And gauges and dials should be gauges and dials, not screens

Door releases should have a direct mechanical link to a latch, not send an electronic signal to a servo

You should not have to have your phone alive to unlock your car

Your ability to quickly and easily see what's behind you while driving should not be dependent on cameras instead of mirrors.

I'm actually going to push back on that last one, @fuckyeah-nerdery: backing cameras in cars aren't there for drivers or for manufacturers, they're there to keep people from running over toddlers.

not even joking: car companies do not actually like backing cameras because they are the most expensive option in terms of making it easier to see what's behind you, but cameras are the only way for a driver to see something directly behind them that's shorter than their window. years of research showed that less expensive options – more or better mirrors, sensors, a bigger rearview window – did not work, and cameras did, which is why they're now a mandatory feature on cars, like seatbelts.

behold my shitty drawing explaining why:

we had a whole day in my admin law class about this because it was a promulgated regulation at the time. there were a lot of people in my class who were basically "RIP to those kids but I would simply teach my baby not to stand behind cars so cameras are unnecessary" as if that was the first time anyone had thought about it.

anyway, that's a necessary safety feature like a manual lock or buttons you can feel instead of needing to look at a screen.

Oh, I'm not opposed to backup cameras. Apparently there are people who want to replace side mirrors with cameras and that just sounds like a terrible idea. I'm fine with cameras in addition to mirrors, my concern is a dangerous reliance on them and what could happen if either they or the display stops working while someone is on the interstate.

well, that's just dumb AND expensive.