Cars With Too Many Gadgets

from the too-much dept

Lots of people have been talking about the joystick system in the new BMW 7-series, which sounds like one of the worst design ideas I've ever heard of. It sounds like they've added a ton of features that no one will ever use - while making it more complex to figure out how to use any of them. Apparently just setting your radio station presets is a many-step process. It all has to make you wonder if car makers are going overboard in their quest to add gadgets to cars. We were just talking about how greedy automakers are simply looking to make as much money as possible, and aren't really doing much towards building useful systems. Most studies I've seen suggest that auto makers need to look on telematics systems as differentiators - and not as revenue generators. However, many people still think that random features sell cars, and as long as that belief holds, expect the gadget count to increase.
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  1. identicon
    PStevenson, 31 May 2002 @ 5:37am

    Gimme More!

    I want more cool stuff! I could care less about how much horsepower or any of the engine stuff. As long as the thing can get drive over 20" of snow (Yup, I love SUVs), I am looking for the day that I don't even have to touch the wheel or a pedal. Just get me there in the lap of (affordable) luxury. A man's gotta dream, huh?

    link to this | view in thread ]


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