4 ms·

Honest question: are there new cars on the market today where I, as a driver, do not have to directly interact with any piece of software? In other words, are t

by lqet 7y ago

Honest question: are there new cars on the market today where I, as a driver, do not have to directly interact with any piece of software? In other words, are there still cars around that solve problems mechanically? A close family member took a job at a location that was too far away for public transportation and bought a Kia Picanto [0] in 2004. I regularly drove that car until 3 years ago, and it was an overall pleasant experience. The car only had mechanical buttons and switches inside, no screens at all (only a LCD for clock and mileage, and the radio display). The clutch pedal was connected to the clutch via a bowden cable (I know that because it snapped one time while I was driving). The gas pedal was also connected directly to the motor. It had 3 rotating switches for the AC and the heating, a button for the emergency light, and a button for the back window heating. It was an honest car. I want a car I can control, not a semi-autonomous home entertainment system that tries to mask its mechanical shortcomings with cheap software. [0] https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Kia_Picanto_in_north_London_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Kia_Picanto_in_north_London_%28cropped%29.jpg https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Ki...

cr0sh 7y ago
I own a pre-JK Jeep Wrangler (2004 TJ) - it was probably among the last of vehicles made in this century (for the United States, and probably most of Europe) that match what you're wanting. Everything is pretty much mechanical on mine; in fact, I think the AC controls are still old-school resistor speed control, bowden cable vent control, and vacuum-assist function control. If you look at the electrical diagram in a Haynes for it, you can see that there isn't much "there" - it's still mostly "switch connected to relay, relay connected to accessory" - everything isn't routed thru a computer or such. My TJ has plenty of downsides that probably don't affect later versions of the vehicle - high gas mileage being the greatest; spartan interior (there's a label inside the vehicle that says "The body of this vehicle isn't designed to protect occupants in the event of an accident, but is only for protection from the elements"!) - though easy to clean (remove drain plugs, hose it out), so much road noise you have to yell to be heard at speed (again - due to the spartan interior), and a rough and somewhat unstable driving experience (part of that is due to my lift and larger than stock tires, tho). Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons, it's not only an anomaly - but most vehicles sold in first world markets just aren't built that way any longer. Safety concerns (airbags everywhere!) have mandated for larger vehicles, which meant more dash to stick stuff on and in (otherwise, it'd look odd), CAFE rules (here in the USA), etc. Also emissions and fuel economy mean much more computer control, and more "drive by wire" and for some reason manufacturers decided that all has to be routed thru the entertainment console too. Outside of the first-world developed economies, though, you'll find those cars you want. But you likely as not can't import them, or if you can, they can't be driven or licensed for public roads. Many won't pass US or EU crash test safety standards, if that matters to you. These cars are mainly built and for the markets in India and China - as well as marketed to African nations (I don't know of any "domestic" African nation made commercially available vehicles - there may be some foreign manufacturers though). One vehicle I wish I could purchase and drive here in the USA - but likely never will (it likely couldn't be licensed for public roads, but even if it could, it probably isn't something you can purchase in single quantities - at least easily) is the OX: http://oxgvt.com/ http://oxgvt.com/ Great off-road handling (for a FWD-only vehicle), diesel engine, build-it-yourself from flatpack, easily fixable, central driver position, extreme hauling capacity - it's like everything I'd want in a vehicle, but sadly I can't own one. Downside is (likely) no AC system - but I could probably hack something in. I figure that if I ever want a vehicle like that, I'm going to have to build one myself on a small pickup chassis or something.

by lqet 7y ago

cr0sh 7y ago

I own a pre-JK Jeep Wrangler (2004 TJ) - it was probably among the last of vehicles made in this century (for the United States, and probably most of Europe) that match what you're wanting. Everything is pretty much mechanical on mine; in fact, I think the AC controls are still old-school resistor speed control, bowden cable vent control, and vacuum-assist function control. If you look at the electrical diagram in a Haynes for it, you can see that there isn't much "there" - it's still mostly "switch connected to relay, relay connected to accessory" - everything isn't routed thru a computer or such. My TJ has plenty of downsides that probably don't affect later versions of the vehicle - high gas mileage being the greatest; spartan interior (there's a label inside the vehicle that says "The body of this vehicle isn't designed to protect occupants in the event of an accident, but is only for protection from the elements"!) - though easy to clean (remove drain plugs, hose it out), so much road noise you have to yell to be heard at speed (again - due to the spartan interior), and a rough and somewhat unstable driving experience (part of that is due to my lift and larger than stock tires, tho). Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons, it's not only an anomaly - but most vehicles sold in first world markets just aren't built that way any longer. Safety concerns (airbags everywhere!) have mandated for larger vehicles, which meant more dash to stick stuff on and in (otherwise, it'd look odd), CAFE rules (here in the USA), etc. Also emissions and fuel economy mean much more computer control, and more "drive by wire" and for some reason manufacturers decided that all has to be routed thru the entertainment console too. Outside of the first-world developed economies, though, you'll find those cars you want. But you likely as not can't import them, or if you can, they can't be driven or licensed for public roads. Many won't pass US or EU crash test safety standards, if that matters to you. These cars are mainly built and for the markets in India and China - as well as marketed to African nations (I don't know of any "domestic" African nation made commercially available vehicles - there may be some foreign manufacturers though). One vehicle I wish I could purchase and drive here in the USA - but likely never will (it likely couldn't be licensed for public roads, but even if it could, it probably isn't something you can purchase in single quantities - at least easily) is the OX: http://oxgvt.com/ http://oxgvt.com/ Great off-road handling (for a FWD-only vehicle), diesel engine, build-it-yourself from flatpack, easily fixable, central driver position, extreme hauling capacity - it's like everything I'd want in a vehicle, but sadly I can't own one. Downside is (likely) no AC system - but I could probably hack something in. I figure that if I ever want a vehicle like that, I'm going to have to build one myself on a small pickup chassis or something.