Safety legislation makes this impossible. A 1968 beetle was a metal shell with few seats in it. Now, EuroNCAP mandates automatic breaking and lane-keep assist to get a 5 out of 5 rating. No manufacturer wants 4 stars or 😱 below, because no mother would allow little bobby to be strapped into a car that “wasn’t safe”.
It’s not the touch screen that makes it expensive. It the structural engineering, the airbags, the driving sensors, the software, the crash testing… The screen is the gloss on top that makes you feel ok about it all costing so much.
Industry regulation is often used as a way to ring-fence an industry from new entrants. Nobody but the existing players have a hope in meeting the regulations, except in this case they been hoisted with their own petard. Companies can’t make anything but “luxury” level cars as safety requirements are too high to be able to make “consumer” level cars which comply and also make profit.
Make me a 1968 beetle, that’s electric
B a s i c A F. Please
Yes there are expensive bits and bobs in a car but how about fewer how hard is that?
It’s not quite a beetle but they’re definitely electrifying the bus. I imagine a beetle is on the way too, honestly.
They gotta call it the Lightning Bug too or no sale.
Safety legislation makes this impossible. A 1968 beetle was a metal shell with few seats in it. Now, EuroNCAP mandates automatic breaking and lane-keep assist to get a 5 out of 5 rating. No manufacturer wants 4 stars or 😱 below, because no mother would allow little bobby to be strapped into a car that “wasn’t safe”.
It’s not the touch screen that makes it expensive. It the structural engineering, the airbags, the driving sensors, the software, the crash testing… The screen is the gloss on top that makes you feel ok about it all costing so much.
Industry regulation is often used as a way to ring-fence an industry from new entrants. Nobody but the existing players have a hope in meeting the regulations, except in this case they been hoisted with their own petard. Companies can’t make anything but “luxury” level cars as safety requirements are too high to be able to make “consumer” level cars which comply and also make profit.
We don’t need 5 star ratings in a small grocery getter car… not everything needs to be built to atmospheric re-entry standards.
You’re right, but that’s not how the public think.