I find it strange that someone 22 years old does not embrace technology in this day of smart phones and apps for almost everything , even unlocking your house .
There are advancements in every aspect of your car, and like it or not the manufacturers , will keep making changes.
I’d rather go back and return a few of the old ideas…not all of them, but a few.
I’d like to see the old floor vents returned and even the wing windows from old. I’d much rather have a little air flow as I drive, rather than having to use the AC because I am driving into the sun and it’s 70 degrees out. I’d much rather have the option of a little fresh air before resorting to the AC. I think they were eliminated to force everyone to get AC. And AC has become a big dollar fix most of the time.
Going back to a dip stick for the Tranny and even the few cars out there that eliminated the oil dip stick too.
I always wondered why we have hydraulic clutches for a car that weighs less than a ton and the clutch disc is only 10 inches. We drove much heavier cars and trucks prior to the hydraulic era with much heavier pressure plates, and the clutches lasted as long. Just more to have problems with in my opinion.
Interference engines are the perfect example of turning a bad situation into a catastrophic nightmare.
As far as the electrical systems go, there are many good advancements that can help us…or at least make things safer.
But I think much of the advancements make…or are making…items impossible to work on for the DYI mechanic. Soon a DYI’er will not be able to change a burnt out tail light because a special code reader will be needed to re-activate that tail light. The body control module may shut down the power to avoid a short and you will need a “Brand specific Scanner”.
Are there not already cars that you need this to bleed the brakes. Perfect example!!!
Weather these changes are a way to make more money on replacement parts… to drive the little repair shop out of business because they cannot afford the diagnostic tools… or weather the changes are for the best…it’s a toss up.
Don’t get me wrong, many changes I like. But I also like doing my own work.
Yosemite
There's no kind way to say this, but that entire family is a bunch of scatterbrains.
I thought I was the only one who had relatives like that.
My wifes lexus is an 07. Maybe things have changed. But the way my wifes lexus operates…it’s pretty good and secure.
I was just saying it looked confusing by not being able to tell if the driver had it shifted to park or if he was still in drive… lol
I’ve gone on record as not liking a lot of the new technology. To me, if it doesn’t improve operation, handling, or enjoyment of the vehicle, it’s a waste. But cars are designed my young techies responding to young marketing peoples’ request for differentiation. It’s about “let’s do something that’ll make out car seem different or high tech”.
Can’t fight “progress” (I use the term loosely).
Even on those criteria, I’d think you would like the security-start systems. I can’t enjoy my vehicle if some jerk stole it and is joyriding around town in it. Chipped keys made it so you pretty much have to have a tow truck if you want to steal someone’s car.
All the push button start did was eliminate moving parts and the need to take the chipped key out of your pocket. Everything else about the system is the same, so we didn’t lose any reliability by deleting the key cylinder and replacing it with a button.
“I find it strange that someone 22 years old does not embrace technology in this day of smart phones and apps for almost everything , even unlocking your house .”
I find it kind of refreshing. Agree that technology needs to be an “improvement” not just making something more complicated for the sake of making it electronic. Wifi thermostats and HVAC controls that can be hacked? Or security cameras that can be hacked? Even toys now that can be hacked sending dangerous messages to unwary kids? Ever had the battery fail on your house key pad? Some of this stuff is leaping ahead without considering the whole security or privacy issues as people gobble it up simply because it is a new gadget or new app.
Gimmicks are not a conspiracy to bolster the parts business later. They are there to make the vehicle more attractive to buyers, or, in some cases, to reduce cost. The fact that many are unreliable is due to the lack of thorough testing before they’re put into production, or due to cost cutting.
Wifi thermostats getting hacked is one of those things that people dream up to scare other people, but the reality is… Not all that scary. Oooo, someone hacked my thermostat and it’s now 10 degrees colder than I like it to be! What will I dooo! 
Security cameras are more of a concern, but if you take steps to secure them properly, it’s very unlikely to happen.
Most people are concerned that they’ll be watched by people on the internet if they have cameras. Well, I don’t particularly want to be on camera when I’m in the hot tub, but I want my porch covered with a camera when I’m not there. So, when both my SO’s and my phones are outside of a designated perimeter, the porch camera activates and starts scanning. If either one of the phones gets close to the house, the camera deactivates and points up to the ceiling.
So they’d not only have to hack the video stream, but they’d also have to hack into the actual control software and re-configure it. Basically, highly unlikely to happen.
The trick is to be smart about your privacy no matter what the app is. My garage door opener can be opened via smartphone. I declined the latest update to the app that does it because Chamberlain decided they wanted access to the photos on my phone, and they don’t need that kind of access in order to open my garage door.
My SO’s car can be started via smartphone, and she checked the permissions it required before she activated that feature too. Where people get into trouble is when they get the new tech without looking at what kind of data mining the people who made it might be doing.
But as long as you keep your wits about you and check into new tech before buying into it, there’s no need choose between giving up your privacy and being a Luddite.
Probably one of the worse “improvements” (in my opinion) is to have your door locks internet enabled. That means you can unlock your door remotely (huh? why?) but a good hacker can do the same.
I just don’t see why I should get excited over changing the temperature on my thermostat via my phone or locking my front door via the phone when I can do all that just manually myself haha. It’s cool and all but it isn’t something I would use or spend money on. But it is the way of the future so yeah, that’s just me though.
Sometimes the old ways are still the best ways of doing certain things.
For me, the wifi part came with other features that I did want. And it’s sometimes handy in the morning when I’m awake early, it’s cold, and I’m trying not to wake anyone up, and I know that getting out of bed will send the cats racing around and meowing. All I have to do is tap on my phone and the the temperature magically rises without disturbing anyone. Would I buy it for that? No. But it’s kinda nice to have.
The internet enabled garage door opener has come in far more handy. Package deliverers can leave packages inside my garage instead of on the porch for people to steal. House guests who get home before I do can be let in via remote without me having to give them the door code or trust them with a key.
Going for walks or bike rides no longer means I have to get the bikes out of the garage, then close the door and go out the front door and lock it. I just tap on my phone and the door closes. It also alerts me if the door doesn’t close, which is nice in the winter when snow gets under the door and I don’t notice before I’m in the house. And because my car has an older version of Homelink, sometimes the garage door and the garage door opener won’t talk to each other properly, and it’s nice to have an alternate way of opening/closing the door without having to get out in the rain. All of this is lazy crap to the extreme, with the exception of opening the door for delivery people and guests, but it does add to the convenience for not all that much money.
In response to everyone saying that technology should be an improvement I would respond that push button start is a BIG improvement. I have had to replace three different ignition lock cylinders on older cars that have worn out from use because I keep my cars for such a long time. These lock cylinder failures have stranded me each time. I am going to guess that a push button will be MUCH less likely to fail. My guess is that the chances of grinding a starter and fly wheel on startup are also virtually zero. Another expensive repair forever eliminated by push button start.
Regarding the absence of the key, my car beeps furiously the moment the door shuts with the engine running if the key is not inside the car. A big red message lights up the message center with a bright warning saying “Key Not In Car”. If you can ignore all that then I guess I am not too sympathetic to your plight.
Most push button starts will let you turn on the accessories or ignition without starting the vehicle. On my car I simply keep my foot OFF the brake, since foot on the brake is required to start the vehicle, and press the start button once for “accessory” and twice for “ignition on”.
Wow, so many excellent points made here, but I will focus on this statement from @shadowfax -" I declined the latest update to the app that does it because Chamberlain decided they wanted access to the photos on my phone, and they don’t need that kind of access in order to open my garage door. "
That’s just the point. Seems like every app, gadget, and company we transact business with wants, nay, DEMANDS, access to private data they don’t NEED to perform their function. Grocery store loyalty cards, that tracking chip Progressive and State Farm want to plug into your car for a “discount”, the iPhone that wants to track your every move down to the centimeter, all the “software license agreements” - if you don’t agree to ALL of the demands, you can’t use the software (they’ve got you over a barrel). These assaults on our privacy rights come at us every day, and the more apps, gadgets and software you use, the more you get assaulted. You pay attention and fend off as much of it as you can, but some of them are bound to get through. YOU are distracted by the act of living your life, THEY have buildings full of “marketing analysts” thinking up new ways to violate us in the name of targeted marketing. Sometimes its just easier, simpler, and provides more peace of mind to do things the old ways.
I now have a standard fake name, address, e-mail, ,and phone number I provide to anyone who assaults me demanding this info when I enter a business, auto show, etc. I wonder if this is how pretty females feel when they try to relax and enjoy a drink at a nightclub. . .
I think Shadowfax is light years ahead of me technically. I have a physical lock box in the back of the house with my keys in it. I can call anyone remotely and tell them the combination so they can get in if I need to. Moving beyond that will take a little time.
I will admit that half way to South Dakota I asked myself whether I remembered to shut the garage door. I did but didn’t know it for several days. One time we had to leave and the roofers were still finishing up. Just to make sure they remembered to shut the garage door, I called the Police from Indiana and asked them just to check for me. No problem, never even got a bill.
Well we still have a manually wooden garage that you open by hand… And I can’t see putting money into it for the time being seeing as it works just fine… also have an older AC system with just the standard thermostat you adjust by hand… Other than that I have a MacBook along with my iPhone with some apps on it that are pretty great… I like the bofa app the best as I can monitor everything on there. But I do agree with the others that many of these new technologies are very convenient for the vast majority of people out there 
My back demanded that I install an automatic garage door. But that’s hardly high tech technology.
I think the new approach of putting controls in the steering wheels is progress. The driver should not have to take his/her eyes off the road for any more seconds than is absolutely necessary, and steering wheel controls promote that.
NH now has “hands-free” laws on the books, so I guess I’ll have to look and “Bluetooth” or some other option, but in all honesty I’d rather just pull off the road and use my clamshell phone… which is what I currently do.
Thermostat you adjust by hand. Purchase an inexpensive programmable thermostat , it is one of the few things that can actually pay for itself plus be a nice luxury.
“Wifi thermostats and HVAC controls that can be hacked? Or security cameras that can be hacked?”
Bingo!
About a week ago, I listened to a short radio interview with Airbus Industry’s head of cyber security. She warned about internet-enabled appliances because they would provide a “back door” for hackers to get into your home computer, via a home’s wireless connection to the appliances.
This interview was prompted by the purchase of GE’s (crappy) appliance division by Haier (of China), another maker or crappy appliances. Haier has apparently been boasting that all of their new products–including those as cheap as toasters–will be internet-enabled, so that Haier can “monitor” the appliances after they sell them. Hmmmm…
She pointed out that corporations and government agencies with sophisticated security protections have been hacked fairly often, so the typical home Wi-Fi system would stand little chance of fending-off hackers who use the Haier appliances to access your home computers.
She also mentioned the dangers inherent in door locks that can be activated or deactivated via cell phones.