which can distract drivers, and criticize the cost-saving measures by manufacturers that lead to consolidated dashboards. They also touch on the irony of these interfaces appearing luxurious but being a cheaper option for manufacturers, and the potential for malfunctions to render a car undriveable.

10:02

🚗 The Problem with Larger and Brighter Cars

The speaker discusses the trend of cars becoming larger and brighter, with brighter headlights and larger vehicle sizes, and questions the safety implications of these design choices. They highlight the increased risk to pedestrians and the paradox of cars being both safer and more dangerous. They also criticize the marketing of larger vehicles as safer, which contributes to a cycle of increasing vehicle size and potential harm.

15:04

💰 The Tesla Cybertruck Controversy

The speaker satirically addresses the issues surrounding the Tesla Cybertruck, including its high price, the additional 'foundation fee,' and the various technical problems reported by owners. They also discuss the vehicle's design, such as its stainless steel exterior, which is both a selling point and a source of practical issues. The speaker questions the priorities of Tesla in designing the Cybertruck and highlights the loyalty of its buyers despite the numerous problems they face.

20:05

🚨 The Cybertruck Experience and Recall

The speaker shares their experience renting a Cybertruck for a day, expressing mixed feelings about its design, performance, and the attention it draws. They describe the truck's smooth driving experience and the difficulty of using certain features, such as the rearview mirror. The speaker also humorously recounts a fictional news report about a recall due to an accelerator pedal issue, before reflecting on the emotional difficulty of returning the rented Cybertruck.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡PRNDL

PRNDL stands for Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, Low, which are the traditional gear positions on a manual gear shift in a car. In the video, the host laments the shift from physical PRNDL sticks to buttons or touchscreens, which he finds less intuitive and more prone to user error, as he accidentally drives forward instead of reversing when trying to avoid a closing gate.

💡Touchscreen Dashboards

Touchscreen dashboards refer to the digital interfaces in modern cars that replace physical buttons with on-screen controls. The host criticizes these for causing distraction, as drivers must look at the screen to operate basic functions, which can take their attention away from the road. He contrasts this with physical buttons, which can be operated by feel, reducing the risk of accidents.

💡Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is the dangerous behavior of operating a vehicle while engaging in activities that could divert one's attention from driving. The host mentions the increase in distracted driving due to modern car features like touchscreens, which require drivers to look away from the road to operate, leading to a rise in accidents and fatalities.

💡Car Reliability

Car reliability pertains to the dependability and continuity of a car's performance without breakdown or failure. The host's 2012 Honda Civic is described as very reliable, which is why he used it for many years before upgrading to a newer model. However, he also implies that newer cars, despite their advanced features, may not always be more reliable due to complex technology that can malfunction.

💡

💡Cybertruck

The Cybertruck is a futuristic, electric pickup truck designed by Tesla, Inc. The host discusses the Cybertruck extensively, highlighting its unique stainless steel design, claimed bulletproof capabilities, and the controversies surrounding its price, functionality, and early production issues. Despite its flaws, the host notes the truck's ability to draw attention and make the driver feel like a celebrity.

💡Autopilot

Autopilot is an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) developed by Tesla that provides features like self-parking, summoning, and navigation on autopilot. The host mentions autopilot as a standard feature in the Cybertruck and discusses the $20,000 foundation fee for the truck, which includes access to this technology, although he criticizes it for being unavailable at the time of his rental.

💡Electric Vehicle (EV)

An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that uses electric motors and energy stored in batteries or another type of capacitor for propulsion. The host's discussion of the Cybertruck, a type of EV, touches on the broader theme of EVs and their role in the future of transportation, including the debate over their environmental impact and technological innovation.

💡Safety Features

Safety features in vehicles are design elements intended to reduce the risk and severity of injuries during accidents. The host points out that while the Cybertruck has a rigid, bulletproof exterior, which might suggest high safety, its design could potentially transfer more force to passengers in a crash, which could be counterproductive to safety in certain scenarios.

💡Rear View Camera

A rear view camera is a device that uses a camera to capture the rear view of a vehicle and display it on a screen inside the vehicle. The host criticizes the Cybertruck's rear view mirror for being obstructed and having to rely on the rear view camera, which becomes ineffective if dirty or wet.

💡Regulations

Regulations are rules or directives made and maintained by an authority. The host discusses the lack of regulations that might prevent cars from becoming excessively large and heavy, which he argues contributes to increased danger for pedestrians and other drivers on the road.

💡Consumer Behavior

Consumer behavior refers to the study of individuals, groups, or organizations and all the activities associated with the purchase and use of goods and services. The host explores consumer behavior in relation to car purchases, particularly the trend of buying larger vehicles for perceived safety, despite the increased risks they pose to others on the road.

Highlights

The narrator shares a personal story of a mistake made with a new car, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility.

He discusses trading in a reliable 2012 Honda Civic for a 2021 Hyundai Sonata, highlighting the emotional attachment to cars.

The transition from a physical gear stick to buttons for gear selection is critiqued for breaking established muscle memory.

A humorous recount of a failed attempt to reverse out of the way of a closing gate, resulting in damage to the new car.

The narrator questions the removal of the PRNDL pattern in modern cars and the reliance on technology over physical feedback.

A discussion on the shift from physical buttons to touchscreens in cars, citing safety concerns and the potential for distraction.

The revelation that touchscreen dashboards are often a cost-saving measure for manufacturers, despite the drawbacks.

Criticism of the Tesla Cybertruck's design and functionality, including its stainless steel exterior that attracts fingerprints and its high price point.

The narrator expresses skepticism about the Cybertruck's bulletproof claim and the practicality of its features for everyday use.

An account of the author renting a Cybertruck and experiencing its unique features, such as the difficulty in using the rearview mirror and the truck's sensitivity.

Despite the criticisms, the author acknowledges the Cybertruck's appeal and the 'celebrity' status it provides to its driver.

The humorous note of the Cybertruck being recalled due to an accelerator pedal issue, adding to the narrative's critique of the vehicle.

The author's final thoughts suggest that if he were to price the Cybertruck, it would be a million dollars, poking fun at its perceived overpricing.

A call for viewers to subscribe, indicating the end of the video and a common practice to encourage audience growth.

Transcripts

00:00

- Hey guy, I wanna start this video

00:01

by telling you about something very dumb

00:03

that I did recently.

00:04

And I'm gonna preface this story

00:06

by saying that this was entirely my fault.

00:08

There are probably 50 things I could have done differently

00:11

to avoid what ended up happening, but I didn't.

00:14

And that's on me.

00:15

So I got a new car last month.

00:16

For most of my adult life.

00:18

I've been driving a 2012 Honda Civic

00:21

that I bought from CarMax in 2015.

00:23

I'll never forget the day I rolled up to my job at Popeye's

00:25

and felt like the coolest guy in the parking lot.

00:28

Took the max part of the sticker off

00:30

so it just said car on the back.

00:32

Had a lot of fun back then.

00:33

And even though this car was very reliable

00:34

for pretty much the entire time I had it,

00:37

it was starting to show its age.

00:38

And I got to a point where I kind of just wanted

00:40

something that felt nicer to be in.

00:42

So I splurged a little bit,

00:44

traded in for one of the coolest sports cars

00:48

on the market right now, a 2021 Hyundai Sonata.

00:51

Now that's not the dumb part.

00:52

There are so many things about this car

00:53

that are massive upgrades over what I had before.

00:56

There's a rear view camera, there's blind spot indicators.

00:59

I don't have to plug my phone in anymore to play music.

01:01

It beeps at me if I move one inch

01:04

in either direction on the highway.

01:06

It's a great car.

01:07

But there are also things about cars made in the past decade

01:10

that aren't necessarily better.

01:12

They're just different.

01:13

For one, why as a society did we get rid of the PRNDL?

01:17

I have spent the past 15 years of my life

01:19

building the muscle memory

01:20

of yanking around my car's joystick to tell it where to go.

01:24

And now it's just buttons

01:26

and I don't have the muscle memory for that.

01:28

I'm starting to develop some due to time passing.

01:31

But for the first couple weeks I own this car,

01:33

I would have to stop looking this way

01:35

so I could look down and see where the backwards button is.

01:38

So that brings me to my story.

01:40

Six days after I bought this car,

01:43

I was leaving a U-Haul storage facility

01:47

and the exit gate was open.

01:49

Now I've been there enough to know that sometimes,

01:50

even though the exit gate is supposed to close,

01:53

it'll just not.

01:54

So I gave it a couple seconds,

01:55

decided, yeah, it's gonna stay open,

01:57

and started driving forward.

01:59

And you will never guess what happened

02:02

the exact moment I made that decision.

02:04

Yeah, gate started closing.

02:05

So naturally I'm like, uh-oh,

02:07

this gate is going to hit my new used car.

02:10

I should move out of the way.

02:11

So I hit the reverse button, start accelerating,

02:15

and my car moves forward.

02:17

Now, if you've ever been operating a motor vehicle

02:19

that starts moving in the opposite direction

02:22

that you intended it to,

02:23

you probably know about the panic that sets in.

02:26

And I was running outta time.

02:27

I could feel the gate inching nearer and nearer.

02:30

So in the heat of the moment,

02:31

I very wisely decided to do

02:34

the exact same thing that didn't work the first time.

02:37

I hit the reverse button, hit the gas pedal,

02:40

and once again, my car moves forward.

02:44

At this point, the only thing I've managed to do

02:47

is get more in the path of the gate.

02:50

And before I could try my foolproof strategy a third time,

02:53

it crashed into the side of my car and the alarm went off

02:56

and it made a big old scratch

02:58

that'll probably cost couple hundred dollars

03:00

to get buffed out and repainted.

03:01

I don't know the exact amount yet

03:03

because I'm too embarrassed to tell anyone what happened.

03:05

Anyway, I've had about a month now to process this

03:08

and I'm of two minds.

03:10

On one hand, it is kind of hilarious

03:13

that I waited nine years to buy a new car

03:15

and I couldn't even get through one full week

03:17

without fucking it up.

03:18

I would love to see the security footage

03:20

of me stopping in front of a closing gate,

03:23

quickly accelerating, stopping,

03:25

accelerating again, stopping again

03:27

before getting out and yelling, God damn it.

03:30

It probably looked really fun.

03:31

But then on the other hand, I am kinda like,

03:36

well what the fuck happened?

03:38

Because like I know that I hit the reverse button

03:41

two separate times

03:43

and both times my car just decided not to do it.

03:46

I tried recreating this exact scenario in a parking lot

03:49

to pinpoint exactly where I went wrong.

03:51

And my best guess is just that I hit the accelerator

03:55

and the reverse button at the same time,

03:57

which triggered the car's computer to be like,

03:59

Hey, you can't do that.

04:01

You're gonna hurt the transmission.

04:03

Let's hit the side of the car instead.

04:05

And like it's a good thing that there's a mechanism in place

04:09

to prevent the car from changing gears

04:11

when you're moving too quickly.

04:13

If I hit the reverse button

04:14

while driving 70 miles per hour down the highway,

04:17

I actually would want my car to ignore that.

04:20

I'm pretty sure there was a similar mechanism in my old car.

04:23

The difference is though,

04:25

that if this exact scenario happened

04:27

while I was driving that one,

04:28

there would've been physical feedback

04:31

to tell me it was still in drive

04:33

and maybe I would've been less likely to floor it twice.

04:37

In order to get the same confirmation from a button,

04:40

you have to press it, look down at the dashboard,

04:43

find the part that indicates what gear the car is in,

04:46

process that information, and then react accordingly.

04:49

And even if you can do all that very quickly,

04:52

it still takes longer to send that information to your brain

04:55

than if you can just feel where your hand is.

04:58

And again, I'm the dumbass here.

05:00

There are so many things I could have done differently.

05:03

If I had just immediately accelerated

05:05

as soon as I got to the gate,

05:07

I would've made it through with time to spare.

05:10

I also could have taken three extra seconds

05:12

to just type my code in.

05:14

I even could have stayed in bed all day

05:16

and never gone anywhere near this gate.

05:17

And that would've been a better decision too.

05:20

But unfortunately, I didn't do any of those things.

05:24

I did this,

05:25

and I'm gonna have to live with that

05:27

for the rest of my life.

05:28

But my funny little mishap got me thinking about

05:31

all these things I've seen over the past couple years

05:33

of people getting screwed over

05:35

by like modern features in their cars.

05:37

And it made me wanna do some research about it.

05:39

And my takeaway is that while it would be untrue

05:42

to say that cars have gotten worse,

05:44

I do think they've gotten dumber.

05:46

I looked up why cars made the shift from the PRNDL stick

05:49

to just buttons or a touch screen on the ceiling

05:53

or a wheel that's right next to the volume knob

05:56

that hopefully never caused a hilarious

05:58

but unfortunate accident.

05:59

And it turns out the main reason is just that

06:01

the stick is not necessary anymore

06:04

because you're not physically changing the gear,

06:06

you're just telling the car's computer what to do,

06:09

which like, I get it.

06:10

You know, I'm not here to stand in the way of progress.

06:13

I just think that if you have to create a new problem

06:18

in order to fix something

06:20

that wasn't really a problem to begin with,

06:22

you're not being as innovative as you might think you are.

06:25

Without a doubt, my biggest personal gripe

06:27

with how cars are made now is touchscreen dashboards.

06:30

Almost 80% of new cars in 2022

06:33

had some kind of touchscreen display built into it.

06:36

It's just the norm now.

06:37

And on the surface it seems like an improvement.

06:40

I mean, obviously this is more advanced technology

06:43

than this, gross.

06:44

I bet this one doesn't even have 12 different menus

06:47

I can flip through to try to figure out

06:48

how to get my turn signals on.

06:49

It just doesn't make much sense to me

06:51

when there's already such a massive increase

06:53

in distracted driving and accidents

06:56

and deaths that happen because of it,

06:58

that they're adding this thing into cars

07:00

that you literally have to look at to be able to use.

07:04

There's a Swedish magazine

07:05

that ran this test a couple years ago

07:07

where they had people drive 12 different cars

07:09

down the highway

07:10

and timed how long it took for them

07:12

to complete the same series of tasks in each of them.

07:15

And the winner by far was a 2005 Volvo.

07:20

Now this doesn't mean that 2005 Volvo is the best car.

07:24

It just means that for basic tasks

07:25

like changing a radio station or turning the AC on,

07:29

physical buttons that you can memorize the location of

07:32

are the quickest and safest way to do those things.

07:34

You don't have to look away from the road

07:37

to be able to find where the button is.

07:39

I think ideally modern cars are built

07:41

with the right combination of actual buttons for basic tasks

07:44

and the touchscreen for more advanced features,

07:47

most of which you don't really need to use

07:49

while driving anyway.

07:50

And it does seem like some of the companies

07:51

that maybe over embrace this technology a few years ago

07:54

have started to peel back and find a happy media.

07:56

But what absolutely drives me crazy

07:58

is cars that have consolidated the entire dashboard

08:02

into one giant iPad.

08:04

Windshield wipers, we put it on the touchscreen.

08:07

Wanna turn the air down a little bit?

08:09

We put it on the touchscreen.

08:10

I think the irony of these kinds of interfaces

08:12

is that they give the illusion of luxury.

08:15

This certainly seems like the more innovative option

08:18

until you realize that the main reason

08:20

they're so prevalent in cars now

08:22

is because it is the cheapest way to build one.

08:25

- It actually costs a lot of money

08:26

to engineer all of these buttons and switches

08:30

and to have the wiring.

08:31

Doing all of that in software is a lot cheaper.

08:33

- It is more expensive to produce actual knobs and buttons

08:37

than it is to just throw every function onto one screen,

08:40

make it compatible with Apple CarPlay and call it a day.

08:43

And then when something goes wrong,

08:44

it's just a software problem, we'll figure it out.

08:48

Or maybe we have to replace the entire thing

08:49

and it's gonna be $4,000.

08:51

Who's to say.

08:52

And I didn't even mention the fact that

08:53

if the screen does end up malfunctioning

08:55

in a car that's entirely reliant on it,

08:57

it's not just a minor inconvenience,.

08:59

It means you can't drive the car until it gets fixed.

09:02

Some of the extra hoops

09:04

I've seen people have to jump through

09:06

in order to accomplish basic tasks now are mind boggling.

09:09

You know how sometimes you have the AC on

09:11

but it ends up blasting right into your hand,

09:13

so you have to reach over

09:14

and change the direction of the vent?

09:16

Well, that's fucking dumb, okay.

09:18

That's how a caveman would do it.

09:20

It makes way more sense to go on over to the car tablet,

09:24

find the AC control button,

09:26

select the air vent you want to change,

09:29

and then drag it where you want it to go,

09:31

all while barreling through a school zone.

09:33

While watching a bunch of videos of car dashboards,

09:35

I happened upon this 1989 Toyota

09:38

and there's something so beautiful about it.

09:41

Look at that subtle burgundy interior,

09:44

the tasteful thickness of those buttons.

09:46

Oh my god, it even has a seatbelt.

09:49

But I'm aware that I'm over romanticizing

09:51

the past a little bit,

09:52

'cause if I truly wanted a car that looked like this,

09:55

I could have just bought one.

09:56

Like I do want modern features.

09:58

I do want a car that's able to do the things

10:01

that my phone can do.

10:02

But if these things are implemented

10:03

in a way that forces you to look away from the road

10:06

in order to be able to use them,

10:09

I think we should reconsider how we got here.

10:11

At this rate, it's only a matter of time

10:13

until cars start shoving ads in our faces.

10:15

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I'm going to download Opera

11:36

on my computer and smartphone today.

11:38

Now where am I?

11:39

Oh great. Hi honey.

11:41

Yep, I drove into the ocean again.

11:44

Cars have been around for about a hundred years now

11:46

and it kind of seems like maybe we figured out

11:49

the best way to make them

11:50

and ran out of ways to meaningfully innovate.

11:52

But that doesn't work when you're trying to get people

11:54

to buy a new one every single year.

11:56

So you have to find something you can add

11:58

to make it seem like there's been a big improvement.

12:01

Things like door handles that retract into the car,

12:04

which I guess is cool.

12:06

I dunno if I've ever thought of the handle

12:07

sticking out three quarters of an inch as being an issue,

12:10

but I'll admit it adds some sleekness to the car

12:13

and it's not like it's making things worse, right?

12:15

What's that?

12:16

If it gets too cold outside, the handles don't work anymore.

12:18

Yeah, no, I can see how that might not be great.

12:19

- Tesla fixed this problem

12:21

with a software update last October.

12:23

You can just press this to pop the door open

12:25

when the door handles are frozen.

12:26

- Great news, everyone, we've updated the app

12:28

so you can now get into your car during the winter.

12:32

So consider that problem solved.

12:35

But didn't you create the problem in the first place?

12:37

We're actually not taking any questions at this time.

12:39

My favorite thing about these door handles

12:40

is no matter how many times I get an Uber driver

12:43

that's in a Tesla, I don't know how to get inside.

12:45

I'm sure it's very simple,

12:47

but clearly I'm struggling enough as it is.

12:49

One thing I haven't seen as many people talk about

12:51

but has driven me crazy for the past few years

12:53

is headlights are getting brighter, right?

12:56

Like that's not just me.

12:57

I cannot tell you how many times

12:59

I've been driving down a two-lane road at night

13:02

and a car passes me with headlights so unbelievably bright,

13:06

I cannot see anything for like 10 seconds.

13:09

Hopefully I'm still in my lane. I guess I'll find out soon.

13:12

Now, this is one of those things

13:13

that's a double-edged sword, right?

13:15

Because in theory, brighter headlights

13:16

should make driving safer because visibility is improved,

13:19

but I feel like it has to negate a little bit of the safety

13:22

when those headlights don't just hit the road

13:24

and instead shine directly into the eyes

13:27

of oncoming drivers.

13:28

I looked it up and the two things that are causing this are,

13:30

one, manufacturers using LEDs now

13:32

instead of the softer and yellower halogen bulbs

13:35

from the last couple decades.

13:36

LEDs tend to be brighter and more compact

13:38

so they hit even harder

13:40

when you're staring down the barrel of one.

13:41

- Oh this one for sure.

13:43

- But the other reason for this is a byproduct of something

13:45

that I think is in itself a problem,

13:47

which is that cars are so much bigger now

13:50

than they've ever been.

13:51

So if you're driving a Sedan

13:52

in the opposite lane of a brand new suburban,

13:55

those lights are gonna have to go through your eyeballs

13:58

in order to hit the road.

13:59

There's something a little paradoxical

14:00

about the safety of cars now

14:02

where they are much safer than they've ever been

14:05

while also posing more of a threat than they ever have.

14:08

A brand new truck may have great safety ratings

14:11

because it's twice as big as every other car around it,

14:14

but now every other car around it

14:16

has to worry about getting demolished

14:18

by a truck that's twice as big as them.

14:20

Pedestrian deaths in America have skyrocketed

14:22

over the past decade,

14:23

and I don't think it's a coincidence that that's happening

14:25

while cars continue to get taller and heavier

14:29

for mostly no reason other than because they can,

14:32

because there's no regulations stopping them from doing it.

14:35

And if a truck being way bigger than it needs to be

14:37

is what convinces someone to sign up

14:39

for a $1,200 a month car payment,

14:41

why would those car companies have any incentive to stop?

14:44

It's created this cycle where I think a lot of people

14:46

feel like the only way forward is to fight fire with fire.

14:49

Everyone else has a giant car,

14:51

well, I guess I need to get one for myself.

14:53

I remember seeing this post a few months ago

14:55

where this guy talked about how lucky he was

14:57

to have been driving in such a gargantuan SUV

14:59

when he got in an accident

15:01

because he and his family were able to walk away unharmed.

15:04

And obviously that's great that they're okay.

15:06

This could have ended very tragically

15:07

and I'm happy that it didn't.

15:09

But for someone to see this and their takeaway to be,

15:11

see this is why everyone should buy

15:13

the biggest SUV they can

15:15

because it's the only way to keep your family safe.

15:18

You're not taking into account

15:19

the fact that in a lot of cases

15:20

these giant trucks and SUVs are the danger.

15:24

Since the introduction of SUVs,

15:25

there has been a massive increase

15:27

in what are called front overs.

15:28

A person, usually a child getting run over by an SUV,

15:31

by a driver who can't even see them.

15:34

Over a 10 year period, over 500 American children

15:37

were killed by being run over by SUVs.

15:39

I mean, shit, why stop here?

15:41

I think every American citizen

15:44

should drive around in a military grade tank.

15:47

Yeah, we might run over a few more kids,

15:49

but as long as they're not my kids, who gives a shit?

15:52

Now, of course, I cannot make a video

15:54

about cars that are bigger than they need to be

15:56

and dumber than they need to be

15:58

and more dangerous than they need to be

16:01

without talking about the one that lies squarely

16:04

in the cross section of that Venn diagram,

16:06

the Tesla Cybertruck.

16:08

- Welcome to the Cybertruck unveiled.

16:10

(crowd cheering)

16:11

It is literally bulletproof,

16:15

ultra hard stainless steel, really hard.

16:21

Of course we'll come with autopilot standard.

16:23

Franz, could you try to break this glass please?

16:25

Oh my fucking God.

16:27

- So this awesome car,

16:28

which looks like when you first boot up a video game

16:30

and not all of the textures have loaded in yet,

16:32

was announced a couple years ago as starting at $40,000.

16:36

Fast forward to today,

16:37

anyone who is driving one of these right now,

16:39

the bare minimum that I've seen any of them spend 100 grand.

16:44

One of the biggest reasons

16:45

for this absolutely bonkers price jump

16:47

is this $20,000 foundation fee.

16:51

That's right, there's an additional fee tacked on

16:54

that is almost as much as what I spent on my entire car.

16:57

So you're probably dying to know what that bonus gets you.

17:00

Well, some people who paid for it don't even seem to know.

17:03

- $20,000 for it being a foundation series.

17:06

Now I don't know what that really means or anything,

17:09

but yeah, I paid it because I wanted the truck.

17:11

- So at first I thought it was just that

17:13

it says the word foundation on it,

17:16

which would be really funny,

17:17

but apparently most of what that fee

17:18

is meant to be attributed to

17:19

is the self-driving feature

17:21

that you would otherwise have to pay

17:22

a separate monthly fee to access.

17:25

- Of course it'll come with autopilot standard.

17:26

- Now one tiny little thing to note about this feature

17:29

is that it is not available yet

17:32

and no one can even hazard a guess as to when it will be.

17:35

So as it currently stands,

17:36

the only thing this $20,000 fee gives you

17:40

is priority access to a car that's littered with problems.

17:46

- Oh shit, oh we already broke it.

17:49

Alright, so my Cybertruck is completely broken.

17:52

My foot is on the floor and it's not moving.

17:54

- This gear selected at the top, it just dropped down.

17:56

Something's going on with the windshield.

17:58

I got all these warnings I never seen before.

18:00

I'm trying to open up the trunk, it won't respond.

18:04

I'm going back and forth trying to close it.

18:05

It won't close, it won't close, it won't close.

18:07

When the tailgate's down,

18:08

the camera's showing you the street.

18:10

I have had enough.

18:11

- At this point, I think I know more about manufacturing

18:14

than anyone currently alive on Earth.

18:16

- I have to say I have really enjoyed watching videos lately

18:18

from people who may or may not be in denial

18:21

about the absurd amount of money wasted on this stupid car.

18:24

They'll make these update videos

18:26

where they complain about so many things they hate about it

18:28

and then be like, and that's why it's a perfect car

18:31

and I have no regrets.

18:32

- This car is definitely worth the hype.

18:35

This thing right here is a fingerprint magnet.

18:38

I just got my car washed yesterday

18:39

and there's still water spots.

18:41

I noticed that my roof was starting to come off.

18:45

Their navigation system sucks.

18:47

There's rusting on the inside.

18:49

It was like this when I picked it up.

18:50

I definitely think it's worth a hundred thousand dollars.

18:52

So included with the foundation series,

18:54

you got all weather formats,

18:55

and if you look right up here,

18:57

there's a little Cybertruck logo.

18:58

- Wait, did you say floor mats for all weather?

19:01

Well, nevermind then.

19:03

They should have charged an extra $50,000.

19:05

Sorry, I should be more sensitive.

19:06

These people are going through enough right now.

19:08

It's bad enough their car is falling apart,

19:10

but they're also getting relentlessly bullied.

19:12

Cyber clown trucks for stupid.

19:14

Give it to the stupid clown to spend their life away.

19:17

And this guy just said, gay trucks,

19:19

that's like a truck owner's worst nightmare.

19:21

I will say one thing I do really love about this car

19:23

is that the rear view mirror doesn't work.

19:26

Its view is completely obstructed most of the time.

19:30

I mean, if you want,

19:31

you can just look down at the screen

19:31

at the rear view camera,

19:33

but that also becomes useless

19:35

if it gets even a little bit dirty.

19:36

And isn't driving through dirt

19:38

kind of the whole point of having a truck,

19:40

that's all they do in commercials.

19:41

Now, if off-roading is the thing you wanna do in this truck,

19:44

good luck because it doesn't seem to know how to do that.

19:47

My friend in the 4Runner

19:48

wanted to take that incline challenge and he killed it.

19:51

The Subaru also went up that incline.

19:53

The Cybertruck did not make it up that incline.

19:56

And once we got to about the middle of the incline,

19:59

it would stop.

20:00

We tried to airing down to 30 PSI,

20:01

but it still did not make it up the hill.

20:03

Also, you're not gonna believe this,

20:04

but part of his car broke while he was doing this.

20:07

How does this keep happening?

20:08

To be fair though,

20:09

look how easily it navigates this puddle of mud.

20:11

I mean, if I tried to drive through that in my old Civic,

20:14

I literally would've drowned.

20:15

But this truck can do things

20:16

that I've never seen any vehicle do before.

20:19

Yes, technically this road is paved,

20:21

but they're still in the woods.

20:23

That's gotta account for something.

20:25

This truly is the all in one vehicle.

20:27

You can drive out in the middle of nowhere

20:29

and sleep there if you want.

20:30

Even comes with its own tent

20:31

that you can attach to the back of the truck

20:34

for an additional $3,000.

20:36

Now considering you can get a pretty big tent

20:38

for like a hundred bucks,

20:40

you'd probably assume that this thing is decked out

20:42

with premium features.

20:44

No, it's just a tent.

20:45

A one inch thin mattress, a couple of straps,

20:48

a zipper that barely works.

20:50

But since it's an official Tesla product,

20:52

you know you're getting that signature

20:53

high quality engineering.

20:55

Oh, that didn't sound good.

20:57

- It's broken.

20:58

- It even comes with a bicycle pump.

20:59

So you can spend 10 minutes manually blowing it up.

21:01

For $3,000, you should be able to hit a button

21:05

and watch this thing assemble itself.

21:06

It is crazy to me how much they're able to overcharge

21:10

for the most basic shit.

21:11

Cosmetically, this stainless steel, absolutely gorgeous.

21:15

It does pick up the occasional fingerprint

21:17

if you touch it at all.

21:19

But as long as you don't get in the car

21:21

or anywhere near the car,

21:22

you've got nothing to worry about.

21:24

And if it does get a little spotty, not a problem,

21:26

just take it through a car wash.

21:27

But if you do do that,

21:28

make sure you put it on car wash mode first.

21:31

Otherwise it'll break the truck and void your warranty.

21:33

- The Cybertruck does not work anymore.

21:36

Listen to the noise this thing makes.

21:39

Has a weird popping sound.

21:41

So what did I do different?

21:42

Today I went to the beach, took it through the car wash,

21:44

make sure all the sand's off,

21:45

then I pulled it in the garage and nothing.

21:47

- This thing is practically invincible.

21:49

You can hit it with a hammer,

21:51

you can hit it with a shopping cart,

21:52

but if it gets any bugs on it,

21:54

you need to clean that off immediately

21:57

or you will ruin it forever.

21:58

The Cybertruck is also famously bulletproof,

22:00

for some reason,

22:01

although I'm not really sure

22:02

why they've made that one of the primary selling points.

22:05

- When you shoot a normal truck,

22:06

the bullets go in one side straight through

22:08

and out the other side.

22:09

You cannot hide behind the vehicle to be safe.

22:11

So it's something to keep in mind.

22:13

- Keep in mind for what?

22:14

Who are you marketing this car to? John Wick.

22:17

The things they chose to prioritize while making this truck

22:20

are baffling to me.

22:21

Who gives a that it's bulletproof

22:23

if the material they had to use to make it that way

22:26

makes it so razor sharp

22:28

you cut your hand every time you open the door.

22:30

Who cares how strong the interior is

22:32

if it can't even get wet?

22:34

They're calling it a car made for any planet.

22:37

Guys, why don't we start with making it work on this one.

22:39

As far as safety goes,

22:41

I've seen conflicting reports about this.

22:43

There's a crash that happened

22:44

between a Cybertruck and a Toyota Corolla.

22:46

And if you look at the photos from the accident,

22:48

you might think, wow, this truck is invincible.

22:51

It barely got a scratch on it.

22:52

Meanwhile, the guy in the corolla

22:53

is probably seriously hurt, right?

22:55

No, he's fine.

22:56

The problem with this rigid outer body

22:59

is that cars are designed to crumple in an accident.

23:02

That's their way of absorbing as much force as possible.

23:05

If your car doesn't crumple,

23:06

that force will be passed on to the passengers inside of it.

23:10

So while the Cybertruck may look like

23:12

the world's most indestructible car,

23:14

a lot of people who know more about physics than I do

23:16

aren't so sure this is a good thing.

23:18

I think what Tesla has done

23:19

the most successfully with this truck

23:21

is make it so their target audience

23:23

doesn't care about any of these problems.

23:26

I've seen people online

23:27

who are actively enduring nightmare situations

23:30

still go out of their way to defend this company.

23:33

Cybertruck broke down on my first road trip with my family,

23:36

lost the back motor and was unable to drive.

23:39

Had to get it towed two hours back home.

23:42

Eh, first year problems.

23:43

Always good to wait a year or two on a brand new model.

23:45

I know this as an early 3/Y owner,

23:47

but man, come on, had to grab the Cybertruck.

23:51

No you didn't,

23:52

and it definitely seems like you shouldn't have.

23:54

I found this guy on Twitter

23:56

whose experience perfectly encapsulates

23:57

the Cybertruck launch.

23:59

His truck broke pretty much immediately.

24:01

He got that patented flashing red critical service error,

24:05

couldn't even drive it, had to pull over.

24:06

Since then, it's been in the shop for weeks

24:08

with no word on how long it's gonna take to fix.

24:11

There's apparently at least 10 different things

24:13

wrong with it.

24:14

Wire harness needs replacement, ripple in windshield,

24:16

driver's seat rubbing on center console,

24:18

headliner sagging, chip in foundation series dashboard trim,

24:21

mobile connector provided with Cybertruck

24:22

not charging the truck past six amps,

24:24

frunk misalignment, one side is higher,

24:25

rear side arch misalignment, sticking up.

24:27

It could be another month

24:28

before this guy gets his $100,000 car back.

24:32

In the meantime, they're making up

24:33

for all the trouble they've caused him

24:34

by letting him borrow a regular model three Tesla,

24:37

which he himself described as being filthy

24:40

with a strong unpleasant odor that has persisted

24:44

even after he went to the trouble

24:45

of cleaning it inside and out.

24:46

And it is fascinating to watch this guy

24:50

who has been absolutely fucked by Tesla

24:53

continue to go to war on Elon's behalf.

24:56

People often criticize what they don't fully grasp,

25:00

but the moment you take the wheel of a Cybertruck,

25:03

everything changes.

25:04

You'll quickly discover that all other trucks

25:06

pale in comparison,

25:08

becoming obsolete in the Cybertruck's shadow.

25:11

Hey guys, it's been like two weeks since you took my car.

25:15

Are you almost done fixing it or?

25:16

They've got it all twisted.

25:18

Instead of comparing the Cybertruck to other trucks,

25:20

they should compare the other EV trucks features

25:23

and capabilities to those of the Cybertruck.

25:25

Then it becomes clear just how superior the Cybertruck is

25:29

and how the other trucks are stuck in the dinosaur era.

25:32

Hey, my car has been in the shop for its entire life so far.

25:35

Do you think I'm ever gonna be able to drive it again.

25:37

While other trucks are busy playing catch up,

25:39

the Cybertruck is already in the future.

25:42

Being the undisputed champion.

25:44

Hating on the Cybertruck

25:45

might get you more engagement and clicks,

25:47

but I'll never fake it to make it.

25:49

I love my Cybertruck.

25:52

Really wish I could get my truck back this weekend.

25:56

Still no update.

25:56

Dude, if I was this guy, I would be furious.

26:00

He has every right to be pissed off here,

26:02

but he seems to be more mad at the people

26:05

telling him he's been scammed

26:07

than at the company that actually scammed him.

26:10

I've spent so much time this month

26:11

watching videos of people driving this car

26:14

and talking about this car and hating on this car.

26:17

But at the end of the day, it's not fair for me

26:19

to fully judge something

26:21

that I've never even seen in person,

26:23

let alone actually driven.

26:24

Sure I can pick and choose clips

26:26

that fit the argument I'm trying to make,

26:27

but can I really condemn something

26:29

I've never even stepped foot inside.

26:31

No.

26:32

But then I found out there's an app you can use

26:34

to rent other people's cars for a day.

26:36

So I spent $700 to pretend I own a Cybertruck.

26:43

I love that sound.

26:44

This is my nightmare.

26:45

Everything on this screen, nothing's here.

26:48

I don't like how many buttons I have to press

26:50

to like turn the AC off.

26:53

For a truck as big as this is,

26:55

I don't love how sensitive everything is.

26:57

The steering wheel, you barely have to turn it.

26:59

You don't need to break.

27:00

I instinctively when I'm slowing down,

27:02

I want to take my foot off the accelerator and break.

27:05

But it breaks when you let go of the accelerator.

27:07

So it's like really jerky.

27:09

I guess I would get used to that if I drove it more often,

27:11

but so far it's just like I feel like,

27:14

I'm really drawing a lot of attention to myself.

27:16

Going to a Costco parking lot, probably a bad idea.

27:19

Everyone is turning and looking.

27:20

- When I drive, I do not wanna be perceived or looked at.

27:23

- That guy right there is stopping to look at us right now.

27:26

- Another Tesla is looking at us.

27:27

- He's like, ah, my big brother.

27:29

When we got inside Costco though, something weird happened.

27:33

People stopped looking at me.

27:35

I had to get out of there as soon as possible.

27:37

Look at all these normies.

27:39

Only I am in the Cybertruck.

27:41

(upbeat music)

27:48

Okay, so many steps to open the mirror.

27:51

They have something called karaoke.

27:52

♪ Shook to me feeling me singing from heartache ♪

27:55

- Like a lot of reviewers said,

27:57

you cannot use this rear view mirror.

27:59

It is just complete darkness in there.

28:01

It is very smooth to drive.

28:02

It doesn't feel like you're driving a giant truck,

28:05

but I kind of wish it did.

28:07

If you forget that your car weighs 7,000 pounds

28:10

and you're driving it like it doesn't,

28:12

like I just feel like it's way too easy

28:15

to accelerate as fast as you can

28:17

and slice someone in half, which I'd rather not do.

28:20

It was a beautiful spring day outside.

28:22

So the next thing on my agenda

28:24

was a romantic picnic in the park with my lovely wife.

28:27

What's wrong? You've hardly touched your cereal.

28:31

You don't want shrimp and Toast Crunch,

28:32

I got a banana instead.

28:33

I've driven a little bit now.

28:35

I'm pretty sure every time I've parked and gotten out so far

28:38

I've left the car on

28:40

because I don't know how to turn it off.

28:42

There's not like a button or anything.

28:43

But I finally figured out, it's very intuitive.

28:46

You hit this and then was it safety, right?

28:50

And then you scroll the way down.

28:51

And you wanna scroll past Joe mode.

28:53

Don't put it on Joe mode.

28:55

Then you just hit power off and then,

28:59

and then that's it.

29:00

And that's how you turn off the Cybertruck.

29:02

Getting the truck to fit into my garage

29:04

was a lot closer of a call than I expected it to be.

29:07

If I did own this car,

29:09

this would be quite the fun little adventure

29:11

to get to go on every single day.

29:12

And that's how you park a Tesla Cybertruck in your garage.

29:15

Despite all my issues with the truck,

29:17

the more I drove it around the city

29:19

and felt the enamored stairs from mesmerized bystanders,

29:23

I was reminded of what the guy I rented it from told me,

29:26

you'll feel like a celebrity.

29:28

And god damn it, he was right.

29:30

I've never felt more popular.

29:32

What, is that freaking Brad Pitt over there?

29:34

Nope, just little old me

29:36

driving the best truck in the world.

29:39

Please no pictures. I'm a regular person just like you.

29:42

I like the way this car makes me feel.

29:44

I don't care how much it costs.

29:47

If it's not solid gold, I don't want it.

29:50

- Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?

29:52

- Sure. But make it quick.

29:55

- Ever since you've been driving that car,

29:56

you've been acting kinda weird.

29:58

- How exactly do you mean?

30:00

- You're like a completely different person now.

30:02

- Oh, I see.

30:06

You're jealous. (dramatic music)

30:07

- What?

30:08

- You are jealous because I own

30:09

the world's most awesome car.

30:11

- You don't own the car, you're renting it for one day.

30:14

- Oh, tell me how I knew you'd bring that up?

30:17

- Because it's true, Drew.

30:18

- I'm sorry. I can't deal with this right now.

30:20

I need to go clear my head.

30:21

I'm gonna take an nice scenic drive

30:23

dangerously close to the edge of a cliff.

30:25

- We interrupt this slow motion car montage

30:28

with some breaking news.

30:30

Somehow the Cybertruck just got even dumber.

30:33

Tesla has officially recalled all 3,800 of the vehicles

30:37

due to a problem with the accelerator pedal.

30:40

Turns out the pedal has a cheap plastic cover over it

30:43

that's been fastened on so poorly.

30:46

It's sliding off,

30:47

getting lodged under the piece in front of it

30:51

and causing drivers to go as fast as this stupid car can go.

30:55

- It held the accelerator down 100% full throttle.

30:59

- This is a real thing that's actually happening.

31:02

We hear at Channel 300 News urge you,

31:05

if your husband is about to drive

31:07

one of these death traps near or around a cliff,

31:10

you must go stop him.

31:12

His life could be in danger.

31:14

- Honey, I just saw on the news.

31:17

(soft music)

31:19

- Who's a big strong truck? That's right,

31:22

You are.

31:26

Had to give the truck back last night.

31:29

It was one of the hardest moments of my life.

31:31

Technically, I still had a few hours left on the rental,

31:33

but Amanda said she felt weird or something.

31:36

I don't know. It's all a blur.

31:37

Final thoughts on the truck,

31:39

I think it should cost a million dollars

31:42

and I wish it had two accelerator pedals and no brakes

31:45

so I could drive twice as fast and never have to stop.

31:51

Please subscribe.

31:52

(upbeat music)