The reality is that cars are built to a price, to be sold for a
profit. Manufacturers will only put a feature in a car for one of two
reasons:-
They are compelled to by legislation.
It will sell more cars.
If manufacturers are installing these devices without compulsion then
its a no brainer that they are doing it due to public demand. Those
complaining about the added extra cost imposed upon them when they buy
a new car and don't want such features are frankly displaying a lack
of understanding of the cost of such items at the point of manufacture
and the science behind upselling options. Just because you ask for a
factory GPS to be installed as an option and are charged $500-00 for
it does not mean that the cost to the manufacturer is anything even
remotely close to that figure. The cost of pricing options has
nothing whatsoever to do with the cost to the manufacturer but
EVERYTHING to do with what the manufacturer thinks the customer will
pay. It would be my guess that MG/Ford/GM/VW etc are paying no more
than $10.00 for the GPS hardware going into their vehicles.
Murray Arundell
Brisbane Australia
On 29/03/2011, at 9:16 AM, Aaron Whiteman wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Mar 2011, WSpohn4 at aol.com wrote:
>
>> Now you are just being intentionally silly. Give it a rest,
>> Murray. Get
>> back to me when governments legislate mandatory GPS fitment as
>> they do the
>> other safety items. I won't wait up to hear from you.
>
> GPS as a safety device is not in the plans as far as I know, but
> IIRC, within 2 years, backup cameras will be a mandatory item. It
> "only" adds a few hundred dollers to the cost of every car.
>
> Of course, with the horrendous rear visibility of modern cars, cameras
> probably should be considered for mandatory requirements.
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