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Have car manufacturers really technologically advanced at all?

Immortality

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Although modern tech is nice, I don't like the "planned obsolescence" that seems to be built into it. Do you really need a small computer to run the AC or wind up the windows and running everything via Can Bus so when a module fails you can't simply swap it out without needing to link it to the system using software controlled by the manufacturer.

HUD is something I like the idea off (not taking your eyes off the road but then most people seem to be busy focusing on their phones anyway) but again, it's not something that should stop a car and it is something that can be added as a feature later if one chooses.

To answer the OP's question, hell yes car tech has advanced, I think the question you are really asking is has car tech improved cars practically for the end user/owner and that is much more debatable. You also need to ask yourself, what does the average car owner want? Most people who visit forums like this are what would be considered an enthusiast who is more into self maintenance and upgrades where as your average motorist only cares it gets them from point A to point B.
 

Pollushon

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I'd rephrase that as hell yeah car tech has advanced but it is not advanced tech

This 'shortage' could be the making of a better future for drivers, manufacturers and good old support personnel with some investment into software defined, application-centric hardware like Tesla
 

Ginger Beer

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Advanced technically in leaps and bounds

Long term reliability is a big fail
 

Astranomical

Ecotec just kicked in yo
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Hi all, long time member, haven’t posted in ages but still occasionally lurk and couldn’t help but chime in here.

As a 37 year old, I watched cars go through massive leaps in power, economy, fuel economy, reliability, safety, and comfort throughout the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s. Driving a car made in 1980 Is a completely different experience to driving one made in 1989, same can be said for driving one made in 1990 vs one made in 1999, or one made in 2000 vs one made in 2010. My personal ”sweet spot” in particular is that 90’s/early 2000’s period where huge improvements were made in safety and comfort, yet the cars were simple enough to still work on yourself, I guess hence why my fleet (2007 AH Astra (my first car, and daily), VX Berlina, VN Calais, 1994 Mazda 626, 1992 Mazda MX-6) tend to mostly reflect that period.

In the past 10 years however, I feel very little improvement has actually been made apart from annoying “safety” technology and gadgets like distracting infotainment systems with stupid touch screens. Not to mention cars are increasingly being designed in ways to prevent you from doing anything on them yourselves. Hell there are some cars now that apparently have sealed engines, to prevent you from doing DIY oil changes. In the past year I’ve actually test driven a few cars mainly out of interest, and also as part of helping Mum buy her new car, and honestly apart from the Suzuki Jimny and the Swift that I drove, that I actually really enjoyed and exceeded my expectations, everything else I drove, mainly SUVs were bland and uninspiring at best, some drove like crap, some had crap seating (I’m looking at you Kia Stonic), but despite constantly being told by friends and family that I ”need” a new car, with the exception of the Swift and Jimny, there’s really nothing I drove that I’d honestly spend my actual money on. I intend to keep my current cars, and pretty much drive the wheels off them.
 

Skylarking

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cars are increasingly being designed in ways to prevent you from doing anything on them yourselves.
There’s a “right to repair” push in the United States that has lots of farmers joining the fight. Seems many USA framers are sick of being locked out of their own property and are turning to Russian hackers to update and unlock their tractor’s firmware. Hacked firmware allows them to self service their own tractors and avoid the huge service contracts they are pushed into… If they loose the fight in yne USAa, we’ll also be stuffed down under cause ACCC believes the lies the manufacturers tell them :mad:

As is, lack of printed service manuals, a move to proprietary oils & coolant standards (rather than using ISO/SAE standards, locked down firmware, expensive proprietary tools to service one’s own property (when it could easily be done via a MyLink app) are my pet hates that come from the automotive industry with a greedy smile…

But this has nothing to do with advancements in technology… It only has to do with increasing greed and wanting to squeeze you for more $$ in every possible way going forward… That’s why they make out cars break after warranty has ended. :mad: After all in a capitalist world, greed is good :oops:
 

hademall

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On the opposite side of the coin, driving an old car with no modern technology I spend more time doing a visual loop of the instrument cluster. Road, speedo, oil pressure, water temperature, road, mirrors, visual loop.
Yes, and that’s part of the fun!
 
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