Here’s the latest reader question, along with my reply!
Leonard asks: History proves new technology isn’t available to we plebians until after its weapon potential has been realized. I suspect Automatic Stop-Start, perhaps in conjunction with 5g, is planned as a way to cancel mobility when desired.
What do you think?
My reply: It is certainly possible; in fact, most late-model cars with telematics (e.g., OnStar or similar) can already be turned off remotely. So ASS – Automatic Stop/Start – isn’t even necessary for that.
But it serves some other purposes. These include:
Adding cost (and profit margin) to the car at purchase. The car industry used to fight regulatory fatwas that added cost; they no longer do. They actively push new crap – witness CES – because it means they can charge more for the car – and later, to service it.
It accelerates economic attrition. The crap being grafted to cars makes them more expensive to buy and service (per above) and that means that as the cars age and depreciate, it makes less and less economic sense to repair them. Which means replacing them sooner.
Mind, I am not against making a buck – I just loathe and despise making a buck this way.
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