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I would suppose power assist brakes could go also. If one were actually willing to use hand signals for turning, (many wouldn't), blinkers could go as well.John Henry
American's on here can probably put me right if I get my facts wrong but I believe there was once a company who made cars and shared you point of view: Studebaker. The Studebaker Dictator (maybe this is one for the silly names thread, calling a car Dictator in the 1930s!) built to a better standard than a contemporary Ford or Chrysler but guess what - only one tail light because who needs two. Philosophy what's provided is good and don't waste on superfluous tat. Meanwhile there rest of the industry was thinking about chrome trim, radios.... History tells us who won with that one.(I suspect single tail lights might have been the norm in the early 1920s? I think Studebaker stuck with it after the industry moved on, studebaker - nice cars - too slow to adapt to the market)
(I suspect single tail lights might have been the norm in the early 1920s? I think Studebaker stuck with it after the industry moved on, studebaker - nice cars - too slow to adapt to the market)
First I had was a Holden (GM in Aust) '68 HR Station Wagon.Great car.Favourite though is a Peugeot 504 with the slant 2 litre four.Took a VERY big stick to kill one, and from '72 they had Discsall round, four coil rear Susp. Rack & Pinion steering, the motorwas excellent and it had the best seats I've ever had in a car.Maurie
In my humble and young opinion, I think all of the active technology being poured into cars (particularly the past few years) to make them safer is actually creating a side effect - drivers are becoming more ignorant and less attentive. I'm not referring to airbags, stiffer frames with crumple zones, and stability control. I'm talking about all of the auto-wizards built in to some of the newest cars that practically allow the driver to tune-out as soon as he / she sets off. When a vehicle can steer itself, alert you if you're veering outside of your lane, hit the brakes for you if it detects an imminent accident, and can activate the lights, windshield wipers, and even high beams automatically, the driver barely has to get involved with the vehicle. He / she can instead concentrate on what many drivers apparently view to be most important behind the wheel - text with their phones, balance a burger on their laps, and play with the radio. They're so blissfully unaware of their surroundings because the "safety features" have conditioned them to be so. "The car will take care of it." In my mind, all of that is needless junk that wouldn't be the least bit necessary if the driver kept their constant attention on the road. Imagine that!!!
I heard on the news this past week that 205 was the deadliest year in automobile history since 1950. The biggest contributor to the increase in deaths is technology. I drive a 2009 Ford f150. Not a fancy model. I counted 83 different knobs and controls I had access to while driving. Most were options. Looks like innovation has peeked on the old bell curve of auto technology.
WASHINGTON – Traffic deaths fell last year to 32,675, continuing a nearly decade-long series of declines in the key safety statistic, but federal officials warned Tuesday of a troubling increase in fatalities during the first half of 2015.The 2014 total roadway deaths of motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians represented a 0.1% decline from the previous year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced. But estimates for the first six months of 2015 signal an increase in fatalities, rising 8.1% to 16,225 from the same period last year.
But I think we're headed toward the driverless car era. If you can just get in and tell the car where to go, then you'll want a mobile office or entertainment center with all kinds of superfluous things like a massage chair, refrigerator, and coffee maker.
Yep, it is nostalgic to think about cars of our youth. Yep, they were easy to work on (in some cases) and I could repair just about anything on the car. Good thing too, cause new plugs and minor tuneup every 10k, carb rebuild at 20k, valve job at 50-75k, overhaul around 100k. Now I have vehicles that go 100k with only fluid and filter changes (and some well beyond that).Superfluous stuff. Yep, tons of it. Why have a heater or ac? No need for heated or electric seats. What about all that mandated stuff like seat belt warnings and airbags. Then there are the electric windows, heated rearview mirrors, soundproofing, power steering, power brakes, cup holders, etc, etc.OTOH, I LIKE all that stuff and am willing to pay extra for it. On the multi-day cross country trips I like to be comfortable and have those extras.PS and, yes, I would like a real cruise control and ABS on my bike. Even an integrated GPS would be nice.
