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Is Y2K hell on wheels? by Erik J. Martin Scenario 1 : You're driving to a party shortly before midnight this New Year's Eve. Suddenly, the dashboard flickers on and off, and your car loses power. You can't control the gas or brake pedals, and you crash into the bumper of the car ahead of you. Scenario 2: You're driving to a party shortly before midnight this New Year's Eve. Suddenly, from out of nowhere a drunk driver veers out recklessly from a side street and crashes into your car./p> Which one of the two scenarios is more likely to occur? If you believe what automakers have been telling us, it would seem that the chances of you getting hit by a drunk driver on New Year's Eve are much greater than the chances of you driving a Y2K non-compliant car. The big three automakers - Ford, General Motors and Daimler Chrysler - continue to stress that their automobiles should run without a problem with the chips they currently have. These chips, also called microprocessors, can be used to control a car's powertrain, climate control, traction control, anti-lock braking system, airbags, stability enhancement, lighting and much more. Hence, their proper functioning is vital to the performance of your auto and your safety. However, these chips, the automakers tell us, simply aren't vulnerable to the Millennium Bug. The modern car is typically equipped with dozens of microprocessors, but most of the electronic systems in your average automobile aren't reliant on two-digit dates for functionality. Those that are have apparently been found to be Y2K compliant. Should we believe the auto manufacturers? Over the past few years, major carmakers like General Motors have been running plenty of tests on data processing-capable microprocessors in past, current and future automobile models. GM, in fact, reviewed all the microprocessors installed in cars and trucks assembled over the last 15 years. The reported results indicate that all systems are go: no Y2K bugs found. If you're still skeptical of compliance claims, consider this: When a system or part is found to be defective on an automobile, the manufacturer is quick to issue notice of a recall. Owners are instructed to bring their vehicles back to the dealer to fix the problem. Though these recalls may cost automakers big bucks, it's certainly less expensive than risking class-action lawsuits. And class-action lawsuits are almost a certainty if an auto manufacturer's vehicles are found to be Year 2000 non-compliant in the coming year. However, if their operations are any indication, the big three may not be as Y2K compliant as they claim. In 1997, back when it was still the Chrysler Corporation, the automaker performed a Year 2000 test at one of its assembly plants and found lots of bugs in its systems. Since then, the major automakers have spent tens of millions to fix their Y2K problems in factories and plants. GM alone estimates that total spending to prepare the company's computer systems of the Year 2000 may run up to $780 million. While automaker plant and corporate office Y2K glitches may not affect John Q. Driver or his Year 2000 compliant car, who's to say the costly repairs couldn't lead to higher auto sticker prices in the future? And just because your car is in the clear doesn't mean that you can stop worrying about other car and driving-related Millennium Bug snafus. Ask yourself: What kind of waiting times and inconveniences can we expect from dealers when our warrantied vehicle needs service? Will the digital diagnostic tools of auto mechanics work? What about the credit systems on the self-service gas pumps? And how reliable will our traffic light system be? Alas, we have no answers here. But at least you can stop worrying about your car acting like that possessed 1957 Plymouth Fury from the movie Christine come January 1. The worst you may have to fear from your vehicle on that date is a dead battery or frozen gas line if you live in a wintry climate. Whether you should take your chances on the road on the night of the world's biggest alcohol-soaked party is another story. SIDEBAR : For real driver peace-of-mind... -- Contact your automobile insurance company. Ask if your policy protects your from accidents and auto failures caused by the Millennium Bug. -- Experts recommend getting reassurance of Y2K compliance in writing from a dealer before buying a new automobile. -- Contact the manufacturer of your used automobile and ask about Y2K compliance on your model. For links to the automaker of your car, plus the latest news on Y2K efforts by the auto industry, visit www.auto.com/linksframe.htm . 1999 Thomson Target Media Erik J. Martin is a freelance journalist who has penned a regular multimedia column for Screen Magazine and has written for a variety of other publications, including the Chicago Tribune, Coverstory and The X-Files Official Magazine. He lives in Oak Lawn, Illinois, with his wife, son, and the Millennium Bug, which he is still trying to exterminate from his PC. Certainly no self-proclaimed technowhiz, Erik prides himself on being "an average guy with the same concerns and questions about Y2K as everyone else. My job? To get answers to those questions, and pass them along to you." Techno file index Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA