Les, you sound like the New York Times: “Airplanes took aim at the World Trade Center.”
You are right, Slobodan, the car in question wasn't engaged in autonomous driving mode. By the way, at least a dozen publications reported it that way and I just copied it. Maybe because the police didn't release initially the details about the driver and the actual cause, and later there were unconfirmed reports on Monday that the 42 year old driver may have suffered an epileptic fit which caused him to lose control, so technically it was the car which continued driving and caused the carnage.
What we do know is that the car was a high performance Porsche Macan which according to Porsche is the first compact sport-ute “that is also a sports car.” The Porsche hit a traffic light mast before ploughing into pedestrians, and there has been speculation that the first impact may have been enough to stop a lighter vehicle. To get past the traffic light mast and continue through several bollards and a construction fence you need a heavy and powerful rocket.
Based on the Audi Q5 platform, the Macan is available as the S and Turbo, with twin-turbo V6s, standard active all-wheel drive and the Porsche PDK double-clutch transmission. The S is powered by a 340-horsepower 3.0-litre engine, accelerating to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds (5.2 seconds with the Sport Chrono package). The larger 3.6-litre V6 engine in the Turbo pumps out a formidable 400 horsepower and accelerates the SUV to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds (4.6 seconds with Sport Chrono). The standard equipment list is extensive and includes a multi-function sport steering wheel with paddle shifters, 19-inch wheels, a high-performance audio system and an electrically operated tailgate.
Just the right cruiser for the city streets.
