Does anyone else but me think there are way too many electronics in today's vehicles?

[Gom]

I am not a technophobe, but I think there are just way too many electronics in today's vehicles and they are the source of a lot of the issues discussed here. My wife bought a 2021 Outback after her previous 2014 Outback was rear ended in a freeway accident. She loved her previous vehicle, but hates the new one as there are just too many "nanny state" electronics that drive her crazy, that she cannot turn off.

On my 2022 4x4 Diesel Ram, I have all the annoying stuff turned off, but the truck regularly hiccoughs with some type of electronic issue. Last week, the touch screen system was blank for a day. Now it's back. Yesterday, Car Play stopped working for some unknown reason.

Short of buying an older used vehicle, there's just no way around this garbage that I can discern. It's extremely annoying.

Totally agree, got rid of my 2011 Outback and now we have a Ford Edge with the giant screen and all the stuff that's buried in that screen to use it.
Don't know what I was thinking.....
Their logic with these touchscreen is baffling, it's ok to have to use the touchscreen to change HVAC settings, seat heater, steering wheel heater but it is forbidden to change the music on the usb input to a different album, because, distracting.

 

[OnTheTrails]

Short of buying an older used vehicle, there's just no way around this garbage that I can discern. It's extremely annoying.

Buy a used truck. They're great. You don't need the creature comforts of the newer trucks. By purchasing newer trucks you are technically feeding the problem. I drive a 1997 Toyota 4Runner, 2002 Toyota Tacoma, and 2005 Ram 2500 5.9 Cummins. I take good care of these vehicles because I appreciate that they are better in many ways - simple electronics being one of those reasons. They are easier to work on and maintain, generally speaking.

Many mainstream vehicle buyers are fooled into thinking vehicles are old after about 100k-125k miles.

I dread the day I have to buy a car newer than about 2010. I'm a huge fan of the 3rd Gen 4Runners, 1st Gen Tacomas, and 2nd or 3rd Gen Ram Cummins - for a good reason. Hey, if you really want heated seats or Bluetooth, you can add it yourself!

 

[craigsez]

I totally agree..Way to much tech maken people stupid and dependant on everything else but their own skill.....
I dont see it so much in the car/pick up world cause i barely drive my own but in the motorcycle world and 18 wheeler world its goin nuts..So much automation of sorts is basically eraseing the skill of driveing and abilitys of reacting to situations....
Dont need.....Auto high/low beam
Lane assist
Auto wipers
Adaptive cruise ect cause its just makeing drivers lazy and tooo depandent on electronics to drive for them....

Hell its in the raceing world to and it does the same thing to them,takes away from their skill...

 

[BWL]

Yea, a bunch of colors. Rainbows have been a thing of beauty, since I was a kid. Always will be.

Leprechauns, pots of gold and lucky charms to me.

 

[2Tallguy]

I am not a technophobe, but I think there are just way too many electronics in today's vehicles and they are the source of a lot of the issues discussed here. My wife bought a 2021 Outback after her previous 2014 Outback was rear ended in a freeway accident. She loved her previous vehicle, but hates the new one as there are just too many "nanny state" electronics that drive her crazy, that she cannot turn off.

On my 2022 4x4 Diesel Ram, I have all the annoying stuff turned off, but the truck regularly hiccoughs with some type of electronic issue. Last week, the touch screen system was blank for a day. Now it's back. Yesterday, Car Play stopped working for some unknown reason.

Short of buying an older used vehicle, there's just no way around this garbage that I can discern. It's extremely annoying.

I believe it's more a young person deal. I read up on the reviews sometimes and the focus is on big touch screens and other wizbang features. It's rumored that Toyota is going to offer a Plain Jane Landcruiser in the future similar to the ones in Africa, the Mideast, and Central and South America. bring it on

 

[PaleFlyer]

I'm a EE, and a nerd. And I'm planning to start looking for an old 12 valve Cummins here soon, both because it can basically run on anything combustible when the gov makes petroleum hard/expensive to try and force us to go electric, and because I won't need to hack it multiple times (PCM and bypass cable) just to make a couple basic adjustments...

 

[Tominator223]

Yes .

 

[Jim113]

A lot of the electronics in my 2020 I have turned off ... I tried backing into my driveway after I picked it up and the sensors kept picking up my wife's car which was about 8-10 feet away and activated the automatic braking system ...
I must say however the best electronic feature I use is the adaptive cruise control ... When going any distance on the highway I turn it on and rarely ever have to touch the brakes or accelerator ... Now if the lane assist worked better at keeping the truck in the middle of the lane, I could probably take a nap ... LOL ...

 

[Alweeja]

No Doubt about that.

 

[20IndyRam]

Is it possible to say "BOTH". I love my '70 442 and my '72 240Z. Both are basic with 4 speed manuals.

Also love my '20 Ram Ecodiesel with all the bells and whistles.

The 442 and the 240z are pure fun, but they demand attention. Plugs, points, brakes, fluids, just to name a few. Best thing I ever did for the 442 was upgrade to a HEI distributor. I would not even think of driving either for over 500 miles. They're fun, but they beat us up.

The Ram is comfortable, reliable, and sooo much safer (the 240z would tie in a collision with a bicycle). I drive it on 4K mile trips and love every minute. It can do real work, and get's better mileage than either of my vintage cars (my foot may be a little heavier in my classics). I do turn off the lane assist on the Ram because I like avoiding pot holes and bicycles.

Don't hate the tech. I can remember what it was like flying into cities in the late 70's and navigating with a rental car. Think paper maps at night in LA. Fast forward to current day - I plug my phone into a Citreon Diesel in Spain and navigate Madrid during rush hour. Yeah, I'm an old fart EE and I love the current tech in cars.

Love my old stuff for play - but the new tech is much easier and more reliable.

To each his own, but the new tech is pretty reliable and extremely convenient.

 

[TBFRam2599]

I am not a technophobe, but I think there are just way too many electronics in today's vehicles and they are the source of a lot of the issues discussed here. My wife bought a 2021 Outback after her previous 2014 Outback was rear ended in a freeway accident. She loved her previous vehicle, but hates the new one as there are just too many "nanny state" electronics that drive her crazy, that she cannot turn off.

On my 2022 4x4 Diesel Ram, I have all the annoying stuff turned off, but the truck regularly hiccoughs with some type of electronic issue. Last week, the touch screen system was blank for a day. Now it's back. Yesterday, Car Play stopped working for some unknown reason.

Short of buying an older used vehicle, there's just no way around this garbage that I can discern. It's extremely annoying.

Yea but I grew up w am radio only AC was opening the windows. And pull air vents on the side

 

[Paul Endes]

While I understand the electronics, there are way too many, and while it does many automatic things you don't see or hear, it costs a ton to fix.

Much of it is convenience, but when is it enough? I remember not having all the electronics, and it was fine then. I definitely do not like the fact that they could shut down my vehicle remotely (or for any reason), know my exact whereabouts in real time, or anytime, and the exact mileage in real time.


This all fundamentally boils down to "It depends on how you use it" LTC Renee Geneste, USAF. Control in bad hands means bad problems.

 

[weldguy]

Back in the day, Dad wouldn't even get electric windows because they could break!

 

[tron67j]

I find it interesting that when referring to distance men (usually) speak in terms of time, and women (usually) speak in terms of distance. Men don't care how far it is from Point A to Point B, they want to know how long it will take for them to get there.

Dude: "How far is it to Smallville?"
Dudette: "About 20 miles"
Dude: "OK, and how long does it take?"
Dudete: "I don't know, I've never timed it."

Or...

Dudette: "How far is it to Smallville?"
Dude: "About 15 minutes."
Dudette: "And how many miles is that?"
Dude: "I don't know, I've never measured it because distance is irrelevant. The time it takes is the only important thing."

I will go a route that takes a longer time just to avoid a traffic back-up, some people become idiots in traffic. Shorter distance just isn't always better for me so I guess in a way I am a "time" person.

 

[tron67j]

Back in the day, Dad wouldn't even get electric windows because they could break!

My uncle wouldn't turn on the A/C no matter how hot it was. Always fun in traffic on I-95 going to southern beaches as a kid.

 

[InuvialuitDr]

I am not a technophobe, but I think there are just way too many electronics in today's vehicles and they are the source of a lot of the issues discussed here. My wife bought a 2021 Outback after her previous 2014 Outback was rear ended in a freeway accident. She loved her previous vehicle, but hates the new one as there are just too many "nanny state" electronics that drive her crazy, that she cannot turn off.

On my 2022 4x4 Diesel Ram, I have all the annoying stuff turned off, but the truck regularly hiccoughs with some type of electronic issue. Last week, the touch screen system was blank for a day. Now it's back. Yesterday, Car Play stopped working for some unknown reason.

Short of buying an older used vehicle, there's just no way around this garbage that I can discern. It's extremely annoying.

Yes for sure to much, I have ram 1500 sport all black, my sensors are always giving warnings and the backup sensor is giving me trouble so I turned them off, other then that I love my truck

 

[Tulecreeper]

My uncle wouldn't turn on the A/C no matter how hot it was. Always fun in traffic on I-95 going to southern beaches as a kid.

When my dad had aftermarket A/C installed in his Ford pickup back in 1967, he took it into the shop a couple times complaining that it wasn't working on those long, hot drives across the desert between San Diego and Yuma. The tech finally took a ride with him and asked him to show him why it wasn't working. My dad turned it on, set the thermostat, and cranked up the fan. The tech said, "Well everything seems to be working now." Then my dad rolled the window partway down. The tech asked, "Why did you roll the window down?" My old man said, "To let out the damp air from the A/C." The tech replied, "Sir, this isn't a swamp cooler. It's an air conditioner that actually removes moisture from the air." My dad said, "Doh!," and never had a problem with it afterward.

 

[Jeff Strader]

Always remember the more complicated you make the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain…

 

[Rebel21Griff]

I am not a technophobe, but I think there are just way too many electronics in today's vehicles and they are the source of a lot of the issues discussed here. My wife bought a 2021 Outback after her previous 2014 Outback was rear ended in a freeway accident. She loved her previous vehicle, but hates the new one as there are just too many "nanny state" electronics that drive her crazy, that she cannot turn off.

On my 2022 4x4 Diesel Ram, I have all the annoying stuff turned off, but the truck regularly hiccoughs with some type of electronic issue. Last week, the touch screen system was blank for a day. Now it's back. Yesterday, Car Play stopped working for some unknown reason.

Short of buying an older used vehicle, there's just no way around this garbage that I can discern. It's extremely annoying.

I have been in Tech my whole career. I just bought a used 2021 Rebel. Love the lines, engine, & the ride. What I was not expecting was the non-intuitive user interface on the 12” display. There are so many greyed out functions (simple ones like Auto climate). Part of it may be user error as I have only had the vehicle for 3 weeks.

 

[bigramma0786]

I'm down for all the safety additions, but more electronics/tech means more things to break. Even if they break at the same rate as before, more stuff means more things breaking at any given time, which cost $$ and new knowledge to repair or replace.