I would go so far as to say the curry hook, or rather what was potentially hooked onto it, was the warmest thing about the sluggish, grey Almera. Incontinence aside.
The curry hook had, in importance, replaced the heaven-sent Citroen one-litre passenger door bottle storage which, I think, was a feature of the AX but many litres have passed my lips since then so corrections will be accepted in the spirit intended.
How very French to design in a receptacle large enough for family-size bottles of table wine or a regular portion President Sarkozy.
These days many 'innovative' features are about as welcome as a hand written letter from Gordon Brown.
I mean come on, is it really appropriate for Citroen to punish a slight drift out of your lane by administering a sound thrashing via the seat squab? And I can think of many better ways to relax than having my back massaged en route by a mechanical German called Mercedes.
Enter Aida, the in car robot that will take the stress out of driving and replace it with thermo nuclear anger hot enough to melt the bloody windscreen.
The Affective Intelligent Driving Agent looks like a very poor mechanical limb bolted to your dash board and works: "By analysing drivers mobility patterns." Or where you go to most often in plain England.
So in a week Aida, which you may come to call Mavis or Noreen, can tell you exactly where you have been and what you have done. It will even guide you to your favourite supermarket. Imagine that.
It also does all the things your sat nav does but without a novelty Adolf Hitler voice.
In time Aida's |American developers hope for: "...a kind of symbiotic relationship where both parties learn from each other and establish an effective bond."
Log on now to I married a robot.com
Look, it's a pretty sorry world we live in but most of us can still remember where we have been, how much we enjoyed it and where we like to go for milk and bread, let alone where we live and work. No, really it can learn that in just one week. Wow.
Please, if I want unsolicited advice and droning directions I'll drive the outlaws to bingo. In the meantime can someone start to address the real needs of 21st century motoring, a fish and chips net and a little tray for doing your makeup when the lights turn to red.