The simple answer is, at the risk of a spoiler alert. Yes. There may well be two sides to this coin, but the intention of tech’s infusion in the cars we buy now, and will increasingly buy in the years to come, has become a hindrance rather than objectively useful. There was a time when car buying was simpler. Your checklist likely included how comfortable the seats were, ample legroom, power windows and rear parking sensors, and some nice-to-haves such as automatic climate control, and a music system. Then you stretched your budget attempting to buy a trim that’s a notch higher in terms of price, because it had that touchscreen music system instead of one with physical buttons and a small scroll display. The good old days.
Technology in cars isn’t inherently bad, and I’ll clarify that from the outset. Features such as electronic stability control, anti-brake locking systems, adaptive headlights and rain detecting windshield wipers, for instance, essential and helpful. I can say there are moments when the ABS braking tech is fully utilised whilst on the road, when a cretin wants to occupy the same road space that you do, without indicators or a care in the word. Modern vehicles are significantly safer, more efficient and better connected with wireless and wired phone integration into the infotainment system screens (though you’ll still see nitwits texting and driving — just bad apples, with no hope of learning).
