Keyless Everything: Enough Already?

By Jen

Editor

Considering the glitchiness and mosquito-like lifespan of today’s consumer electronics, and seeing as I run 25-year-old cars like anyone else raised in the forest by wolves, I’m pretty wary about the idea of letting anything computerized mediate my driving experience. The way I see it, if x is a pricey part or "system" that will likely malfunction and be a nightmare to fix or replace, and if cars ran just fine before the invention of x, why on earth would I own a car whose very ability to function depends on x? I’ll check my engine when I feel like it, thanks very much, I can limit my own revs just fine, and I can even keep my vehicle stuck to the road all by myself without the intervention of some born-to-fail "traction control system" designed with inferior drivers in mind. When did these things become essential? In any case, even modern consumers, trained to believe that cars should basically drive themselves, are (according to msn Autos) beginning to dig in their heels over some much more basic obstacles: simply getting into their car, and keeping it running, when their "remote keyless entry and ignition system" seems bent on thwarting them. You know, that little fob that sits in your pocket and pops your car open for you, maybe even fires it up, when it senses you approaching it. I can think of a long, long list of reasons why I’d much prefer to lock and unlock my car’s doors myself, and operate my ignition, using that crude metal device known as a "key." And while the article focuses largely on various scenarios of human errorfor example, handing over your running car to your spouse at the airport, then getting on the plane like an idiot with the forgotten fob in your pocket and and having your car assume it’s in the hands of a thief and shut itself down halfway homeeven this is premised on the idea that the "system" will unfailingly operate the way it’s supposed to, which seems a dubious assumption in an age where most people replace their laptops every two or three years. CarDomain is wondering: has your gadgetry ever left you stranded, locked out, or shut down? Or is a car that does the thinking for the both of you the best thing since sliced bread?

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Posted at 11:16 pm in Cool Products, Jen Dunnaway, Rants

Comments

Vince
Aug 23, 2008 at 12:51 am

I hear you, and feel your pain, but I think you’re fighting an uphill battle. The name of the game these days seems to be convenience, so many people, including motorcycle riders are looking for the keyless systems. Good luck!

Anonymous
Oct 8, 2007 at 5:06 am

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

Ted
Oct 8, 2007 at 1:22 am

It is a pointless argument to “dummy down” cars. If you’re yearning for the old days but are going to buy a new one and will try to keep it simple, good luck. Might as well get a base model with a standard shift and no power options (basically the cars that very few people want, sitting on the lots at dealerships).

People are strange. Some buy sports or sporty cars then complain that they had too little space, had poor suspension clearance or were more difficult to get into or out of. Some buy large vehicles and/or vehicles with large engines and complain about the mileage. Some buy efficient vehicles and complain about the lack of power. Some buy cars loaded with gadgets and complain that some things stopped working. Many complaints result from the experiences of people who had chosen the wrong vehicle for their needs, apparently.

retroman
Oct 7, 2007 at 6:24 pm

There’s the ups and downs. Upside, my 2.5L EFI controlled Spirit gets more horse than if had been carbureted. Downside, the map sensor failed while I was driving it last winter. Engine stalled, and my power steering and brakes locked up. Short story, I wrecked it.

Ben Kennedy
Oct 7, 2007 at 3:35 pm

Power stuff breaks. Always.
We had a buick back in the early 90’s. The car was like, 3 years old, and one by one, all the power windows, power locks, power driver’s seat… all broke. Eventually, you couldn’t get out of the car if you got locked in.

Ted
Oct 7, 2007 at 3:12 am

You have to account for the fact that electronics are improving in reliability. Okay, sure electric motors/servos, relays and other things still do fail, but the quality of electric devices and the wiring harnesses that tie them together – as well as the way they’re installed and protected – has improved over the years (for the most part).

The downside is, as you point out that the amount of electronics has increased, such as the pushbutton ignition, electric tilt/tele steering wheel, computer-controlled A/C & heat, etc. and I’m not getting into that whole hybrid car electrical complexity to boot (Okay, I guess I just did).

In all, it’s not the electronics that we should worry about. It’s the quality of the electronics. There are many devices that can last the life of a car, and more do these days. You just have to do your homework if you’re buying used to see if a lot of people are having trouble with the electronics of a car you’re interested in, such as the 2000+/- gen Intrepid or Concorde. With some cars, it’s easy to get the dirt because they leave a wake of dissatisfied owners/former owners.

Kyle
Oct 7, 2007 at 1:08 am

Didn’t people say similar things about computers vs. typewriters? I say, embrace the future.

Anonymous
Oct 6, 2007 at 11:32 pm

my nightmares started with fuel injection. Isn’t that terrible? A chance to get a manual windowed car with manual shift and manual doors, everything manual but brakes and steering (and that had been around forever) is a darn good car to me too. I blew some important sensor on a 2.2 GM, and it blew a rod going down a hill coasting, fuel injected, pcv related. Ridiculous. Let me blow a muffler off once a year for the rest of my life to a brainless carb engine that doesn’t know the temp dropped 50 degrees in <24 hours. It is 99% flawless otherwise. That traction control on a large gm v8 rwd witnessed in a gto seemed rather intelligent, although.. lsd rears have been out forever it seems. I am with you on your complaints. Just today my dad (a teen in the 60s) wants a big old boat with a big block and quote "to hell with the corners. I like to slow down for them." So much for getting him into a rally worthy 300hp subaru wrx, etc. Our generation is treated like down syndrome with a drivers license.