Steve Cropley recently said he’d rather have driven than flown home from an event, even though it would have taken longer. He absolutely, resolutely, talked my language.
As I write I’m on an aeroplane. I love planes, enjoy being in the air and think modern aviation is one of humankind’s greatest achievements, shrinking the planet, letting us share knowledge, culture, you name it, like never before.
Yet it also gets on my tits like you wouldn’t believe because the experience is being continually pared back until it’s as close to the line marked ‘just bearable’ as customers will stomach.
Compare that with what the car industry tries to do. A new car won’t be more sparse than its predecessor.
Every iteration will offer more features, more refinement, more polish, more ‘stuff’ whether you truly want it or not, and I think that counts for something.
There are regulators and policy makers who, it feels to me, are trying to make the experience of driving as miserable as possible.
But in a car, I always feel more in charge of my destiny, and that I’m in something whose creators and vendors, at least, want me to have a good time.
Noises off
In case you find new car tech obstructive and think nobody’s listening, here’s a heartening tale from Kia, which had come in for some stick over the way it had set up bongs for this, that and the other, to comply with the latest round of safety regulation requirements, GSR2.
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Yes new cars have more stuff, but are they more comfortable to travel in, especially over long distance?
I refer you to the peerless BMW E39 5 series cabin as a place to travel, especially at night, with its wonderfully clear instruments and controls, all carefully colour co-ordinated to avoid eye strain, even with subtle puddle lights in the roof, with well built fittings and a general sense of calm.
Saab offered a 'black panel' option to dim all but essential instruments for calmer driving at night.
I suppose it’s a case of horses for courses. Now where are my car keys!