The Coming Wave of In-Dash Auto System Obsolescence 445
jfruh writes "Automakers are striving mightily to bring their in-dash systems into the modern age, providing integration with smartphones and other advanced features. The problem: while smartphones go in and out of vogue every few years, modern cars have lifespans of a decade or more. Add in the fact that many (though not all) manufacturers have no plans to allow software upgrades to their systems, and you might end up driving a car with a fancy in-dash computer system that's completely useless for much of the time you own it."
No change, in other words (Score:4, Insightful)
. . . [Y]ou might end up driving a car with a fancy in-dash computer system that's completely useless for much of the time you own it.
My first car had an AM radio, but I wanted FM, so I bought an FM converter for it. Car #3 had an AM/FM radio, but I wanted a cassette player, so I ended up buying and installing a radio with a cassette player in it. Car #4 didn't have a CD player, and I remedied that with a portable CD player and an adapter that slipped into the factory-installed cassette player. The current car has a radio with CD player and auxiliary input jack and Bluetooth, but I'm pretty sure it will be obsolete by the time I get rid of it.
Why would onboard computers be any different?
Re:This is already the case with in-dash GPS. (Score:1, Insightful)
You're really advocating a touch screen for use in a car? By the driver?
Touch screens in for use by the driver are probably the dumbest idea I've seen for a long, long time. Yes, Ford, I'm talking to you.
No fancy gizmos please... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Standardized Remote Touchscreen API (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Sure (Score:4, Insightful)
My idea of a vintage car with a sound system includes a big block and dual exhausts. You can't get that with Bluetooth.
And yes, on those cars, the accelerator is more than merely a volume control.
Re:no plans to allow software upgrades what autodr (Score:4, Insightful)