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The automotive industry survives thanks to its constant evolution. Over time, drivers’ preferences and habits change, and many features that were once essential in this industry have disappeared. Others are simply on their way to doing so.
In this article, we are going to review all the things that sooner or later will disappear from modern automobiles, as the trend indicates.
Naturally aspirated engines
A couple of decades ago, it was rare to find an engine that used a turbocharger. Although this element has existed for a long time, manufacturers mounted it almost exclusively in diesel vehicles.
As anti-pollution laws have become stricter, brands have chosen to use the turbo in practically all the engines they produce, whether diesel or gasoline. With this, great power can be obtained with ridiculously small displacements.
The sad thing about this is that we give up simpler and easier-to-maintain engines. The turbo requires maintenance, and if it fails, the repair is very costly. In addition, the sound also becomes insipid.
Manual handbrake
We all know someone who raves about that automatic and electronic brake that prevents, among other things, the car from rolling backward by mistake on hills.
For those of us who are more purist, removing the traditional handbrake from cars is a complete mistake, as it adds more problems than benefits. For example, when changing a wheel, or when brake pads or discs need to be replaced, the situation becomes complicated, since the brake will automatically lock the wheels.
Spare tire
For the youngest members of the household, the spare tire is surely equivalent to cassette tapes. What is that? Manufacturers have pulled all sorts of tricks to get rid of the spare tire. And, of course, they have succeeded.
The big beneficiaries, without a doubt, are the tow truck drivers. The puncture repair kit cannot always be applied to a punctured tire, so many situations will end up with the aforementioned car loaded onto a tow truck for not having a spare tire. They took up half the trunk, yes. But they did their job very well.
Keys
Modern cars have proximity starting, NFC, and other technologies. Even though the traditional key is the cheapest solution, manufacturers know all the tricks and always play with technology in their favor.
Why would a car as basic as a compact city car have keyless ignition? The answer lies in crash tests. In accident simulation tests carried out by institutions like Euro NCAP, having a key fob hanging from the back of the steering wheel is penalized, as it is an extra sharp element that can cause injury during a crash.
Manual gearbox
Bad news if you like to drive. Vehicle manufacturers now revolve around emissions. To emit little, you also have to spend little. And that is where an automatic transmission beats us humans.
It is true that a good driver, as a general rule, knows how to make smarter and more efficient gear shifts than an automatic system. But fuel economy rules, so a few years from now, the normal thing will be that we won’t see a manual gearbox in a new car even for love or money.
Antenna
No, your antenna hasn’t been stolen. That’s a thing of the past. Modern automobiles already have tiny antennas that aren’t even exposed outside the bodywork.
It is true that many of the radio antennas now used are not as good as the ones installed before. But that is not something that matters to us too much, since we already listen to Spotify even if our car is old.
On the other hand, just because the antenna is not seen does not mean the car doesn’t have one. In fact, modern cars include dozens of antennas, only very well disguised.
Smoker’s package
Unfortunately, people will continue to smoke in their cars and fill their upholstery with that horrible smoke that is practically impossible to eliminate. However, we cannot say that manufacturers are not encouraging their customers to quit smoking. In the past, it was completely normal for them to offer what they called a ‘smoker’s package’, an interior full of horrible ashtrays so that no one would stop the habit during long trips. Nowadays, these types of extras practically do not exist.
Rearview mirrors
The positive part of mirrors dying out is that you are going to save yourself the upset you had that time you didn’t see a parking garage column. It is still too early to say that this element is going to disappear, but it will.
Mirrors, although they are a cheap and functional solution, have their weak points. They have blind spots, they fog up, they freeze, and they are very attractive to those despicable beings who practice vandalism.
With cameras and sensors, some luxury car manufacturers are demonstrating that the driver can be provided with a more complete view of what is around them. Of course, at the cost of money and exchanging a mirror for an infinitely more complex system. That being said, it is amusing that the motivation of many manufacturers to eliminate mirrors is that they affect aerodynamics.