> Why can't we have something like a 1980s small Toyota truck with "Software eats the world". Consider something like fueling (I know this isn't in your Tesla

> Why can't we have something like a 1980s small Toyota truck with "Software eats the world". Consider something like fueling (I know this isn't in your Tesla drive train, but it's apples to apples). Your 1980s Toyota truck had a carburettor, a physical linkage direct to the gas pedal, and pretty simple exhaust. Very simple air intake. The carbs were fiddly and expensive to build, but didn't really wear out or need much service (unless you let gas rot in them). They were also very inefficient across most of their range, as there is only so much you can do with a throttle body and venturi. Compare "same" light duty truck now. Fuel injection with a control system: "smart" ECU, a far more complex exhaust - and sensors all along the way. The burn is far more efficient and controlled, partially because the exhaust has to be so much cleaner. There is a lot of software in there. For the most part the only way anyone (e.g. NASA) knows how to make software anywhere close to as bulletproof ans that mechanical carb and linkage is to absolutely pour effort into it from design through to final test. Assume a 5x-10x cost on the software development, and pass that on the consumers. If you assume the same lack of safety functionality as the 1980s truck, you can cut a chunk of that out, but I don't see that happening.