Because of emission and warranty rules I bet that within 3 years you won't be allowed to open the hood on a new car. Only dealers will have the means to open them. Probably electronically through the computer.  There will be a sensor and a readout for oil and coolant levels with a warning light on the dash.

Manufacturers will justify it by saying that there is no reason anymore for an owner to have to open the hood, and an owner wouldn't have the software to fix/diagnose anything anyway. If the car would fail to start, or had a defect, a built-in "On Star" type system will call a manufacturer's representative (formerly called a "tow truck") and someone will come out to you to handle the problem.

...you heard it here first.  I get full credit.[

Quoted: ...you heard it here first.  I get full credit.[

Didn't Volvo already design that prototype?  I thought I remember reading a story about that about a months ago

That would be a losing bet.  YOu might have better odds on 10 years out perhaps.  The big 3 already have preliminary design plans for 3 years out.  And sealed hoods ain't one of them unless it is Super Ultra Mega Top Secret.

I don't see it happening any time soon and if it did someone will find away around it in a matter of hours.

By Noelle Knox, USA TODAY
GOTHENBURG, Sweden — About 100 women at Volvo are doing something no one in the auto industry has ever done. They are designing a car for affluent, independent women. And it's definitely not pink.

The concept car, which will make its debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March, is a silver, sporty coupe with gull-wing doors, a 225-horsepower engine and tons of storage space. It's easy to park and easy to maintain.

Volvo hopes the prototype will send a message to female buyers, who have long felt neglected by male designers and disrespected by dealerships.

Beyond that, Volvo wants to shake up the male-dominated culture inside the company, something found at virtually all automakers. Ultimately, Volvo says, the project might help attract women employees as well as women buyers.

It might seem natural for this experimental project to come from a car company in Sweden — a country where half the prime minister's cabinet are women. But the Volvo women have had a rough road.

"Initially, they had to face a lot of resistance," acknowledges Hans-Olov Olsson, president and chief executive of Volvo, who gave the project the green light last December. "There were some who questioned, 'Will this work? Will they really be able to produce?' "

With three months still to go, the answer appears to be "yes."

The car is being developed in 15 months with a budget of about $3.3 million. It is the smallest budget and fastest time frame of any Volvo prototype — and by all reports, the best managed.

"When you talk to the guys in the Concept Center, they never had a concept car project that's been so on time and orderly as this one," says Lena Ekelund, assistant project manager.

The work has been done by a core team of 120 people that sometimes grew to about 140. The group — 80% of them women — was drawn from throughout Volvo to work on the project on a temporary basis. At its peak, the team was about 40 members larger than a normal concept car project group.

Concept cars are designed to test ideas and gauge customer interest. While Volvo's prototype might never be put into production, some of the bells and whistles could be added to cars that roll onto dealership lots starting in 2005. Camilla Palmertz, a safety expert who is one of the project managers, estimates the car's price would fall somewhere between $25,000 and $50,000, making it neither the most expensive nor the least expensive in Volvo's fleet.

The Volvo women surveyed about 400 of their female colleagues about what was missing from their cars and found that three-quarters of the answers were the same.

What do women want? Storage, parking, ergonomics and maintenance. Their design solutions led to some surprising features:

•No hood. The front end is designed as one large section, meant to be lifted only by the mechanic. The reasoning is women don't want to be bothered with maintenance, and the car is designed to be virtually maintenance free (oil change every 50,000 kilometers, or about 31,000 miles). When the car needs servicing, it sends a wireless message to a local service station, which will contact the owner and schedule an appointment.

•Storage space. The car has wide, gull-wing doors that allow easy access to the space behind the driver's seat. The rear seats are fold-up, theater-style, which allows more storage space. The emergency brake is electric, freeing storage space between the front seats.

•No gas cap. The car has a race-car-style fueling system in which the gas nozzle goes in through an opening with a roller-ball valve to prevent gas and fumes from escaping. Window-washer fluid is poured into a reservoir next to the gas tank.

•Easy to clean. The car has dirt-repellant paint and glass, as well as machine-washable seat covers. The seat covers and carpets come in a variety of styles for a customized interior.

•Easy to park. The car has a sensor to tell the driver if the car will fit in a parking space. It also can take over the steering to parallel park.

The car has run-flat tires, pedals that collapse to the floor during a crash to prevent leg injuries, and a headrest with a valley down the center for women who wear their hair in ponytails.

"The car industry has been trying for years and years to design a car that appeals to women," says Bob Peterson, an automotive consultant in Europe. "When Lexus did its research for the original LX400 in the late '80s, they studied the length of women's fingernails so they could design the (electric) window switches so they wouldn't chip or break nails."

Another Japanese automaker, Mazda, which is controlled by Ford Motor, created a women's marketing committee to provide information and input about what female buyers want.

Ah, yes, the Vulva.

"no user servicable parts, do not open"

maybe on a woman car (Honda, Passat, Mercury)

a guy would never buy a car with a sealed hood because the first thing your buddies will want to see when you bring it home is the engine

so you pop the hood and everyone nods approvingly, "yep, it's got an engine alright" and then you can return to drinking beer and wondering if the babes won't notice your comb-over as you cruise down the street in your beige 4-door sedan.

ETA: I typed this before I saw DK-Prof's post on the bimbomobile... I can just see the first test: "Vrooom vroooom screeeeeeeech BANG" (sounds of hysteria and sobbing) "who forgot to put the brakes in?" "those MEN made me forget!" "those bastages!"(more sobbing)

Quoted: Ah, yes, the Vulva.

The Volvo 240-series is probably one of the best cars built in the last 30 years!  Those cars rock!!


Don't hate them jsut because lots of Birkenstock wearing hippies like to drive them  

So. What's the big deal? It's getting so we can't even SEE the engine anymore, let alone WORK on it.

BFD.

Not to hijack your thread, but. When I bought my longass drive to work commute car(KIA Spectra) the salesman told me that the car could only use oil filters made by the manufacturer and sold through the dealer. When I took my brand new factory filter to the oilchange place they showed me a legal document that said if a car manufacturer makes you use a factory exclusive expendible item on their product;car, it must be provided at no cost. Mna, did I feel stupid!

Fits right in with this:

slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/07/30/1848224&tid=137&tid=126&tid=172

Imagine not being able to remove a bolt or attachment without the properly coded tool, one that the auto company will protect under DMCA so no one can come up with a way of producing a third-party version without being sued out of existance.  

How are the ricers going to install their mega cold air intakes, under-drive pulleys and multi-colored silicone tubing if they can't get the hood open?

So if you buy an SUV and it craps out where you saw it on an ad are they going to come get you???  hmmm, that could make for an interesting warranty.  "Yes, we sold you an AUV that was aadvertised aes being maintenance free, if you take it off-road, the warranty is void.  Yeah, that will go over well, at least for the 10% of us that actually take them off road.

Slightly revise that to: in 3 years there will be plans on the drawing board to have it 3 years henceforth. Six years total.  How can you gentlemen type answers so fast? Incredible.

If they make it I wont be buying it

I would'nt be suprised to see that happen with a notice that if you tamper or open the hood your warranty on the car would be void.  I am sure SEMA would not be thrilled to see this happen.

Quoted: By Noelle Knox, USA TODAY GOTHENBURG, Sweden — About 100 women at Volvo are doing something no one in the auto industry has ever done. They are designing a car for affluent, independent women. And it's definitely not pink. The concept car, which will make its debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March, is a silver, sporty coupe with gull-wing doors, a 225-horsepower engine and tons of storage space. It's easy to park and easy to maintain. Volvo hopes the prototype will send a message to female buyers, who have long felt neglected by male designers and disrespected by dealerships. Beyond that, Volvo wants to shake up the male-dominated culture inside the company, something found at virtually all automakers. Ultimately, Volvo says, the project might help attract women employees as well as women buyers. It might seem natural for this experimental project to come from a car company in Sweden — a country where half the prime minister's cabinet are women. But the Volvo women have had a rough road. "Initially, they had to face a lot of resistance," acknowledges Hans-Olov Olsson, president and chief executive of Volvo, who gave the project the green light last December. "There were some who questioned, 'Will this work? Will they really be able to produce?' " With three months still to go, the answer appears to be "yes." The car is being developed in 15 months with a budget of about $3.3 million. It is the smallest budget and fastest time frame of any Volvo prototype — and by all reports, the best managed. "When you talk to the guys in the Concept Center, they never had a concept car project that's been so on time and orderly as this one," says Lena Ekelund, assistant project manager. The work has been done by a core team of 120 people that sometimes grew to about 140. The group — 80% of them women — was drawn from throughout Volvo to work on the project on a temporary basis. At its peak, the team was about 40 members larger than a normal concept car project group. Concept cars are designed to test ideas and gauge customer interest. While Volvo's prototype might never be put into production, some of the bells and whistles could be added to cars that roll onto dealership lots starting in 2005. Camilla Palmertz, a safety expert who is one of the project managers, estimates the car's price would fall somewhere between $25,000 and $50,000, making it neither the most expensive nor the least expensive in Volvo's fleet. The Volvo women surveyed about 400 of their female colleagues about what was missing from their cars and found that three-quarters of the answers were the same. What do women want? Storage, parking, ergonomics and maintenance. Their design solutions led to some surprising features: •No hood. The front end is designed as one large section, meant to be lifted only by the mechanic. The reasoning is women don't want to be bothered with maintenance, and the car is designed to be virtually maintenance free (oil change every 50,000 kilometers, or about 31,000 miles). When the car needs servicing, it sends a wireless message to a local service station, which will contact the owner and schedule an appointment. •Storage space. The car has wide, gull-wing doors that allow easy access to the space behind the driver's seat. The rear seats are fold-up, theater-style, which allows more storage space. The emergency brake is electric, freeing storage space between the front seats. •No gas cap. The car has a race-car-style fueling system in which the gas nozzle goes in through an opening with a roller-ball valve to prevent gas and fumes from escaping. Window-washer fluid is poured into a reservoir next to the gas tank. •Easy to clean. The car has dirt-repellant paint and glass, as well as machine-washable seat covers. The seat covers and carpets come in a variety of styles for a customized interior. •Easy to park. The car has a sensor to tell the driver if the car will fit in a parking space. It also can take over the steering to parallel park. The car has run-flat tires, pedals that collapse to the floor during a crash to prevent leg injuries, and a headrest with a valley down the center for women who wear their hair in ponytails. "The car industry has been trying for years and years to design a car that appeals to women," says Bob Peterson, an automotive consultant in Europe. "When Lexus did its research for the original LX400 in the late '80s, they studied the length of women's fingernails so they could design the (electric) window switches so they wouldn't chip or break nails." Another Japanese automaker, Mazda, which is controlled by Ford Motor, created a women's marketing committee to provide information and input about what female buyers want.

This, from a car company who's insignia is a MALE SYMBOL?

Ironic...

And a for-sure POS, kind of like the Toyota 'Please Change my Batteries every 3-5yrs, $5,000  per pacck please' Prius...

I don't think I'd want to buy a car whose hood I couldn't open.

Of course, if they do implement some sort of fancy system like that, customers will probably have the hack tools in their hands before the cars even get to dealers. Even with DMCA, didn't CSS get cracked with Linux players using the crack available before DVD players were in most stores?

Actually, I imagine the number of people who NEVER open the hood of their car is probably very large.

I'd imagine that MOST people probably only open the hood to re-fill the sprinkler fluid.  Some smaller number occasionally checks the oil - but I never see them do so any longer at the gas station - and a TINY proportion of people actually change their own oil and fix their own car.

After going through the nightmare of encrypted RF ignition problems on my Mustang, I've decided my next car will be a Jeep CJ7 with a Chilton's manual in the glovebox. I'm actually about ready to give up on anything without a carburetor.

P.S.

I will not buy a car I cannot fix myself.

I do not trust mechanics, I do not pay $800 to install $35 parts, and I can promise you that unless it's Federal law, there will be one auto company that does not do it...

And they will get alot of business...

Just like one auto company still makes a plain-jane pushrod V8 for CARS (you know, small, low to the ground, no cargo space, actually reasonably aerodynamic vehicles... A 'unique' concept), and they (GM) are the only one I will buy from as long as that situation remains...

I'd love a computer that would tell me what the hell is wrong.  I aint a mechanic, and that damn "service engine soon" light has been on for ages

But this sealed hood crap is simply stupid.  WHY make it so you can't open it?

Stupid.


- BG

Quoted: Quoted: Ah, yes, the Vulva. Don't hate them jsut because lots of Birkenstock wearing hippies like to drive them

oh come on where's your sense of fun?    

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Ah, yes, the Vulva. Don't hate them jsut because lots of Birkenstock wearing hippies like to drive them   oh come on where's your sense of fun?

Man, I so need to buy a pair of Birkenstocks to go with my Volvo     I hear they are really comfortable.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Ah, yes, the Vulva. Don't hate them jsut because lots of Birkenstock wearing hippies like to drive them   oh come on where's your sense of fun?     Man, I so need to buy a pair of Birkenstocks to go with my Volvo     I hear they are really comfortable.

actually they are.  i'm wearing some right now



oh shit i'm never gonna live this down

Quoted: Quoted: Man, I so need to buy a pair of Birkenstocks to go with my Volvo     I hear they are really comfortable. actually they are.  i'm wearing some right now oh shit i'm never gonna live this down

.........nevermind.

ya know if a woman isnt capable of at least changing the oil and filter in her car . She might as well just stay home and leech of her current babby daddy.


Hell all three of my sisters were capable of changing oil, brake jobs and such while they were still in junior high school.  None of them are the town boy types in any sense of the word either. They are still more than capable around a car 20 years and three kids later.

Damn.....it took my sister until college to finally put gas in her own damned car.  I think thats all she does now though -- either I end up doing stuff when I'm up there visiting, or the parents do it when they're visitng, or else I guess she makes her boyfriend take care of her car.  Its not like putting air in the tires is that hard, is it?


Maybe this type of car would be good for some people.




I ain't one of 'em.  

Quoted: VOLVOs SUCK! One of Volvo's main selling feature is its reliability and its "Passenger Safety Cage..."  Trying to make the typical moron feel safer in a Vulva than in a Toyota...  Granted it IS safer than many cars on the road, my car can trump a Volvo any day of the week! In fact, last January my car collided with a BRAND NEW Volvo with passenger safety cage & other safety features... My car's damage: ~$2,300.00 US Volvo's damage: ~$22,000.00 US You see, I drive an excellent condition (soon to be collector's car) 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham. That Volvo didn't stand a chance.  A Volvo passenger was 1 inch away from being pinned in the car by their own dash board.  My Olds sheared right through that "Safety Cage" like it wasn't even there.  The Engine compartment was pretty much gone, the engine was smashed down out of the frame, and was sitting on the ground, the front wheels were torn from the car, NONE of the airbags deployed, and I was damn lucky nobody in their car died or was injured (other than whiplash).  They were at fault for pulling out in front of me.  Speed limit was 40 MPH, impact was at about 35 MPH. My car was repaired by certified mechanics in one of the best collision shops in the state.  This January I'm getting collector's plates on it & watch the value raise...

GO OLDS!!!

Quoted: GO OLDS!!!

An 80's Olds is like a Bradley IFV compared to the crackerboxes on the road nowdays.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Ah, yes, the Vulva. The Volvo 240-series is probably one of the best cars built in the last 30 years!  Those cars rock!! Don't hate them jsut because lots of Birkenstock wearing hippies like to drive them   VOLVOs SUCK! One of Volvo's main selling feature is its reliability and its "Passenger Safety Cage..."  Trying to make the typical moron feel safer in a Vulva than in a Toyota...  Granted it IS safer than many cars on the road, my car can trump a Volvo any day of the week! In fact, last January my car collided with a BRAND NEW Volvo with passenger safety cage & other safety features... My car's damage: ~$2,300.00 US Volvo's damage: ~$22,000.00 US You see, I drive an excellent condition (soon to be collector's car) 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham. That Volvo didn't stand a chance.  A Volvo passenger was 1 inch away from being pinned in the car by their own dash board.  My Olds sheared right through that "Safety Cage" like it wasn't even there.  The Engine compartment was pretty much gone, the engine was smashed down out of the frame, and was sitting on the ground, the front wheels were torn from the car, NONE of the airbags deployed, and I was damn lucky nobody in their car died or was injured (other than whiplash).  They were at fault for pulling out in front of me.  Speed limit was 40 MPH, impact was at about 35 MPH. My car was repaired by certified mechanics in one of the best collision shops in the state.  This January I'm getting collector's plates on it & watch the value raise... Edited to add: I wish I had photos...  I couldn't believe my car cut through about 4 feet of that car's engine compartment, and sheared its way into the passenger compartment...  At only about 35 MPH!!!

Gotta love American STEEL.

Of course, these days everyone is making plastic turd cars....

this shit will never fly any time soon..

too many people have a stake in this..

Oil Companies
auto parts companies
accessory parts companies
OWNERS




I had the check engine light illuminate on me this week,   for a fuel level sensor (sending unit in the tank)
Good thing we have a code reader at work, I could have spent a small fortune at the dealer to have them f'n idiots tell me that.  AND why have a "check engine light" for something minor like that?  they should have some other notification light, not one where you may 'play it safe' and park your car on the side of the road for "no reason".

I didn't actually read the thread, I just wanted to say that this sealed-engine rumor has been floating around for at least 15 years, maybe more. I remember hearing it in the late '80's.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Ah, yes, the Vulva. The Volvo 240-series is probably one of the best cars built in the last 30 years!  Those cars rock!! Don't hate them jsut because lots of Birkenstock wearing hippies like to drive them   VOLVOs SUCK! One of Volvo's main selling feature is its reliability and its "Passenger Safety Cage..."  Trying to make the typical moron feel safer in a Vulva than in a Toyota...  Granted it IS safer than many cars on the road, my car can trump a Volvo any day of the week! In fact, last January my car collided with a BRAND NEW Volvo with passenger safety cage & other safety features... My car's damage: ~$2,300.00 US Volvo's damage: ~$22,000.00 US You see, I drive an excellent condition (soon to be collector's car) 1985 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Brougham. That Volvo didn't stand a chance.  A Volvo passenger was 1 inch away from being pinned in the car by their own dash board.  My Olds sheared right through that "Safety Cage" like it wasn't even there.  The Engine compartment was pretty much gone, the engine was smashed down out of the frame, and was sitting on the ground, the front wheels were torn from the car, NONE of the airbags deployed, and I was damn lucky nobody in their car died or was injured (other than whiplash).  They were at fault for pulling out in front of me.  Speed limit was 40 MPH, impact was at about 35 MPH. My car was repaired by certified mechanics in one of the best collision shops in the state.  This January I'm getting collector's plates on it & watch the value raise... Edited to add: I wish I had photos...  I couldn't believe my car cut through about 4 feet of that car's engine compartment, and sheared its way into the passenger compartment...  At only about 35 MPH!!!

Umm - dude, much of what you are describing is PART of the safety features.

Obviously, if a much heavier (and 20 year-old solid steel) car hits a smaller modern car, you're not comparing apples to apples any longer.  I could run into your Olds with a Volvo semi, and conclude that Oldmobile SUCKS because the Volvo semi ran right over the olds and crushed it like a pancake

... but anyway, part of what you are describing are part of the safety features.  The engine is DESIGNED to drop in a serious collision - so that it goes under the passenger compartment, and doesn't crush and break legs or pin passengers.  Likewise, the engine compartment is designed to crumple and collapse - absorbing the impact and moemetum of a heavier car, so that the momentum (and subsequent decelleration) is not transferred to the occupants, injuring them.

Sure the Volvo was trashed - but if your car has been hit by a proportionally heavier car (just like yours is heavier than the volvo) I'd bet you that you would not have walked away uninjured like the Volvo passengers did.  Plus - if one car hits the SIDE of another (which it what it sounds like you are describing) usually the car hit int eh side will take a lot more damage.  

I also dont understand you statement that you sheared right though the safety cage - since it sounds like you cut through the engine compartment.  The safety cage only surrounds the pasenger compartment - the rest of the car is crumple zones and designed to disintegrate upon collision.

All else equal (i.e. when comparing equally-sized cars in similar collisions) Volvos have traditionally been some of the safest cars on the road.  You don't want to believe that - knock yourself out, and enjoy your fabulous Oldsmobile.  But what you believe doesn't really change any real facts.

DK-Prof is right, cars are being built with the Formula1/Indy frame of mind, which is "reduce inertia by reducing mass", mainly by having shit fly off of it at impact.  But F1/IRL has a fence all the way around.  I sure hope there are no innocent bystanders...


iNuhBaDNayburhood, I know exactly what you mean.  My first car was a 1983 Buick Electra Limited.  Goddamned thing was a tank, and could do and go anywhere.  I could tell stories for hours about that thing.  Suffice it to say that I followed many a 4wd, and passed them when they got stuck.  I miss that car.



As for the "unopenable hood", I am quite confident I could find something to open it with.  A diamond-carbide blade on a fuckup saw (reciprocating saw) should do nicely...

Bah! Yes I know about crush zones and energy dissipation and I also know that I was in a 1971 Plymouth Duster that got destroyed by a pickup going 60 and walked away with only a cut leg (passenger compartment was essentially intact, the rest of the car was GONE. Methinkst too many people are buying into Volvo's very effective ad campaigns (which have always stressed safety). Not to say that Volvo's are bad, just that they are not the "ne plus ultra" in safety. Dammit, now yall have me speaking French. Arrrrgh. I HATE the French.

Quoted: "no user servicable parts, do not open"

OMIGOD...It's the AutoMac!

Quoted: Not to hijack your thread, but. When I bought my longass drive to work commute car(KIA Spectra) the salesman told me that the car could only use oil filters made by the manufacturer and sold through the dealer. When I took my brand new factory filter to the oilchange place they showed me a legal document that said if a car manufacturer makes you use a factory exclusive expendible item on their product;car, it must be provided at no cost. Mna, did I feel stupid!

So, what now?

They make cars now that have hoods you dont have to open.  They're called leases.

Dude, a 1985 Olds Cutlass will never be a collector car.  Current value for an excellent condition Cutlass supreme sedan with about 100,000 miles $850.00

BTW the Volvo did exactly what it was supposed to do--protect the passengers (Although the fact that the airbags didn't deploy is disturbing).  A 35 MPH offset head-on is a serious collision--no one was hurt.  Part of the reason your car had little damage was that you crashed into a crumpling Volvo which absorbed most of the impact.

Am I the only one seeing this as a possibly HUGE problem?

•No gas cap. The car has a race-car-style fueling system in which the gas nozzle goes in through an opening with a roller-ball valve to prevent gas and fumes from escaping. Window-washer fluid is poured into a reservoir next to the gas tank.

Quoted: Quoted: ...you heard it here first.  I get full credit.[ Didn't Volvo already design that prototype?  I thought I remember reading a story about that about a months ago

It was designed 100% by WOMEN. They decided not to put a opening hood because women DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO UNDER THERE.

There are two filler-points in the car, and they're right next to each other - the gas, and the windshield washer fluid.

I can't wait for some idiot woman to fill up her tank with water and soap.

Quoted:<snip> This, from a car company who's insignia is a MALE SWEDISH STEEL SYMBOL? <snip>

Fixed.

Quoted: P.S. I will not buy a car I cannot fix myself. I do not trust mechanics, I do not pay $800 to install $35 parts, and I can promise you that unless it's Federal law, there will be one auto company that does not do it... And they will get alot of business... Just like one auto company still makes a plain-jane pushrod V8 for CARS (you know, small, low to the ground, no cargo space, actually reasonably aerodynamic vehicles... A 'unique' concept), and they (GM) are the only one I will buy from as long as that situation remains...

Huh? The corvette?

GM doesnt even offer a V8 RWD sedan anymore.

CTS-V.

11 years of responding to traffic collisons has taught me that the car with the most lug nuts always wins.  If both cars have the same number of lugnuts, then the car with the largest lugnuts wins.

My Chevy S10 DESTROYED a Honda RAV that pulled out infront of me, and only sustained a golfball sized ding in the process.  Chevy Trucks and SUV's typically do really well in collisions.  Toyota trucks, which i love for their reliability, are death traps in an accident.

The only problem with "crumple zones" is they turn minor collisions into total losses. Accident that would require new bumpers or fenders 10 years ago total $40,000.00 cars now.