Automatic cars go crazy with inexperienced drivers

Many people label automatic cars as "crazy" cars, perhaps there is still much to discuss on this topic. Here are some situations where automatic cars are "crazy" according to the driver.

Perhaps no one has been taught how to start an automatic car, I would like to take the liberty of citing my own experience as evidence. The first car I drove when I did not have a driver's license and was instructed by my brother "Press the brake -> Start the engine -> Shift to D (or S if there is a sport mode) -> Release the brake and slowly press the accelerator". The car will slowly move, everything is so simple.

Automatic transmission car. Illustration photo

The second way to start a new Accord was instructed by a friend: "Press the brake -> Start the engine -> Shift to D -> Release the brake, the car slowly moves -> Move the brake pedal to the accelerator to continue driving".

The third way was instructed by the dealer when I test drove the Fiat 500. Everything was even simpler "Start the engine normally -> Shift to D or switch to (+), (-) mode -> Slowly press the accelerator to move the car, if in (+), (-) mode (manual mode) -> release the accelerator, press + once to shift, press + twice to shift the car into gear again, everything is also simple".

I don't know if there are any other automatic cars that have another way to start. The second way has caused a huge uproar among taxi drivers on TV, claiming that Ford had a faulty accelerator pedal. However, we must understand that with automatic cars, the manufacturer has programmed it that way so we have to start it that way.

Situations that make automatic cars "go crazy" with the driver

Back to the main topic, no matter how you start, whether an automatic car goes slow or fast depends on the accelerator. The driver presses the accelerator slowly, everything happens normally. But the car can easily cause a series of collisions if the driver, for some reason, feels the accelerator pedal is not good, presses it too hard or presses it wrongly in an emergency braking situation. In this case, we should not say the car is "crazy" but the driver is "crazy", it's just that the car can't help, it will "go crazy" with the driver.

Scene of a series of accidents that killed 2 people and injured 12 others in Ho Chi Minh City on October 12, 2011.

While the car is moving

If the car is running in the street in 3rd or 4th gear (which you won't see unless the car has a gear indicator for you specifically like the Fiat 500) when you hit someone. If you brake in time the consequences will be mild but if you step on the gas by mistake it will be a disaster, a series of collisions will happen because when encountering an obstacle, the resistance is large plus the speed is reduced, the car will automatically shift to a lower gear to increase thrust.

Even if it is a small car, it is still strong enough to run over several motorbikes, unlike a manual transmission car. If it is a heavy vehicle, the consequences are much more serious. Fortunately, there are no automatic transmission trucks in Vietnam. When driving on the highway at high speed and hitting someone, it will not help us at all.

When climbing obstacles or reversing

According to the correct operation, you only use one foot to control both the accelerator and the brake pedal. In the situation of encountering an obstacle or going uphill, due to pressing the accelerator too much, the car jumps up, making you panic and mistakenly press the accelerator (while you need to use the brake pedal). The incident is even more serious. The error occurs even in garages, there are many cases of people jumping the curb and crashing into houses, backing up too fast and not being able to stop in time and falling into the river.

The solution is to put your left foot over the brake when you climb over an obstacle in the street or when reversing. This is an unusual way, I don't know if anyone taught it, but if it is recognized and included in textbooks, the risk of this accident will definitely decrease. In this type of accident, the conclusion is only that the driver is crazy, but there is nothing "crazy" about the car.

When you run a car with a manufacturer defect

This case is hopeless, only luck. Even an American traffic inspector died in an accident with a car like this, despite a long period of time calling for help but to no avail. The manufacturer is "crazy" here, not the car.

Everything changes if you drive a manual car.

Comparing the cases with manual and automatic cars, we can conclude that there is no "crazy" car, the fault lies with the driver or the manufacturer. However, in some cases, manual cars accidentally help you reduce the consequences or avoid the consequences, while automatic cars do nothing, so it is a "stupid" car, not a "crazy" car as people say.

The world's vehicle development trend is towards convenience and safety, but perhaps there are still many outstanding problems in the development process. Not all manufactured vehicles are perfect. Drivers who want to ensure safety for themselves and others must first improve their driving skills and clearly understand the vehicle they are driving, only then can they master it.

From there, you will not cause unfortunate accidents due to lack of knowledge or laziness. Manual transmission cars are complicated but will be simple if you are proficient, automatic transmission cars are simple but will have problems if you are lazy to learn and subjective.

According to VNE