Gratuitous Technology, Why?

[Ingomike]

I am sure there are thousands of examples of gratuitous technology and I find them annoying. Why do product designers feel the need to put worthless features in products.

A friend picked up my trailer and the brakes do not work on their new Chevy truck. They work perfect on my truck with my "dumb" brake controller I have had since 1999.

It appears that the engineers built in the controller to the truck some years ago, that is good, what is not good is the newest controllers send a signal to the brakes and expect a signal back. If they do not get that signal the brakes do not work. Older trailer electric braking systems need a $150 part to work, this particularly affects electric/hydraulic systems like mine.

My truck sends a signal to the trailer brakes if there is a trailer or not, it does not hurt or cost anything. Why did they have to f**k with it? What was gained?

 

[Ingomike]

Why did tilt wheel need a motor assembly? Are we humans now to weak to move a steering wheel? Probably costs $500 per vehicle and there are literally a hundred other items like this adding useless cost to vehicles…

 

[hooky]

Why did tilt wheel need a motor assembly? Are we humans now to weak to move a steering wheel? Probably costs $500 per vehicle and there are literally a hundred other items like this adding useless cost to vehicles…

And then when the motor dies, you're SOL without spending $$.

The more gizmos and whirlygigs there are, the worse the maintenance is.

 

[spencer rifle]

SWMBO has endless issues with this stuff. "Why do you need 4 ways to do the same thing?" "How do you know how long to wait before trying again or giving up?" "Why doesn't this work on my phone - it's just fine on the desktop." My usual, unsatisfactory answer: "Ask the programmer. How would I know?"

As Scotty always said, "The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain."

 

[cburnworth]

This is why it is all automated now & costs more: I was at a client yesterday when a 20 something pulls in-
customer- "My headlight is out"
Advisor- "Your rear wiper is bad, $25 to for a new one"
customer - "ok, go ahead"
and then they proceed to sit for 20-30 minutes
people are so damn lazy

 

[BigRed]

This is why you can't find a simple, basic, 4x4 pickup without coughing up your left nut.

 

[Cameramonkey]

And then when the motor dies, you're SOL without spending $$.

The more gizmos and whirlygigs there are, the worse the maintenance is.

which is why when its time to get a new SUV I wont be buying the same one I have now. They did away with the 6 cylinder and replaced it with a 4 banger with turbo to achieve the same power output. No thanks. I prefer a simple engine with less moving parts to break.

 

[femurphy77]

This is why you can't find a simple, basic, 4x4 pickup without coughing up your left nut.

That's because there's a higher profit margin in selling pickups to urban cowboys, soccer moms, neighborhood watch nazies, etc than to people that actually need them. I've heard that to get a basic vehicle with manual windows, locks, etc. it actually costs MORE. YMMV

 

[femurphy77]

which is why when its time to get a new SUV I wont be buying the same one I have now. They did away with the 6 cylinder and replaced it with a 4 banger with turbo to achieve the same power output. No thanks. I prefer a simple engine with less moving parts to break.

Yup when I went pickup shopping the last time the Ford dealer DESPERATELY wanted to sell me on of those twin turbo V6's. They even went so far as to let me take it for a day and pull my trailer all over hell and half of Indiana just to prove it could pull it. And it did quite nicely but twin turbos mean two of everything and two of everything that can go wrong. Not to mention wearing them out just after the warranty expires and having to replace them on my dime.

NO THANK YOU.

 

[HoughMade]

This is why you can't find a simple, basic, 4x4 pickup without coughing up your left nut.

It's amazing what we now consider "standard". When I was a young man (and I sold trucks for a living), small trucks often didn't have power steering or power brakes. Half of all trucks, big or small didn't have carpet. Full size 1/2 tons could be had with manual transmissions, even a 3 on the tree in the '80s. Most didn't have cloth seats and leather wasn't even an option. Most didn't have air conditioning; none had automatic climate control. Very few had power windows or locks; only the highest end.

The very definition of a "luxury truck" (we sold GM) was a K series Silverado, which was the top trim, not the model, or High Sierra with manual adjust (fore and aft only) cloth seats, manual adjust mirrors, power windows and locks and air conditioning.

So, I just bought a barely used Ram 1500 4x4 Bighorn. The Bighorn is only 1 rung above the bare-bones model (which isn't all that bare). While it still has cloth seats, it has power windows and locks, automatic climate control, power pedal adjustment, 8 way power seats, cushy carpeting, automatic headlights and rearview mirror, a fancy sound system, back up camera and something like 6 or 8 USB plugs, etc., etc., etc. It is as luxurious (except for leather) and quiet as a Cadillac in the '90s...maybe even into the 2000s, and there are 4 trim levels above this. Heck, it's a lot more luxury than my 2007 Silverado which was 2 rungs up from the bottom (LT).

Granted, I am getting to be an old guy and I like my comfort items, but what is considered "standard" these days is pretty wild.

As to the OP, I have the trailer tow package with the built-in brake controller- I haven't tried it yet, but I'm hoping it plays well with my 1967 Champion horse trailer. If not, I've still got my Silverado.

 

[jkaetz]

I am sure there are thousands of examples of gratuitous technology and I find them annoying. Why do product designers feel the need to put worthless features in products.

A friend picked up my trailer and the brakes do not work on their new Chevy truck. They work perfect on my truck with my "dumb" brake controller I have had since 1999.

It appears that the engineers built in the controller to the truck some years ago, that is good, what is not good is the newest controllers send a signal to the brakes and expect a signal back. If they do not get that signal the brakes do not work. Older trailer electric braking systems need a $150 part to work, this particularly affects electric/hydraulic systems like mine.

My truck sends a signal to the trailer brakes if there is a trailer or not, it does not hurt or cost anything. Why did they have to f**k with it? What was gained?

In the case of brakes, the answer is likely trailer ABS and sway control. Though they should have made it backward compatible with older systems that aren't bi-directional.

Regarding electronic gizmos failing, I used to have this concern, but after having owned a 2011 German vehicle for the last 11 years and seeing that the electronics are not having any issues, I'm no longer concerned with that. I do still find things unnecessary and wish the features weren't all packaged together so you have to stack on $5000 of parts for a $500 option that should probably cost $100.

All that said, the motor vehicle was perfected around the 2000's. Since then manufacturers have been stacking on technology as a marketing gimmick since there aren't many sexy mechanical things that can be added and marketed any more.

 

[deo62]

And don’t forget they came without bumpers too

 

[Quiet Observer]

None of it is gratuitous. You are paying for all of it. Only that cup of coffee in the showroom was free, and the bumper sticker advertising the dealership.

I am 77. I have always heard that they made them better in the old days. Apparently, those made now are not as good as those made in the 2010s, which were not as good as those from the 2000s, not as good as 1990s . . . etc., I wonder why we did not stay with the model T.

I have varying viewpoints and one does not fit all situations. Some technology is better than older. It can be more expensive to manufacture a retrofit. How far back should it go? How many 20year old vehicles are still on the road? There have to be enough to make the manufacturing costs worthwhile. Some are safety and environmental requirements.

I do not understand the truck fascination in city and suburbs. Some beds never see a load. But they buyers want this and that add-on "to make my truck even more cool". To streamline manufacturing and reduce per unit cost, the manufacturer adds them to all trucks. That just drives up the cost of working trucks.

 

[HoughMade]

I don't think there' any doubt that from a pure mechanical perspective, vehicles today and far and away "better" than vehicles of 20 or more years ago.

When I was a kid, at 100,000 miles, cars were considered worn out and 5 year old cars almost always had rust through. Not anymore. With basic maintenance, you get twice the miles easily, and it tales closer to 10 to 15 years before you see significant rust...if you ever do.

The issue is that some tech add-ons aren't necessary and beyond that, cause unnecessary complications. Further, "stripped down" models just aren't offered anymore. Color me surprised that I just found out that a Wrangler can be had with roll up windows and no power locks. That may be close to the last.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

None of it is gratuitous. You are paying for all of it. Only that cup of coffee in the showroom was free, and the bumper sticker advertising the dealership.

I am 77. I have always heard that they made them better in the old days. Apparently, those made now are not as good as those made in the 2010s, which were not as good as those from the 2000s, not as good as 1990s . . . etc., I wonder why we did not stay with the model T.

I have varying viewpoints and one does not fit all situations. Some technology is better than older. It can be more expensive to manufacture a retrofit. How far back should it go? How many 20year old vehicles are still on the road? There have to be enough to make the manufacturing costs worthwhile. Some are safety and environmental requirements.

I do not understand the truck fascination in city and suburbs. Some beds never see a load. But they buyers want this and that add-on "to make my truck even more cool". To streamline manufacturing and reduce per unit cost, the manufacturer adds them to all trucks. That just drives up the cost of working trucks.

I'm in the suburbs and mine has seen lots of loads. It just turned 25 this year, so maybe I should look into "classic car" plates. Note the lack of metal in the rocker panels and the step bars rusted off long ago. Weight savings! Increases my gas mileage I'm sure. And while not visible in this pic, my rear bumper is now mostly duct tape. Again, another weight reducing customization.



When I bought it in 1997 as a dealer demo with 56K on it, it was the fanciest vehicle I'd ever had. It was SO pretty too...

 

[Leo]

I HATE the bs they are putting in cars. I can pay cash for any car at any dealer in town and cannot find anything I want to buy.

My 93, and 97 Grand Marquis cars both had a limited slip rear end. Great in bad conditions, very easy to control. It probably costs $60 to install those clutches in a different carrier at the factory, but they charged several hundred dollars for it. the 2006 and 2008 have computerized traction control, like it is an improvement. It costs several hundred dollars in the price of the car. All it does is take away the throttle of the only driven wheel spins. It is criminal to call it a safety feature because it leaves you a sitting duck in a car that is barely rolling. I know how to control a spinning wheel, I know how to control two spinning wheels. I know how to punch a car into a corner with two spinning wheels. I sure don't need an electronic granny program to take away the controls.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I HATE the bs they are putting in cars. I can pay cash for any car at any dealer in town and cannot find anything I want to buy.

My 93, and 97 Grand Marquis cars both had a limited slip rear end. Great in bad conditions, very easy to control. It probably costs $60 to install those clutches in a different carrier at the factory, but they charged several hundred dollars for it. the 2006 and 2008 have computerized traction control, like it is an improvement. It costs several hundred dollars in the price of the car. All it does is take away the throttle of the only driven wheel spins. It is criminal to call it a safety feature because it leaves you a sitting duck in a car that is barely rolling. I know how to control a spinning wheel, I know how to control two spinning wheels. I know how to punch a car into a corner with two spinning wheels. I sure don't need an electronic granny program to take away the controls.

I HATE, HATE, HATE the traction control and ABS on my Hyundai Elantra Touring! I swear that car is out to kill me if the roads are wet or the least bit slick. The first time I had it all kick in I was driving in downtown Indy with snow-covered roads, so I started feathering the brakes while coming to a red light, like I always would in slick conditions. BOOM! Steering locked up tight like you had pulled the key from the ignition, and the brake pedal started beating on the bottom of my foot like a rapid-fire sledge hammer!

I was just along for the ride at that point. Fortunately there was nobody next to me as it slid into the lane to my right. I thought that couldn't be right, and when I got home I started looking on Hyundai forums and everyone I asked about it said, "Yep, that's perfectly normal!" WTAF?? I'm surprised it hasn't killed a lot of people yet.

 

[Leo]

I do not understand the truck fascination in city and suburbs. Some beds never see a load. But they buyers want this and that add-on "to make my truck even more cool". To streamline manufacturing and reduce per unit cost, the manufacturer adds them to all trucks. That just drives up the cost of working trucks.

A retired man down my street has a fancy Ford Platinum limited something pickup. The first vehicle he bought new in his life. It sits in the garage mostly. He said nothing will ever be in the bed of his truck as long as he lives. When he wants to buy lawn fertilizer and things like that, he has a metal carrier that mounts to the trailer hitch that he stacks the bags on.

If that is all he needs for peace of mind and happiness, more power to him. That hitch carrier was way cheaper than a therapist, even if the neighbors think he is silly.

 

[tv1217]

I have a 2021 Tacoma. I only had it about 9 months when a truck kicked up a rock into my windshield on the way home from work one night. It was only a ding when I parked in the driveway and the plan was to call Safelite to repair it the next day. It rained overnight and I assume that shocked it because I walked out to a 12+" crack across the windshield. After some calls to various auto glass places, I found out that it would cost almost double what a windshield should cost because most of them wouldn't do it without also recalibrating the sensor camera for the crash mitigation/cruise control/etc system. Luckily I found one that only did the windshield replacement and left it up to me to go to the dealer for recalibrating. I didn't do it and everything works just fine.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I have a 2021 Tacoma. I only had it about 9 months when a truck kicked up a rock into my windshield on the way home from work one night. It was only a ding when I parked in the driveway and the plan was to call Safelite to repair it the next day. It rained overnight and I assume that shocked it because I walked out to a 12+" crack across the windshield. After some calls to various auto glass places, I found out that it would cost almost double what a windshield should cost because most of them wouldn't do it without also recalibrating the sensor camera for the crash mitigation/cruise control/etc system. Luckily I found one that only did the windshield replacement and left it up to me to go to the dealer for recalibrating. I didn't do it and everything works just fine.

Safelite advertises that they'll do that recalibration included with the installation at no cost...