Technology — it’s constantly advancing and disrupting existing technologies at an ever rapid pace, and when it comes to the automobile industry, it’s no different. Especially in the past ten, even five years, in-car technology has developed at an ever-astronomical pace to the point where even relatively inexpensive cars offer features such as forward collision alert, emergency braking, 360-degree surround camera, navigation with real-time traffic updates, and self-parallel parking. Of course, as new tech features are added, “old” technology must go by the wayside, much to the dismay of some buyers.
Having a 6-disc in-dash CD player AND a cassette player was quite the big deal in 2004.
One of those such rapidly disappearing features is the CD player. As a kid who grew up in a time where in-dash CD players were a novelty, it almost pains me to call the CD player “primitive”, but it’s the truth, no matter how sad it may be. In fact, these days CD players are a novelty once again, as many cars no longer offer them. MINI, among other brands, no longer offers them at all. BMW still includes them as standard, despite the addition of more advanced audio technology, though I’ll be honest when I say I’ve never used the CD player in my 2016 228. In fact, the last car I used a CD player was in the last car I owned without bluetooth audio, my 2004 Toyota Highlander.
Remote 3D view from your phone… who’d ever have envisioned this a decade ago?
So while I personally do not mourn the loss of the CD player, many others do. And numerous other automotive technologies have disappeared over the years too. Remember physical car keys? Manual hand brakes? CB radios? DVD-based “rear seat entertainment systems” with flip-down LCD screen? What automotive technology do you miss having most?
The only things I really miss would be manual HVAC controls — I hate being blasted with freezing air when it’s cold outside but the inside of the car is warm from sitting in the sun — and fabric upholstery. Leather/pleather suck in the South.
I miss Lincolns sound insulation from the 70s, if thats some kind of technology…
Currently drive a 2018 Buick LaCrosse…
I miss a true tilt steering wheel that has a wide tilt arc from down low in the lap to almost touching the windshield. The LaCrosse has such power adjustments that automatically position upon start-up and exit, but it is extremely limited.
I also miss my CD player…
I guess I assumed that people who regularly read this website tend to drive older cars. I have now realized that many of the readers actually drive new cars.
One more comment: both of my street-legal emission controlled, less than 20 year old motorcycles have carbs and chokes. Worst feature of these bikes. Neither has a tach … not really necessary.
Curb Feelers.
Oh and although it’s not as much Tech as De-Evolution: The Full-Size Spare.