When buying a new car, there are several options that are now deemed as necessary. How necessary though and will you still want them in your car in the years to come?
Sat Nav’s. Funny things aren’t they. They can be the most useful tool you could ever have but they can also be the most frustrating and pointless gadgets on the planet. Still, a large majority of drivers believe they are a modern necessity and feel lost without them - literally! The car manufacturers have, of course, cottoned on to this and now offer built in systems on pretty much every car in their range, for a price.
A couple of weeks ago I was perusing a local car lot, as I generally do on a quiet Sunday, when I stumbled across a bit of a bargain. It was a seven series Bimer, circa 1995. Fitted with the four litre V8 engine, so not the most desirable lump in this economic climate, it had only covered 75,000 miles and was immaculate. Peering in to the cabin though, one thing struck me. Mounted in the leather clad centre console was the largest block of mid 90’s car phone I had ever seen. Frankly, it was an eyesore.
Instantly, this still fresh looking saloon was dated. It wasn’t even a discreet unit that could be hidden or removed easily. Gone was the fantasy that I could turn up at the pub and friends would marvel at what a bargain I had picked up. No, now I could hear the hoots of laughter and derision as people mock me for being a yuppie! I would get less stick walking in to the Kings Head with a Motorola Brick and shiny suit.
It will be the same in years to come with built in Sat Nav’s, this time though it isn’t going to be limited to high end luxury cars. Give it a couple of years and that now modern looking 4 x 3 LCD screen and its graphics in your brand new Astra will look like the satellite navigation equivalent of a Spectrum ZX81 computer. And don’t even get me started on the whole BMW idrive system and its imitators! Also will these gizmo’s still work, especially after we’ve all moved on to sat nav protocol version 3.4?
So why bother with these factory fit systems, especially considering portable units are generally better and can be updated on a regular basis? If you also factor in to the equation that these fitted systems often cost north of £1000, then it starts to become a bit of a puzzler. Well, for the most part, it all comes down to security. Portable sat navs are now the new must have item amongst the dregs of society who feel the need to put the window through on your car. Built in systems are just that and can’t be crow barred out in twenty seconds flat. Do we have any other option? Not at the moment but I have an idea!
My proposal? How about creating a universal Din standard as the manufacturers did with the car radio many years ago? A slot designed in to the car’s dash board capable of taking a standard unit, with standard connections and controls. This unit would also be capable of acting as a display screen if necessary and could be removed at the touch of a button to be used in another car, either in an equivalent Din slot or on the traditional windscreen sucker stand.
This idea wouldn’t only benefit the consumer it would help the manufacturers as well. As much as some people dislike “universal standards”, they do help to drive costs down. After all, the cost of a factory fit unit can’t be 90% profit, can it?
May be one day they will have value as a “classic” accessory, in the same way push button radios have become to some enthusiasts. In the mean time though, they will just end up as non working pointless chunks of dash board electronics that can’t easily be removed or updated.
Well, that’s my ranting done for another day, I’m off now to go and listen to the new Oasis album on eight track.