It may be great fun to sit at the flashing controls of a modern car and make all sorts of Star Trek noises but when the technology goes all E.T. you may wish for a starting handle or a sturdy tow rope.
Mike Nethercote gets up at 4am every day to manage a dairy. At 4am with half a city looking down the barrel of dry cornflakes, not being able to get in your car is no joke.
Mike's Laguna was just weeks out of warranty when the microchip in his card failed. It's the type that pushes into a slot in the dash. And that's important to remember.
Because you can get in by using the emergency key in the passenger side door. But you can't start the car.
A new key card costs £190. That is not funny. Neither is sitting in a dark car while Mrs Handbag's blue- top curdles in the factory.
The reason so many cars now start using anything other than a key is twofold. One because like a load of little chimps we, the punters, can't resist a new toy and so that there is no dangerous protruding key to smash your right knee in a smash.
So why not do a Saab and stick the ignition between the seats?
But if designers do insist on a sexy card or push button operation they should make sue it is totally foolproof.
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The Reveller wrote...
But then they wouldn't be able to get away with charging so much for a key would they?
Posted by: The Reveller | November 4, 2008 6:12 PM