Hi,
I have to chime in on this one...
The current addition of computers to cars actually does make them simpler,
Really. However, as with any engineering issue, there are tradeoffs to
consider.
This has been the way of things in the computer industry for the last 20+
years that I'vee been working on them. When I first started, you had to
know Ohm's law to do anything. Eventually, the computer companies came up
with the idea that swapping out whole subsystems was cheaper than
diagnosing things to the compenent level. By way of example, I had numerous
occasions where an Ampex 28 track data tape failed. The repair would cost
roughly $3000, $2990 was labor/travel expenses and most of the time the
compenent cost was miniscule in comparison.
The "subsystem" repair uses a term called FRU or field replacable unit.
Now on cars, the FRU's are way expensive. But the amount of labor involved
_should be_ less than what it used to be. So now we're paying more for the
repairs.
I will say that newer cars do seem to go a long time without repairs, but
when they break, sometimes I get the feeling that thr FRU is basically
"toss the car and get another one".
Oh well.
rml
TR6's and more modern FRU'able products too.
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