Seriously, we have

• A display of the current speed limit which is often incorrect (e.g. picks up a bus route number that tells me the speed limit is 50 when its 30!)
• Collision warning that beeps and flashes when creeping past a vehicle on a very narrow road
• Never quite sure if the steering is going to correct for a road imperfection that I'm already correcting for
• Touch screen controls that you can't use while you are moving 'cos you have to watch what you are accessing instead of the road
• Heater controls that are way out of the line of sight, and switch things on that you have to switch off again (e.g. the A/C!) so you have to look down to see whats happening
• Rotary controls that don't keep thier settings, and you can't tell by feel what they are set to (heater again, and lighting)
• Speedo that is too low down, so the parallax effect makes you think you are doing 30mph when you are really doing a little more - great for the local speed camera operators (we have had neighbours done for 31 and 32 mph)
• Ifs, ands, and buts associated with the tech which means you can't rely on it anyway, so learn to ignore it - after a bit!
• A system that warns you if you do something wrong when leaving the car and attempting to lock it - except if you leave a window open!
• Auto-dipping headlamps that don't (On other peoples cars, not mine - ever cycled towards one, or had one come up from your right as you are waiting to turn out of a side road?)

There's probably more in the stuff that I've switched off and forgotten about!

All adds up, IMO, in the context of driving while distracted (and of course colliding with something !)

Couldn't agree more Richard, and probably, as you suggest, a few more things could go on that list.

I used to think that when I eventually came to give up driving it would be because of a health issue, such as failing eyesight. Now I'm starting to think it will be when I just can't take any more of this stuff!😀

Perhaps you should of got the HUD screen as an option.

I rarely have to look down from the windscreen as all the info is right in front of me. Speed I'm driving at, road speed limit which flashes red if I go over it, lane assist markings which also change colour ,white,green and red and the sat nav info also comes up to with directional arrows.

Not sure why your heating temperature doesn't keep the same though. Ours it at 20 degrees and only gets altered in the summer months and that's if I put on.

My biggest annoyance is the heated seats button. Press it once and all three icons light up but go to switch off and you have press it x3 but I can live with that.....just 😄

For those of us old enough to remember the Vietnam War,  one of the complaints from US Fighter pilots was that "information overload" from avionics and tactical data from the carrier was detracting from the pilots ability to react to aerial attack.  They started turning things off so they could concentrate on not getting shot down !

I certainly think the same about modern cars,  far too much "stuff" and also that an automatic system is normally re-active, not proactive.  A friend calls his white line departure system the "Bike Killer" as if he crosses the white line to give the cyclist clearance, it wants him to move back.  And you can always identify the satnav user, they are probably in the wrong lane because they are not looking at the signs !

Quote

Not sure why your heating temperature doesn't keep the same though. Ours it at 20 degrees and only gets altered in the summer months and that's if I put on.

Your wife cannot be of a certain age, when the temperature is always wrong !

12 hours ago, Paulkp said:

Your wife cannot be of a certain age, when the temperature is always wrong !

Almost, that's why the heater never gets used as enough warmth generates from her " hot flushes" 🤫

I was reading the other day about the projected large increase in the number of cars over 10 years old in the next few years. The implication of the various news items was that it was connected to the financial situation and rising costs of new cars, which I'm sure is a factor.

I wonder however, whether all this "stuff", which many of us don't want, is part of the explanation. Walking through my village (which is by no means a deprived area), it is now very noticeable how many, if not most, cars on driveways are over 6 years old and cars 10+ are very common. I get the vibe talking to people that they see no point in buying a new car when, from their point of view, it will not be as good as the one they have. 

One of my near neighbours is a case in point. Over the 30 odd years we've been here, he's bought a new Golf regular as clockwork every 3 years, but not now. His Mk 7 is now almost 9 years old and he has no intention of buying a Mk 8.

Vaguely on topic. I keep seeing comments from Stellantis group expressing concern that all this technology, and the push to EVs, is going to drive ordinary people out of the new car market. Citroen in particular seem to keep coming up with concepts for simpler, less tech-heavy vehicles (where legislation allows) which might keep prices under control. 

As they say, it's not altruism, they are in business to make money, but they can't do that if most of the population can't afford the product. I thought this was an interesting idea from Citroen:

https://scribes-alcove.co.uk/citroen-plans-15-year-car-leases-with-recycled-parts/

1 hour ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Vaguely on topic. I keep seeing comments from Stellantis group expressing concern that all this technology, and the push to EVs, is going to drive ordinary people out of the new car market. Citroen in particular seem to keep coming up with concepts for simpler, less tech-heavy vehicles (where legislation allows) which might keep prices under control. 

As they say, it's not altruism, they are in business to make money, but they can't do that if most of the population can't afford the product. I thought this was an interesting idea from Citroen:

https://scribes-alcove.co.uk/citroen-plans-15-year-car-leases-with-recycled-parts/

I do think that even in todays market the option to purchase a new car is diminishing very quickly.

Not sure how the manufacturer/dealers are going bridge the huge rises in cost for the customer.

I would think that the way things are going with more people working from home now and plenty of people choosing to keep hold of their cars longer then I can see something along the lines of local electric car hubs, where you simply pay via an app or card to unlock a car and use it then return it. In a similar way to short term renting.

3 hours ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Citroen in particular seem to keep coming up with concepts for simpler, less tech-heavy vehicles

Yes, I remember the 2CV 🤣

3 minutes ago, unofix said:

Yes, I remember the 2CV 🤣

And me. I worked on a couple in the early 1980's . 

10 minutes ago, unofix said:

Yes, I remember the 2CV 🤣

Yeah, college mate of mine had one - bet he wished he'd kept it, getting to be a desirable classic nowadays!

 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, not cheap now! 

That was in the era when 3 wheel nuts were enough to hold the wheel on. 

For your eyes only @iantt

 

On 10/24/2022 at 9:58 AM, RMurphy195 said:

There's probably more in the stuff that I've switched off and forgotten about!

All adds up, IMO, in the context of driving while distracted (and of course colliding with something !)

Aahhh... I see your problem, you have got a 2020 car. Mine was built in 2005, when men were men, and were given the right to actually 'drive' their car using old fashioned skill, like observing what went on around them, and when setting a rotary control, it stayed there till you decide to change it. In addition to switching on your lights when it gets dark, and turning on your wipers when it gets wet, I love my car 

19 minutes ago, Wino said:

For your eyes only @iantt

 

Worked on Peugeot 304 also as shown under the CV. My first garage I worked at  was Peugeot. 

19 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Aahhh... I see your problem, you have got a 2020 car. Mine was built in 2005, when men were men, and were given the right to actually 'drive' their car using old fashioned skill, like observing what went on around them, and when setting a rotary control, it stayed there till you decide to change it. In addition to switching on your lights when it gets dark, and turning on your wipers when it gets wet, I love my car 

LOL. I set off from the works car park the other day, well early evening and wondered why the car behind was flashing its lights and a couple of people I could hear shouting in my direction when I stopped to let them cross the crossing at the entrance / exit only to find out that I'd not switched my lights on, yep, was in the Noddy car. Its surprising how you get used to having such luxuries 🤣

It was so time consuming and annoying to physically turn the stalk two turns to put them on 😬😉

11 minutes ago, Wino said:

...only to find out that I'd not switched my lights on, yep, was in the Noddy car. Its surprising how you get used to having such luxuries...

Apparently some 2023 cars will automatically flash your lights for you on witnessing errant driver behaviour, take a photo of the naughty car via built in camera, and automatically send a report to the police...

59 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

Aahhh... I see your problem, you have got a 2020 car. Mine was built in 2005, when men were men, and were given the right to actually 'drive' their car using old fashioned skill, like observing what went on around them, and when setting a rotary control, it stayed there till you decide to change it. In addition to switching on your lights when it gets dark, and turning on your wipers when it gets wet, I love my car 

You just bought the wrong spec, Ghia had auto lights and wipers in 2005.

 

5 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

You just bought the wrong spec, Ghia had auto lights and wipers in 2005.

 

I had the misfortune to rent a Renault Captur a while back, it had both, I HATED them  LOL

4 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

I had the misfortune to rent a Renault Captur a while back, it had both, I HATED them  LOL

They're not all designed equally tbf.  I haven't driven a Renault so can't comment on those. 

First had auto wipers on my second car, a 2001 306, awesome bit of tech!!  Climate control too, as well as half leather, 4 electric windows, electric heated mirrors, 3 remote keys and a 6CD changer!  I'd bought the comfort spec one as I liked the 306 but hated the poverty version I bought first.  I've always been more into spec & comfort than speed!

Have also had auto wipers & lights on Mk2, 3 & 4 Focus's, Vectra C and Mk6 Golf.   Haven't found any I didn't get on with so far.  I wouldn't buy a car without them myself!!

Stephen is waiting to px his focus for this . 

 

I like auto lights and wipers. What I don't like and I switched them off permanently on my Mondeo was lane keep assist. 

Unfortunately Ernie has got it too. Even after switching it off, the next ign cycle puts it back on. 

5 minutes ago, iantt said:

Stephen is waiting to px his focus for this . 

 

Who doesn't love 'run flat' tires! LOL

56 minutes ago, iantt said:

lane keep assist.

Luckily on the Mk4 Focus that feature does not revert to on again at the next Ignition cycle unless it was on in the previous driving cycle.

9 minutes ago, Tizer said:

Luckily on the Mk4 Focus that feature does not revert to on again at the next Ignition cycle unless it was on in the previous driving cycle.

Fortunately there's a proper button I can press rather than scrolling through a menu. I see there are other lka features in the cluster menu but haven't looked yet to see what they do.