ChatGPT saved me from a roadside nightmare this is exactly what we should be using AI for, not for replacing creatives

Date:
Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:36:53 +0000

Description:
A simple dashboard photo shows how AI can solve real-world problems in
seconds without drama, disruption, or embarrassment.

FULL STORY ======================================================================

Just imagine the scene. Its cold, its dark, its raining, youre driving in heavy traffic and suddenly, your car stops accelerating. It will only crawl along at a painfully low speed.

There are no obvious indications that anything is wrong: no flashing warning lights, no strange noises. So you pull over to the side of the road, switch
on your hazard lights, and feel your heart sink.

Great, youre thinking this means a call to roadside recovery, and who knows how long theyll take to show up?

That was me this week. Luckily, ChatGPT came to the rescue.

I hadnt owned my car for very long, and because it was second-hand it didnt come with a manual. I wasnt familiar with all the symbols and messages on the dashboard, but I did notice it was proudly displaying 19 mph limit with no explanation as to why. Pushing the limit

So I took a photo of the dashboard, uploaded it to ChatGPT, and asked what it meant. Almost instantly, it replied that my car had a speed limiter feature, and that it was switched on, and set at 19 mph.

I had no idea my car even had this feature! How had it been turned on?, I asked. ChatGPT suggested there was probably a button on one of the stalks behind the steering wheel. I had a quick look around, and there it was, clearly labelled 'Limit'. I turned it off, and just like that, my problem was solved.

As for how it was activated in the first place? My thumb or fingers must have brushed against the button while I was driving, without me realizing.

If Id waited an hour for roadside recovery to arrive, only for them to tell
me to press a single button, Id have been absolutely mortified. Now that I know this feature exists, Ill recognize the issue instantly if it happens again, and I know how to change the settings properly. On the road again

I probably could have reached the same conclusion by Googling it on my phone, but the ability to upload a photo of exactly what I was seeing and get a clear, tailored explanation made all the difference.

The response wasnt just accurate, it was instant. More importantly, it got me safely back on the road without having to make what would have been a deeply embarrassing call for help.

And this, to me, is what AI should be for. Quietly solving small, real-world problems at exactly the moment you need it, not churning out endless content, flooding social feeds with low-effort AI slop, or being bolted onto every product whether its useful or not. Used thoughtfully, AI can genuinely make everyday life easier. Used carelessly, it risks becoming yet another noisy, intrusive technology we didnt ask for.

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/chatgpt/chatgpt-saved-me-fro m-a-roadside-nightmare-this-is-exactly-what-we-should-be-using-ai-for-not-for- replacing-creatives


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