Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use

Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by smeej on Thursday June 22, 2023 @09:44PM (#36441786)

My '07 Prius has a backup can, but there's no entertainment in its "infotainment" screen unless you count radio preset buttons.

I don't need to be entertained while I drive. I need to drive while I drive.

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Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by argonaut on Thursday June 22, 2023 @10:07PM (#36441959)

I used to drive an old Prius - I believe they also had fuel economy tracking, a CD player, and some models had Bluetooth audio too.

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Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by foolfoolz on Thursday June 22, 2023 @09:47PM (#36441819)

you think they are using screens with the same capabilities in modern cars as they did 16 years ago?

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Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by SamBam on Thursday June 22, 2023 @09:52PM (#36441862)

I think the point was to push back on the notion that a backup cam "requires" a huge tablet screen or an infotainment center.

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Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by fragmede on Thursday June 22, 2023 @11:33PM (#36442478)

You don't? Driving is boring as shit. If you're in city traffic that's one thing but if you're on the freeway with no one around that's another.

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Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by robben1234 on Friday June 23, 2023 @05:31AM (#36444621)

It's only boring because all the fun was removed for convenience. Just the third pedal makes it pretty much fun even at low speeds.

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Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by fragmede on Sunday June 25, 2023 @12:40AM (#36465182)

* * *

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Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by Tagbert on Friday June 23, 2023 @01:53AM (#36443286)

then you are atypical. Most people listen to music, news, podcasts, etc while they drive. that doesn't add much complexity to the system. particularly if the car allows phone projection like CarPlay or Android Automotive.

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Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by smeej on Saturday June 24, 2023 @02:20PM (#36461266)

I have a $15 device that plugs into the 12v socket and broadcasts on a radio frequency. My phone can connect to that by Bluetooth. My radio can be controlled by physical buttons. The only thing the screen displays about the radio is the presets, which I can totally live without.

I do not need an infotainment system. Heck, I don't even need as much as I have.

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Re:Quality of new vehicles in US declining on more tech use by washadjeffmad on Friday June 23, 2023 @06:16AM (#36444898)

I feel the same way. My car is 18 years old, also a Toyota, and besides the fact that I could rebuild it as long as anywhere it crashed was in dragging distance of a junk yard, the main reason I've kept it is because it doesn't have anything I don't need, and that somehow means I can trust it.

I see these integrated remote phone-home TV systems that help you parallel park but shrink your windows so it feels like you're in a submarine, and it gives me the willies. We couldn't adjust the AC in my partner's Honda when her screen failed one summer and I thought, "Why are those things connected?!"

I don't have Bluetooth in my car. I don't even have an aux jack. I do have an MP3 CD player, a Garmin, and an unbeatable stereo, and I can operate all of the buttons and dials blindfolded, and they respond with no latency!

I'd take a Yaris over a Tesla, and I wouldn't be caught dead in a Yaris.

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