Autonomous vehicles are edging closer and closer to a viable alternative to the way we commute today, with some automakers now introduction auto-pilot semi-autonomous systems. The only issue is they still require input from a human.. or a water bottle?
Jalopnik quizzed the self-proclaimed experts on the topic of the best semi-autonomous system available on a car today in our latest episode of What Car Should You Buy, and the vehicles which require the least amount of human interaction are, of course, the most impressive.
With that being so, many automakers require the driver to make contact with the steering wheel within short intervals to insure that, while the vehicle is in control of things, the person with access to the controls is still paying attention.
User Stålhandske shared with us an ingenious (and very potentially dangerous) lifehack to get around the 10-to-40 second touch requirement on vehicles like the Volvo XC90 and other offerings from Audi, Mercedes, etc. You shove a water bottle in the steering wheel, fooling the sensors
Audi + water bottle.
Volvo XC90 forces you to touch the steering wheel every 40s. German manufacturers with the system above allows ~10s withouth hands on the wheel.
Congrats, Stålhandske, and thanks for sharing your lifehack. Hook up a straw to that water bottle and we’re in business.
Contact the author at justin@jalopnik.com or @WestbrookTweets.