[SpiritualPatriot]

As a former automotive design engineer, I can tell you "the most celebrated and technologically advanced" features and functions are a) engineered in an irrationally compressed timeframe to satisfy the program manager's (and corporate's) exceptionally aggressive schedule, b) thoroughly tested by "simulation" and only partially tested with real hardware because it costs money and time to actually test "real" hardware (and the models are SOOOO good [NOT!]), and c) manufactured in an outsourced, non-English speaking country, where manufacturing engineering is sporatic at best.

And of course, these are put on the most expensive cars, because the technology is not solid enough to put in the high volume cars until the "bugs" are worked out (can you say Recall?).

Give me a low-tech clunker ANY day - I can pop the hood and actually WORK on it. ;-)

[Gorzaloon]

As a former automotive design engineer, I can tell you "the most celebrated and technologically advanced" features and functions are a) engineered in an irrationally compressed timeframe to satisfy the program manager's (and corporate's) exceptionally aggressive schedule, b) thoroughly tested by "simulation" and only partially tested with real hardware because it costs money and time to actually test "real" hardware (and the models are SOOOO good [NOT!]), and c) manufactured in an outsourced, non-English speaking country, where manufacturing engineering is sporatic at best.

Which is why only a looney buys the first model year!!! I learned my lesson when young with a 1954 Mercury, the first year with the OHV V8. I have spent a lifetime trying to forget the experience.

Still have dreams about the '58 Studebaker Golden Hawk, though..WHY did I sell that!!!?

[investigateworld]

Just wondering: does the Asian concept of "face" inspire the auto manufactures there to do a better job?

[First_Salute]

R'44

[SolutionsOnly]

Give me a low-tech clunker ANY day - I can pop the hood and actually WORK on it.

I hear that! I'm still driving two 1980's German Cars, back in the era when US comapinrs were trying to relearn what a car was suppose do be (Remember the K-cars? - gag) . Be it Porsche 944's, BMW 3-series, or VW Sciroccos, I love 'em. Real German sports cars - not some 'Made in Brazil or South Africa or Mexico, but actually made in Germany. All fun cars to drive. I keep them like new, mostly because I can't buy replacements in terms of value - the cars are basic, reliable transportation, good styling, good handling good gas mileage - produced in the era when fuel injection (a very good thing) was becoming the norm, yet the Japanese trend to gadget-ize everything had not kicked in and you could still get manual windows (hurray!) Call me a luddite, but I don't need a GPS in my dash, On-star satellite door-unlocking nonsense, mysterious and weird little 'check engine' lights, or engine error codes. Nowadays the race to out-gizmo the competition makes cars unappealing. Bring back the 1972 Ford Bronco, the Land Rover defender 90, the old Chevy Suburban, The Porsche 944 and keep your 14-way power seats! I want a car - not something from Battlestar Gallactica.

[WildTurkey]

Give me a low-tech clunker ANY day - I can pop the hood and actually WORK on it. ;-)

I still have my box of TV tubes. Just in case.

[EEDUDE]

"As a former automotive design engineer"

I am too, and I agree with EVERY WORD YOU SAID.

It is not the engineers who are going wild, it is management and marketing that come up with all these new ideas 6 months before the vehicle is to go into production.