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Question of the Day: What is the Worst Automotive Innovation Ever?


Question of the Day: What is the Worst Automotive Innovation Ever?

We live in an age where cars are packed with some incredible technology. From anti-lock brakes to active cruise control that will automatically slow your car with traffic, to cars that can literally park themselves, driving is becoming more and more of a spectator sport. This is not BangShifty at all because we love driving and controlling all aspects of our cars. The history of the automobile has been marked with lots of technical triumphs. The leap from mechanical to juice brakes, the addition of electric headlights and modern charging systems, the development of the automatic transmission, are all significant steps in the story of the modern car.

All of that stuff being said, there have been some developments and innovations that drive us up a wall. Mandated electronic stability control, mandated accelerator overrides, the feedback carb, skip shift, cylinder deactivation, and the list goes on. We’ve only begun to scratch the surface of the “improvements” made to cars that we don’t really believe improve them at all.

Some of you out there may say stuff like EFI, electronically controlled transmissions, air bags, etc. That’s cool. This is about what you believe is the worst automotive innovation ever. Each and everyone of us will have a different opinion on that. 5MPH bumpers? They totally suck!

Question: What is the worst automotive innovation ever?

 

 


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31 thoughts on “Question of the Day: What is the Worst Automotive Innovation Ever?

  1. Orv H

    worst? Auto-park ! If you can’t control your car at walking speed, how do you inspire confidence that you can control your car at highway speeds ?

  2. Scott Liggett

    Anything where the car feels the need to babysit you. From the beeping because you moved the car three feet without your seat belt on, to auto door locks, to disabling the trunk release button when you go over 3 mph.

    Anything that allows untalented drivers to continue driving. The auto park set ups are the dumbest thing ever put in a car. It has been one of the skills required to get a driver’s license. If you could not do it correctly when you took your test, you got to ride the bus. Add to that antilock brakes, stability control, auto braking, All that shit means that you need less talent to operate a car.

    1. Guitarslinger

      Amen to that . Add to the list ALL the current distracting OTT excess of in car infotainment ( if you’re not happy just driving buy a different car or take public transportation ) All the current iDrive – MyTouch – CUE and WTH else anyone’s calling it that takes a degree in computer programing to figure out ….. and ….

      …… ALL Hybrids and E/V’s

      Which … sorry are still using century old technology thats facing the very same problems they did back in the day … and lets face it ..

      E/V’s and Hybrids are PURE Evil descended from the bowels of Hell itself 😉

    2. nitroratrod

      I agree…keep all the cushy crap and you could drive the cost of the vehicle price down, save weight and have only what you need.

  3. Matt Cramer

    I’d broaden that to any attempt to get around the laws that were supposed to mandate airbags but instead had the wording changed to “Passive restraints.” While I’m not crazy about sticking a bazillion air bags into everything and adding hundreds of pounds of dead weight, several of the things the manufacturers came up with to Yunick the law were even worse. The automatic seat belts were one aweful idea they came up with to meet the law. My wife used to have an Acheiva with another version of the same idea, but even dumber: They mounted the seat belts on the door so that theoretically you could exit or enter the car without unbuckling the seat belt, so it was now a passive restraint! While not as annoying as an automatic seat belt, if the door pops open in a crash, you’re screwed!

  4. TheSilverBuick

    The elimination of the spare tire, the elimination of a subframe. And all the innovation in thinking a new design for fuel pumps, alternators, air filters, etc need to be made. Standardize some stuff already to make things cheaper and more available.

    Other innovations that can be S-canned, are aero-profiles. Make car’s look interesting again.

  5. 75Duster

    Auto park, its for idiots too busy on their cell phone or texting to park their own damn car.
    If you are too lazy to parallel park it then you shouldn’t be driving at all.

  6. Jerry Rose

    Hydraulic lifters and electronic ignition, everyone needs to spend Saturday with a feeler gauge. Its when Man become less

  7. Lon

    Day time running lights. And automatic headlights, that stay on after you disable the day time running lights. Tire pressure monitors.

  8. Anonymous

    What’s wrong with cylinder deactivation? I mean the modern stuff, not the GM 8-6-4, or Ford deactivating a cylinder or two by loosing a spark plug. I have no idea if you can tell while you’re driving, but as a passenger, the only way you can tell if it’s running on half the engine is when the eco light comes on.

    My vote goes to either ESP (especially ones that you can’t turn off) or the giant navigation systems/TVs they put in the dash on every vehicle.

  9. Ed

    external airbags have to be the epitome of exactly how low an IQ we expect for modern drivers.

  10. craig b blue

    …..small block fords that spilt when you try to make ’em run as hard as a Small Block Chevy can!!

  11. threedoor

    Using the cigar lighter for a power outlet. How about a standardized plug that works as well as my 115v home outlet?

  12. Stovebolt6

    How about “RKE”? Remote key less entry is a huge PIA! At least once a week
    a customer visits the Chevy dealer I work at, in a panic, because their “key fob” wont
    unlock their doors. Then they’re horrified that it’ll be $70-$130, plus programming, to
    replace it. What is so hard about taking that little brass thing, out of your pocket, and
    stick into the door! A close second, is one of the biggest fuel wasters, Remote Starters!

  13. Cmac

    The manumatic transmission. How many people who actually want a manual transmission will buy an automatic so that they can manually shift gears.

    1. nxpress62

      Or like the new challenger, hill assist that will hold your car in position while you push in the clutch? Really? get an auto if you’re that uncordinated..

  14. Yoyodyne

    Automatic locking door locks. Totally unneeded, plus when you start the car and get out to clean the windshield you are locked out. Grrrrr!

  15. D.S.A

    The compass/temp mirror. If you dont know which way you are going and if its hot or cold out side maybe ya ought to stay home capesh !!!!!!

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