I often write about changes that affect our lives and stand
out. I also often wonder how we are expected to keep up with
them.
Many changes occur in the automobile industry. They begin right
on the assembly line. The first change noticeable is the number
of employees it takes to construct a vehicle. It appears to
be about half or less employees to complete the running of
the line. With all the spot welding machinery and lifting equipment
used the job requires a lot less brawn. Less intelligence is
required since all ones needs to know is when and how to push
a button.
Another change took place on the next step after completion
of a car on the line; transport to the dealers.
This operation was once handled by car carrier trucks moving
up to five cars or small trucks at one time. With smaller cars
being produced and car carrier transports getting larger, many
more cars can be handled by one hauler. Shipment by rail has
not been changed and is still utilized.
Once a dealer puts the new models on display, the toughest
objective facing a perspective buyer is what color and style
to choose. Other challenges are choosing the power supply and
options which can number in the high double digits.
When
I bought my first car automatic transmissions were only available
on a few cars and they were not
very popular
because
they required a lot of maintenance. The floor shift
or manual shift on the column plus an extra pedal
for a
clutch didn’t
seem to be a problem once one became accustomed to using them.
In those days a manual transmission was standard and the automatic
drive was an option that often had to be ordered. The change;
today most drivers can’t drive without an automatic
transmission and manual shifts are special order.
Today — even on small trucks, power windows, brakes,
seat positions, seat heaters (even on back seats), radios,
CD players, speakers all around are standard when once they
were all options. And how about a car that can stop in time
to avoid an accident without the driver touching the brakes
and there is the car that can park itself. I like the feature
of pushing a button inside your house to start your car to
warm it up or cool it off. Funny the car thief’s haven’t
got on to that helpful feature.
It’s
amazing that a car can be programmed electronically by a
global positioning system to
guide you on a
trip - of a mile or clear across the country
with a single
setting.
Here is a new feature; a sensor that knows when
you had an
accident.
It unlocks your doors, shuts off the engine and
turns on the flashers, even if you are incapacitated.
The auto industry is not the only one experiencing changes.
Electronics change almost daily; television and video equipment
is near impossible to keep abreast of. At one time, rabbit
ear antennas were replaced with roof-top antenna. They soon
went from a few tubular arms to what looked like a monster
on the roof that could turn in any direction and changed reception
from 3 or 4 channels to dozens.
Today — changes
are hard to describe entirely because they keep morphing
into something
else.
Roof top antennas have been totally discontinued. Those in
remote areas must subscribe to a signal supplier to receive
any image at all. The same applies to standard radio reception
although there are still airways that carry radio waves without
extra charges. Look for that to change in the future.
Large
screen TVs that just a short time ago took up half a room
can now be hung
on a
wall and
only stick
out 5
or 6 inches.
Additional electronics; computers, telephones — cell
and hard wire, printers, copiers, i-Pods,
blackberrys and a host of other devices
also change almost
daily.
Many of the changes that bring new devices are helpful; some
even life saving but how can we be expected to keep up with
them when those we acquire today will be obsolete before we
can pay for them?