they’re intended to BABY SIT .
Safety devices are mandated by the govt. under pressure from…THE AUTO industry. The pressure to offer these devices as options without mandates by Ford was enough to drive GM up a wall. To stay competitive, GM lobbied for these mandates. What ever their reasons, it’s good for business, good for consumers.
Thank Ralph Nader for his campaign for truth in advertising to make the public aware of the benefits they provide. Prior to him, exploding Pintos and roll over Corvairs touted as safe family cars by their manufacturers, were the norm.
Thanks to him, we can have a discussion about ABS and it’s pros and cons with all the facts. It does work as intended and saves lives, whether you are an experienced driver or not.
My answer is a definitive “NO!!!” I love my older cars with little or no safety junk on them. I have one statement to make…"KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID!"
These modern cars are getting heavier and heavier and needlessly complicated, when we should be going the other way and making them simpler and more fuel-efficient!
People should learn to drive more judiciously and not like the maniacs I have to deal with on a daily basis…speeding, recklessness, and inattentiveness at the wheel! Why should I have to pay for all this safety junk when I am a good defensive, law-abiding driver!
My “safety-deficient” '94 Subaru Justy gets about 45 MPG and has only safety-belts which is fine with me…I just have to drive very, very carefully and constantly look at the other drivers. Sad commentary on the majority of idiots behind the wheel. Driving a car is a very mindful occupation which requires a lot of quick thinking…most people have gotten into the bad habit of just mindlessly stepping on the gas and brakes to get from point A to point B.
Phooey on ABS, multi-airbags, stability control, and any of that other garbage…give me good old simple seat-belts any day.
My opinion may influenced by the fact that ABS never “saved” me. yet!
an interesting thing to see would be if they put the driver’s seat in front of the grille of the car. let someone tailgate with that setup 
As I recall, Ford intruced the “Deep Dish Steering Wheel” and seatbelts in the late 50s and early 60s. They were not very popular, as was the "safest front seat in the 1953 Kaiser, with dash padding and pop-out windshield.
In truth, safety never sold cars, and safety devices had to BE LEGISLATED IN over the howling protests of ALL car companies. I almost took a job in the late 60s with a company making collapsible steering columns and other safety items. The industy called the government all sorts of names!
The activites of Ralph Nader put the auto industry’s attitude in the spotlight. As you point out most safety features were the result of detailed studies inspired by Nader, and with public support, as to what would make cars safer.
GM at one time offered seat belts as a $350 option on Oldsmobiles, at a time when an automatic could be had for just over $200. They “proved” to the government that safety did not sell.
However, we have gone overboard on safety, and the weak link is now the zombie driver! Europe takes safety very serious, but the driver test are brutal to insure that the drivers are as good as their vehicles.
I think to pass a driving test here in the states all you really need to do is be able to breathe and maintain a body temperature of 98.7 degrees Fahrenheit, or is that what’s required to pass college these days? I forget