Years ago Jeremy Clarkson wrote in a Times column (where he is generally less trollish than his TV shows) that he rejected the idea that Japanese car makers onl

Years ago Jeremy Clarkson wrote in a Times column (where he is generally less trollish than his TV shows) that he rejected the idea that Japanese car makers only copy: they were responsible for the great innovation of the idea that a car could be something that you get in, that starts reliably, and that you don't find yourself guessing whether you'll be able to use it on a day-to-day basis. People who suffered through cars in the 70s and even 80s would be inclined to agree with him; unfortunately, it turns out that Bill Gates was wrong, and when cars are built the way programmers code, it takes us back to that lamentable state of affairs.