Do we need the gadgets

[Boza]

I went for a drive in a new top of the range barina with all the apps and on the fly facebook updates.
I found the drive very distracting and always playing with the steering wheel controls and stopped at the lights was playing with the apps i found myself really distracted.
Then i jumped back in to my car a ba turbo and found the drive really relaxing listening to the intake noise and just generally enjoy the drive and more focused on the road.
My question is do we really need all this stuff in our cars i mean we have tablets smart phones etc..... I enjoy driving for the relaxation and to get away from the world just listening to my music but will all this stuff contribute to accidents and more road rage from distracted drivers. What im getting at is i enjoy driving for what it is but all this stuff getting cramed into cars might ruin that experience

[dieseltrain79]

Yep , can't use mobile phones whilst driving , but lets add them as factory features in car .... Not dangerous at all !

[Mr Brooksy]

Do car companies want to sell cars? Well, make something that buyers want. We bang on about whether we need all this stuff, and it's valid to a point. But in this day and age of being connected almost 100% of the time, the real question is not 'do we need it', but 'if the ones with the money want it, can we afford not to include it'?

[UberKnee]

We dont need it, but people like to have as much tech as they can. Having Facebook, Twitter, Apps, etc. in a car just seems stupid and dangerous.

[RG]

Perhaps take some responsibility and instead of concentrating on toys and them blaming them for it, concentrate on driving.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Fireblade]

I've had DVD screens in the front of my car and not used it while driving, just because its there doesn't mean you have to use it, common sense should prevail here.

[Bluehoon]

As a need, no. It's the same game as always.
They're useless, inpractical, idealogical gadgets preying to socially insecure and status clingers.
Only serve purpose to stroke ego and provide comfort in form of alledged social acceptance, superiority.

[landau460]

Originally Posted by Boza

I went for a drive in a new top of the range barina with all the apps and on the fly facebook updates.
I found the drive very distracting and always playing with the steering wheel controls and stopped at the lights was playing with the apps i found myself really distracted.
Then i jumped back in to my car a ba turbo and found the drive really relaxing listening to the intake noise and just generally enjoy the drive and more focused on the road.
My question is do we really need all this stuff in our cars i mean we have tablets smart phones etc..... I enjoy driving for the relaxation and to get away from the world just listening to my music but will all this stuff contribute to accidents and more road rage from distracted drivers. What im getting at is i enjoy driving for what it is but all this stuff getting cramed into cars might ruin that experience

Ive been saying that same thing for a while now the ba gt i have comes with all this stuff that i mostly dont use!
Iget into my car and instantly feel better about myself... lol and if i dont i must punish the gt for it....... lol nah i have even contemplated not putting a stereo in my landau if i ever get it on the road.
Looks like we are gonna have to live with the fact that life is so boring that we need more and more and more stuff to keep our minds distracted from what i dont know, so that when we get pulled over for speeding or hopefully not causing an accident from all these distractions that we still wont have an excuse for our lack of concentration!!


Woosa,,,,,,,, Woosa......... i'm all good now

As you can see this is a bit of an issue with me.

I better get the gt out again

lol alcohol its the funniest s!@#

[Franco Cozzo]

Good stereo is essential for me, steering wheel controls for volume/cruise and auto up/down on all windows.

Heated mirrors would be nice, my Fiesta has those but my Focus doesn't, its great how they don't go all foggy or moisture up so you can't see **** out of them.

My GMC Sierra had a banging stereo for a stock system with cassette player and just AM/FM radio, better bass and sound quality than my EL with the premium sound option and 4 new speakers. Then I turned it off, and turned it back on, and now it doesn't work on FM at all anymore and I'm stuck listening to Magic 1278 or Radio Italia....

[frankie86]

Give me an clapped out AU XL one tonner with wind up windows and original radio anyday over these new mobile disco's

[joolz]

Gadgets these days sell cars and not the actual car it self. Thats why the imports are winning and the locals are dying. I drive and watch the road with some music or talking to my passenger(s) not looking up facebook or looking for a million songs on some gadget which now Holden are pushing to sell cars....What ever happened to how reliable a car may be or comfort over long k,s other than distractions built in..

[Bossxr8]

I'm just surprised a male was able to admit to driving a Barina.

[redxm]

had to work on a new camry today. beeps buzzers and flashing lights galore. drive you insane. Are we that dumb we need a light on the dash to tell us the door is open?

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by Boza

I went for a drive in a new top of the range barina with all the apps and on the fly facebook updates.
I found the drive very distracting and always playing with the steering wheel controls and stopped at the lights was playing with the apps i found myself really distracted.
Then i jumped back in to my car a ba turbo and found the drive really relaxing listening to the intake noise and just generally enjoy the drive and more focused on the road.
My question is do we really need all this stuff in our cars i mean we have tablets smart phones etc..... I enjoy driving for the relaxation and to get away from the world just listening to my music but will all this stuff contribute to accidents and more road rage from distracted drivers. What im getting at is i enjoy driving for what it is but all this stuff getting cramed into cars might ruin that experience

Hang on you controlled the car and all the devices inside of it right?
So if they were distracting why were you using them and not just concentrating on the job at hand? The gadgets don't force you to use them
it is your hands that decide to go wandering.
A little self control will go a long way.

Nothing wrong with technology packed into a car, it is just the nufty behind the wheel that is the problem.

[Crazy Dazz]

It’s funny, I was thinking along similar lines today.
Firstly the level of electronic wizardry that presumably adds to the cost, makes it hardy for the DIY to diagnose, and certainly adds to the cost of repairs. If you’re worried about emissions I can see the value of the ECU, and things like ABS and DSC are beneficial, but do we really need 100 other computer chips to control everything else?

And as for all the other guff, sadly THAT is what sells cars these days.
What’s also funny is an email I received yesterday. This guys iPhone had stopped working, so he sent an email to everyone one of his contacts to let them know he would be out of contact for a few hours whilst he waited for the Apple store to set him up with a new one, but in the mean time we could email him on his iPad. Personally, I think this “I can’t be out of contact” mentally is extremely unhealthy. As if there isn’t enough stress in our lives? I HAVE a Facebook account, and when I'm not too busy (eg now) I try to go on there every few days just to see who’s up to what, but the idea that I need it on my phone, my TV, and in my car, so that I'm never out of contact is just frightening.

A few years back, LG brought out the “Internet Fridge” which seemed like a stupid idea, but it seems that is the way the world is going. Personally, I don’t WANT to be in contact 24/7.

[Boza]

No was finding it distracting at the lights playing with the gadgets at the lights. Plus you can push a button and do a facebook update while driving who needs that i wasn't using the stuff except at lights and in traffic. I like to think of myself as a responsible driver that does the right thing only had 2 accidents in 15 years and only 1 was my fault cause i miss judged a gap in traffic. What id like to know is what will all this stuff be like in a 18 year olds hands as a lot of these get bought as first cars

[Boza]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I'm just surprised a male was able to admit to driving a Barina.

Yeah you should see the guy that drives it he's a bodybuilder with massive biceps its his company car it was funny to see him getting in and out poor guy.had no choice in what car he could get

[jpblue1000]

All these gadgets will not last, they will break down and cost more than they are worth to repair. But cars these days are disgustingly throw away.
As I said in another thread recently Give me a body shell with comfortable seats, good driving dynamics, a decent power to weight, good headlights and wipers, some big wheels an Ok stereo reasonable heater and good A/C and Im good as gold.
I can do without stability control, abs, heated anything else, satnav, electric anything, facepalmbookfriendthingos, dsg, bixenon, trixonontopsadactyl or any of that rubbish. Im too am thinking an AU falcon Ute.
Just Like this


JP

[FPV+fteT3]

Should have bought the Focus could have all that PLUS the shoe compartment.

[Random Ranger]

Defo don't need all that stuff, abs airbags, dsc bi-xenon lights to see where we're going.
Not one life has been saved with all that crap cos we're all the best drivers in the world! (Sarcasm)
As for all the techo stuff, no we don't need it, but as previously stated, it sells cars and believe it or not some people do use it, as Boza said, mostly 18yr olds that probably shouldn't be.

[jpblue1000]

Originally Posted by Random Ranger

Defo don't need all that stuff, abs airbags, dsc bi-xenon lights to see where we're going.
Not one life has been saved with all that crap cos we're all the best drivers in the world! (Sarcasm)
.

I did say 'I could do without'. have done so for 25 years of legal driving and I'm not dead, haven't died and may not die in my tech free car, hell apart from on the racetrack Ive never bent a car.

JP

[PG2]

Personally I don't need or want facebook or anything similar in my car - I don't have it at home and certainly don't want it in my car.

However, I get why car makers are loading cars up with these technological features.

While the previous generation thinks that modern technology is a waste and unnecessary (that is me) the current generation thinks that it is a must have - this has been the case since year 0000.

A good example of this would be power windows. I remember when these started to appear in mainstream cars and people saying that what is so hard about winding a window up.

A lot of people say that they don't want technology in their cars but want things like air conditioning, heater, radio, CD player, power windows incorporating global open/close etc.

If you are old enough (like me) think back to when your parents bought cars and the new 'technology' that was in the new car but wasn't in the old car. My parents would say something like, "Yeah, it has FM radio but we only got it because every car has it these days." I would be thinking, "WOW." and then tell all my mates about it.

Same thing is happening these days.

[AWD Chaser]

They probably said the same thing when they put clocks and AM radios in cars...

[ebxr8240]

Valve radios that worked when you bumped them and heater was an extra..

[PG2]

Originally Posted by AWD Chaser

They probably said the same thing when they put clocks and AM radios in cars...

Funny you should say that about the clock. Dad traded in the XA for a XD in 1984. The car had a clock in it. Dad said, "Why do I need a bloody clock in the car, I have a watch." He would then show everyone how easy it is to look at your watch. He would then add, "Besides, it's digital."

My Dad now owns a BF MKII Ghia and he drove my FG MKII XR6 a few weeks ago. He went to reverse park and said, "Doesn't your mirror dip when you put it in reverse? I thought all cars did that these days."

[K_Man]

Thats one thing I miss about my old XD....the digital clock was the only electronic luxury it had, apart from the old single speaker AM. Made it a lot easier to find problems, thats for sure.

[russellw]

We don't need a lot of it and probably never have but the beginning of the end for the Australian automotive industry was triggered by just this very thing - features in cars.

When the Japanese invasion started in the late 60 and really took off in the early 70's, it was the inclusion of such (now considered basic) items like radios, heaters and carpet on the floor that started to lure people away from the Holden and Ford models where many of those things were either optional or (in some cases) only available in upper models that cost significantly more.

The reality for many (non enthusiast) car buyers is that the purchase is no different to any other appliance and they will get the one that fits their budget with the most features which is why you see fridges with 'added benefits' that are often dubious at best. There is little relevance in whether the feature will ever be used - it's simply about the most boxes checked for the dollar.

Cheers
Russ

[DJR-351]

The more gadgets in a car the less I'm interested in it......

AM/FM radio is all i want......

[GQ_Smooth]

Cars to the majority of people is transport to get from point A to B, most aren't really interested in enjoying the trip, just getting to the destination. In a comfortable and attractive car. If Gen Y (or what ever the new one after Y is) can check their facebook status and send a tweet legally while driving, why not. When dad upgraded from a LJ Torana to a XC Falcon with air conditioning and a FM sterio, life couldn't get any better, he was a real man, so there was no need for power steering (his words not mine). I still remember leaving carparks in summer, taking ages for the aircon to cool down, dad working up a sweat turning the wheel trying to get the car out of the car spot. You couldn't speak to him for 2 minutes until he calmed down and we were out of the car park or you'd get an earful (fun times).

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by GQ_Smooth

Cars to the majority of people is transport to get from point A to B, most aren't really interested in enjoying the trip).

So do you need gadgets to enjoy driving.....? I and most of the people i know that love driving don't...

I just got home 90 mins ago after driving down from Airlie Beach with nothing more than the radio on, loved every minute of it......the CD player side of the unit crapped out two years ago, never did get it repaired....maybe i should so i can get the CD back that's still stuck inside.......