Steve Cropley recently said he’d rather have driven than flown home from an event, even though it would have taken longer. He absolutely, resolutely, talked my language.
As I write I’m on an aeroplane. I love planes, enjoy being in the air and think modern aviation is one of humankind’s greatest achievements, shrinking the planet, letting us share knowledge, culture, you name it, like never before.
Yet it also gets on my tits like you wouldn’t believe because the experience is being continually pared back until it’s as close to the line marked ‘just bearable’ as customers will stomach.
Compare that with what the car industry tries to do. A new car won’t be more sparse than its predecessor.
Every iteration will offer more features, more refinement, more polish, more ‘stuff’ whether you truly want it or not, and I think that counts for something.
There are regulators and policy makers who, it feels to me, are trying to make the experience of driving as miserable as possible.
But in a car, I always feel more in charge of my destiny, and that I’m in something whose creators and vendors, at least, want me to have a good time.
Noises off
In case you find new car tech obstructive and think nobody’s listening, here’s a heartening tale from Kia, which had come in for some stick over the way it had set up bongs for this, that and the other, to comply with the latest round of safety regulation requirements, GSR2.
Join the debate
Add your comment
I hate flying. Planes are cramped, claustrophobic and uncomfortable. So are airports. The fumes from jet fuel (aka Kerosene) smell disgusting. Living near an airport reduces life expectancy because of the pollution. Knowing that you are contributing massively to health impact and climate change when you fly ruins the experience still further. Oh and airlines don't pay any VAT on fuel, which is outrageous. Jet planes should be scrapped and replaced by hydrogen airships. Slower, but cleaner and at least socially acceptable.
Hydrogen airships were tried early in the last century, it didn't end well...
Yes there's too much tech inside cars, you can't use them or shouldn't use them when your driving a two and a half ton car, most people forget that before you start a journey ,set all the stuff your going to use like your satnav, your fav tunes etc,all the other stuff is supposed to warn you when it thinks you've missed something,im personally not bothered by bongs and beeps,I have been grateful in one or two situations so I think they have there place, the big bug bear I read a lot is about Mobile phone use, it's endemic,imagine if all of a sudden whenever you stepped into your car your mobile wouldn't work as soon as you switched the engine on, there'd be absolute pandemonium!, there'd be accidents everywhere,road ragers etc, so, please let's have less aids in cars.