Never car (never-used features)

[OriginalBigAl]

My dad used to hate my haircut, dress sense, music, and I his. Looking back, Jesus, really, was I like that? We all change with the times, sometimes accepting the new, other times rejecting it. Age thing, possibly, down to the individual or down to the crowd, hard to say. If you want negativity, try explaining to a late/mid teenager that your experience of life is of value; sigh, roll eyes, condescending platitudes, thanks grandad, would you like an extra lump of sugar in your Ovaltine?

 

[Caramaddy]

I sometimes feel I have turned into my Dad!

Can’t be bothered with complications in life!
Others thrive on it.
Horses for courses!

 

[decrep]

I'm fast approaching 80, and yes I'm much slower at learning new stuff. But I appreciate elegant engineering, and get frustrated with stuff that doesn't work well, and annoyed with stuff that wants to take my independence from me.

When it comes to wanting to throw the car off the road, or making driving more dangerous, like many I turn it off. So far LKA is the only one I've done that with, although I also dislike ACC, and don't select it. But I do select OPD, because I've adapted to that like a duck to water.

 

[Ian Key]

It's strange that a car built on the same assembly line by robots, has the same software developers etc. can have so many variations of faults and idiosyncrasies.

I got mine during the oil drip era but it has never leaked oil, the LKA has twitched the steering wheel but never enough to force me off the road or out of lane, it has a small bulge in the under-tray but not enough to worry about.
The passenger door handle has had to be replaced and a software update has had to be redone. Oh! and the hotspot no longer works.

 

[TerryN]

Although I'm in my 60s I've always been an "early adopter" of new technology (I'm a software developer so I'm always interested in such stuff). I'm not at all anti LKA or AEB but I'll only continue to use it on a day-to-day basis if it works sufficiently well and doesn't spoil the driving experience and create dangers of it's own.

 

[DaevM]

Although I'm in my 60s I've always been an "early adopter" of new technology (I'm a software developer so I'm always interested in such stuff). I'm not at all anti LKA or AEB but I'll only continue to use it on a day-to-day basis if it works sufficiently well and doesn't spoil the driving experience and create dangers of it's own.

Quite right too. Should be the standard for all things. If it's progress it needs to be an improvement on the previous iteration. ?

 

[OriginalBigAl]

I think the manufacturers have developed systems that work, only these are the development models which have money thrown at them. We get the pared-back, stripped-to-the-bone, cost-effective, mass-produced models made to pass a NCAP test and get the extra star rating and give an extra selling point to their advertising campaigns. The improved technology which may at present be tested and exists can be drip-fed into future upgrades and so extend the model's life. (Not just MG.) The higher specced, higher priced, higher profit models get these first as a rule, which sort of lessens the "these are safety devices" argument, otherwise Nissen Micras would have exactly the same systems as a large BMW. (Not the best example, but maybe you can see where I'm going with this.)

 

[DaevM]

I think the manufacturers have developed systems that work, only these are the development models which have money thrown at them. We get the pared-back, stripped-to-the-bone, cost-effective, mass-produced models made to pass a NCAP test and get the extra star rating and give an extra selling point to their advertising campaigns. The improved technology which may at present be tested and exists can be drip-fed into future upgrades and so extend the model's life. (Not just MG.) The higher specced, higher priced, higher profit models get these first as a rule, which sort of lessens the "these are safety devices" argument, otherwise Nissen Micras would have exactly the same systems as a large BMW. (Not the best example, but maybe you can see where I'm going with this.)

Absolutely the way it shouldn't be done.If they are arguably safety devices ( see ABS) then there should be no degree of implementation driven by profit margins - obviously only in my opinion.
I used to be involved in IT support for call centres at one point way back when and a great deal was made of the claim made on queuing messages of "we will be with you as soon as possible". The worry being "as soon as possible" would include staffing up to meet the demand so there was no queue. It was felt this could leave us open to legal action at some point if we hadn't done 'everything possible'.
Can't help feeling that much could be made in the case of a loss of life due to implementation of substandard equipment when the company was in possession of, and indeed issuing it to higher spec vehicles.