Thursday, July 14, 2005

Automobile "Innovations"

Possum and I were recently talking about automotive innovations...

Me: was just outside checking out the HUD on my aunt's '04 convertible corvette. I thought it was interesting on it that the ignition switch is in the dash like on my pickup truck
Buford Possum: does it have a 'start' button? and what started that trend?
Me: no it doesn't have a start button, you turn the freakin key
Me: s2000 (honda) is the one with the stupid start button, windows inspired
Buford Possum: one of the germans do that too
Buford Possum: some newer dodge trucks have that
Me: "lame"
Buford Possum: oh I agree
Buford Possum: anything in that 'pimp my ride' arena is lame
Me: 48 Chevy panel truck had a start button, but the engineers figured out they could make it more convenient for the user by making the thing they have to turn anyway do it. some marketing guy gets an idea, "Hey let's have a start button" and 50 years of innovation goes right out the door
Me: "Hey let's put a hand crank on it." Then all the other manufacturers add a hand crank on the engine...
Me: Now the Model A has a start button, but it is on the floor and you push it with your foot. I guess Honda will add that next...
Buford Possum: Yeah you've showed me that start button.
Buford Possum: I think the head light switch should go back down there
Me: I agree with that 100%
Buford Possum: turn signal too. Maybe people on cell phones will actually use them if its down there.
Me: I was screaming the 9C1 through some switchback curves the other night and wanted to turn on the high beams. It sucked having to take a hand off the wheel to pull back to brights. I thought, "man, that sure is inconvenient."
Buford Possum: thats sounds like an old NASCAR moonshine story
Me: There is a floor switch in the 9C1, but I can't figure out what it does.
Me: normal Caprices don't have it
Buford Possum: somewhere in some municipal police department, there is a small light on a map that goes off and on periodically and no one there knows why.
Me: LOL
Me: I wonder when Honda is going to invent the rumble seat...