A lively discussion about the most unwanted truck technologies, highlighting features that frustrate drivers. The hosts share their personal experiences with automatic stop-start systems, lane keep assist, and pop-out door handles, debating their practicality and user-friendliness. They also touch on the evolving truck market, including the need for more affordable options and the benefits of modern towing technology. With a mix of humor and critical analysis, this episode offers insights into what truck enthusiasts really want versus what manufacturers are providing.
( https://www.alltfl.com/ ) Check out our new spot to find ALL our content, from news to videos and our podcasts! In this episode of TFL Talkin’ Trucks, Roman and Kase dive into the worst truck tech that nobody asked for. From overly complicated multi-function electric tailgates to intrusive lane-keep assist systems and nonstop warning beeps, the guys rant about the frustrating features that make modern trucks less enjoyable to drive. Sometimes “innovation” just gets in the way — and they’re here to call it out.
They also share which tech features they actually like, how manufacturers could fix the most annoying ones, and what truck owners really want instead. It’s an honest, funny, and relatable episode that every frustrated truck owner will appreciate — especially if your rig won’t stop yelling at you for not wearing your seatbelt in the driveway.
( http://www.patreon.com/tflcar ) Visit our Patreon page to support the TFL team!
"...he was just doing a Mercedes Sprinter van program. So he's going to have some Sprinter videos to share."
The Mercedes Sprinter is a large van that's great for transporting goods or people. It's popular for businesses and can also be turned into a camper for road trips.
The Mercedes Sprinter is a versatile van known for its spacious interior and cargo capacity, often used for commercial purposes and as a base for camper conversions.
"...y to Detroit, where he's, what's he picking up at Ram, right? Yeah, exactly."
The Dodge Ram is a big truck that people use for heavy jobs and everyday driving. It's known for being strong and comfortable inside.
The Dodge Ram, now known as the Ram Truck, is a full-size pickup known for its strong performance and comfortable interior. It is significant for its blend of capability and luxury, making it a popular choice for both work and leisure.
"...a more affordable trim of a Ram pickup to drive back here..."
A trim level is a version of a car that has different features and options. Some versions are fancier and more expensive than others.
Trim level refers to the various versions of a vehicle model that come with different features, options, and price points. Higher trim levels usually include more luxury features and technology.
"...they've got all the options. They're the highest trim level."
Options are extra features you can choose to add to a car. They can make the car nicer or more useful, but they also cost more money.
Options refer to additional features or packages that can be added to a vehicle, allowing buyers to customize their cars according to their preferences and needs.
"Is it going to be the, is it a 1500? It's a 1500, right?"
The Ram 1500 is a large truck that many people use for towing, hauling, or just driving around. It's known for being comfortable and having lots of features.
The Ram 1500 is a full-size pickup truck known for its combination of capability, comfort, and technology. It's popular among consumers looking for both work and leisure vehicles.
"And it's going to be, I think it's pentastar powered."
The Pentastar engine is a type of V6 engine made by Chrysler. It's designed to give good power while also being fuel-efficient.
The Pentastar engine is a family of V6 engines produced by Chrysler, known for its balance of performance and efficiency. It's commonly used in various Ram and Jeep models.
"Now, before we get to kind of unwanted truck tech, let me ask you about your Cummins. I don't know if people know out there, but you have an old school Cummins, so tell me about your truck."
Cummins is a brand that makes powerful diesel engines used in many trucks. They're known for being strong and lasting a long time.
Cummins is a well-known manufacturer of diesel engines, particularly popular in heavy-duty trucks and commercial vehicles. Their engines are known for durability and performance, making them a favorite among truck enthusiasts.
Car
12-valve Cummins
"Yeah, I've still got my same 12-off Cummins that we've done a bunch of videos with."
The 12-valve Cummins is a type of diesel engine that many truck owners love because it's simple and very reliable. It was often used in older Dodge trucks.
The 12-valve Cummins refers to a specific generation of Cummins diesel engines that were known for their simplicity and reliability. They were commonly used in Dodge Ram trucks during the 1990s and are favored by enthusiasts for their performance and ease of modification.
"So it's got a rebuilt transmission as Rams do. As Rams do? Yes."
Ram is a brand that makes trucks. They are known for being strong and good for carrying heavy loads.
Ram is a brand of trucks known for their durability and capability, often used for both work and personal purposes. They are popular for their towing capacity and rugged design.
"So it's got a rebuilt transmission as Rams do. As Rams do? Yes."
A rebuilt transmission is when a mechanic takes apart a car's transmission, fixes any problems, and puts it back together. This can help the truck run better and last longer.
A rebuilt transmission is a transmission that has been disassembled, inspected, and repaired or replaced with new parts to restore it to working condition. This process can extend the life of the vehicle and improve performance.
"I also put a rebuilt transfer case in it as well. Wow, that's an old video."
A rebuilt transfer case is when a mechanic fixes the part of the truck that helps send power to the front and back wheels. This is important for trucks that can drive on all four wheels.
A rebuilt transfer case is similar to a rebuilt transmission; it involves disassembling the transfer case, inspecting it for wear, and replacing any damaged components. This is crucial for vehicles with four-wheel drive to ensure proper power distribution to the wheels.
"...I did a bunch of steering parts on it and brake parts, hub assemblies with the wheel bearings,..."
Hub assemblies are parts that hold the wheels on a vehicle. They help the wheels turn smoothly and keep everything aligned.
Hub assemblies are crucial components that connect the wheel to the vehicle and house the wheel bearings. They play a vital role in ensuring smooth wheel rotation and proper alignment.
"...hub assemblies with the wheel bearings, all kind of stuff."
Wheel bearings are small parts that help the wheels spin easily. They support the weight of the vehicle and make sure the wheels can turn without getting stuck.
Wheel bearings allow the wheels to rotate with minimal friction. They are essential for the smooth operation of the vehicle and support the weight of the vehicle while allowing the wheels to turn freely.
"...the Model T. When the first consumer truck came out, let's call it the Model T truck, which we have by the way in our fleet."
The Ford Model T was one of the first cars that many people could buy. It changed how cars were made and made them cheaper and more available to everyone.
The Ford Model T was the first mass-produced automobile and is often credited with revolutionizing the automotive industry. It introduced assembly line production techniques, making cars affordable for the average consumer.
"And that is automatic stop start. I think that is universally hated."
Automatic stop start is a system that turns off the engine when you're not moving, like at a red light, and turns it back on when you want to go. It's meant to save gas and help the environment.
Automatic stop start is a technology in vehicles that automatically shuts off the engine when the car is stopped, such as at traffic lights, and restarts it when the driver presses the accelerator. This feature is designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.
"we just recently did an MPG test in different driving modes on Honda Passport."
The Honda Passport is a type of SUV that has a lot of space inside for passengers and cargo. It's good for families and can handle off-road driving well.
The Honda Passport is a midsize SUV known for its spacious interior, off-road capability, and reliability. It is designed for families and outdoor enthusiasts, offering a balance of comfort and utility.
"And the difference we saw in MPG was five, five miles per gallon, which is a good amount."
MPG means how far a car can go on one gallon of gas. The higher the number, the better the car is at using fuel.
MPG stands for miles per gallon, a measure of fuel efficiency that indicates how many miles a vehicle can travel on one gallon of fuel. Higher MPG values generally mean better fuel economy, which is desirable for cost savings and environmental impact.
"The other thing with stop start is, yeah, it feels a little funky."
A stop-start system turns off the engine when you're not moving, like at a red light, to save gas. It turns back on when you want to go again.
A stop-start system automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stopped, such as at traffic lights, to save fuel and reduce emissions. The engine restarts when the driver releases the brake or presses the accelerator.
"But people talk a lot about all the wear on your starter motors, but these these vehicles go through such rigorous testing and they've beefed up those starter motors to be able to handle that."
The starter motor is what helps start your car's engine. It spins the engine when you turn the key or push the start button.
The starter motor is an electric motor that initiates the engine's operation by turning it over when you start the vehicle. It is crucial for starting the engine and can wear out over time, especially with frequent stop-start cycles.
"No, the reason for that, of course, is because of EPA and cafe numbers, which now are relevant..."
The EPA is a government agency that helps protect the environment. They set rules for how much pollution cars can produce and how efficient they should be with fuel.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a U.S. government agency responsible for regulating environmental issues, including vehicle emissions and fuel economy standards. Their regulations aim to reduce pollution and promote cleaner air.
"...because of EPA and cafe numbers, which now are relevant..."
CAFE stands for Corporate Average Fuel Economy. It's a set of rules that requires car companies to make their vehicles more fuel-efficient, helping to save gas and reduce pollution.
Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) refers to regulations in the United States aimed at improving the average fuel economy of cars and trucks produced by manufacturers. These standards require automakers to meet specific fuel efficiency targets for their fleets.
"...for the auto stop start to have a bearing over the fuel economy figures like the EPA figure, it has to reset to being on every key cycle..."
Auto stop-start is a system that turns off the car's engine when you stop, like at a red light, and turns it back on when you start driving again. It helps save fuel and is better for the environment.
Auto stop-start is a technology that automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle is stopped and restarts it when the driver releases the brake pedal. This feature is designed to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, especially in city driving conditions.
Car
Honda That Honda
"I'll give you an example of that. We've got that Honda Passport Trail Sport sitting right on front of th..."
The Honda That's is a small car that is great for city driving because it's easy to park and uses less gas. It's designed to be practical and efficient.
The Honda That's is a compact car known for its efficient use of space and practicality. It is significant in markets where small cars are preferred for urban driving and fuel efficiency.
"...it turns back on now. In Europe, they've got these rules where I think it has to turn on every time you cycle the engine along with the dinghy when you exceed the speed limit."
A speed limit warning is a system in cars that tells you when you're driving faster than the speed limit. It usually makes a sound or shows a message on the screen to remind you to slow down.
A speed limit warning is a feature in some vehicles that alerts the driver when they exceed the posted speed limit. This is often accompanied by a visual or audible alert to encourage safe driving practices.
"...we used to have the Ineos Grenadier. And every time you key-cycled that, you had to do the over-the-speed limit warning."
The Ineos Grenadier is a tough, off-road vehicle made for people who need a reliable car for rough terrains. It's built to be simple and strong, similar to older utility vehicles.
The Ineos Grenadier is a rugged off-road vehicle designed for durability and capability, inspired by classic utility vehicles. It aims to provide a no-nonsense driving experience, focusing on functionality over luxury.
"Number nine on the list here is pop out door handles. Now, this is the thing that has been around a long time, but Tesla really brought it into the mainstream."
Pop out door handles are handles that hide away when not being used, making the car look smoother. Tesla made these popular, but some people find them annoying because they can be tricky to use.
Pop out door handles are a type of automotive door handle that retracts into the body of the car when not in use, providing a sleek, flush appearance. Tesla popularized this design, which has both aesthetic and functional implications but can also lead to usability issues.
"Cole, would you be so kind and Google, does Rivian have pop out door handles?"
Rivian is a company that makes electric trucks and SUVs. They are known for creating vehicles that are good for outdoor adventures.
Rivian is an American electric vehicle manufacturer known for its all-electric trucks and SUVs, such as the R1T and R1S. The company focuses on adventure-oriented vehicles and sustainable transportation.
"...we just had a Tesla Model S from 2014 and we just sold it's got pop out door handle. It's got a hundred and four thousand miles."
The Tesla Model S is a high-end electric car that can go very far on a single charge. It has a simple design inside with a big screen to control everything.
The Tesla Model S is an all-electric luxury sedan known for its long range and high performance. It features advanced technology, including a minimalist interior and a large touchscreen interface.
"Now to make it more annoying, Tesla took another step further down this road. They got rid of like actual door handles period in the Cybertruck. Remember how that work?"
The Tesla Cybertruck is a new type of electric truck from Tesla. It has a very different look and doesn't use traditional door handles, which makes it stand out.
The Tesla Cybertruck is an all-electric pickup truck designed by Tesla, known for its futuristic design and unique features, including its unconventional door handle system.
"And then the other part that that kind of goes along with that is electronic doors period. So in order to make these things work, you can no longer just have a mechanical mechanism..."
Electronic doors are doors that open and close using electricity instead of just a handle. If the power goes out, these doors might not work, which can be a problem.
Electronic doors are mechanisms that use electrical power to operate, often replacing traditional mechanical systems. They can enhance convenience but may pose challenges if power is lost, as they may not function without electricity.
"But there are some offenders. We have the Hummer EV right now. What's a door handle like that?"
The GMC Hummer EV is a big electric truck that can go anywhere, even off-road. It's part of a new trend of electric cars that are good for the environment.
The GMC Hummer EV is an all-electric version of the iconic Hummer, known for its impressive off-road capabilities and advanced technology. It represents a shift towards electric vehicles in the truck segment, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers.
"But there are some offenders. We have the Hummer EV right now. What's a door handle like that?"
The Hummer EV is a new electric truck from the Hummer brand. Unlike traditional trucks, it uses electricity instead of gasoline and has some modern features like electronic door handles.
The Hummer EV is an all-electric pickup truck that represents a significant shift for the Hummer brand, which was known for its gas-guzzling SUVs. It features advanced technology and a unique design, including electronic door handles.
"...because they're electric, a lot of these vehicles, they have to have very good aero. In other words, you don't want to have anything that creates bad wind flow."
Aerodynamics is how air moves around things, like cars. Good aerodynamics helps cars use less energy and go further, especially electric ones.
Aerodynamics refers to the way air flows around objects, which is crucial for vehicle design, especially for electric cars that rely on efficiency. Good aerodynamics can reduce drag and improve fuel economy.
"... in that the trucks aren't always on the bleeding edge of technology in a lot of ways, which is I'm tha..."
The Ford Edge is a medium-sized SUV that has a lot of room inside and comes with modern tech features. It's a good choice for families who need space and comfort.
The Ford Edge is a midsize SUV known for its spacious interior and advanced technology features. It is significant for its balance of comfort and performance, making it a popular choice for families and commuters.
"...they're actually removing Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, not just out of the electric cars, but out of all their vehicles..."
Android Auto is a feature that lets you connect your Android phone to your car, allowing you to use apps and get directions on the car's screen. It's designed to help you stay connected while driving safely.
Android Auto is a similar system for Android users that allows them to connect their smartphones to their vehicle's infotainment system. It provides access to navigation, music, and messaging apps, enhancing the connectivity between the phone and the car.
"... good job with storage. And the, while the Honda Ridgeline going all the way back has had that cubby that's ..."
The Honda Ridgeline is a truck that drives more like a car, making it comfortable and easy to handle. It has some clever storage spaces, which is handy for carrying things.
The Honda Ridgeline is a midsize pickup truck that stands out for its car-like ride and innovative features, such as a built-in trunk in the bed. It is significant for its practicality and comfort, appealing to those who want a truck for everyday use.
"...you have a bunch of stuff in your bed. Yeah, the Santa Cruz is the same thing. Yeah, Santa Cruz so."
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a smaller truck that feels more like an SUV, making it comfortable to drive. It's useful for carrying things while still being easy to handle.
The Hyundai Santa Cruz is a compact pickup truck that combines the versatility of a truck with the comfort of an SUV. It is significant for its innovative design and practicality, appealing to those who need a vehicle for both work and leisure.
"and then it won't unlock. The tundra is guilty of this. And then you've got to drive ..."
The Toyota Tundra is a big truck that people use for heavy work or outdoor activities. It's known for being tough and lasting a long time, which is why many people like to drive it.
The Toyota Tundra is a full-size pickup truck known for its reliability and strong performance. It is significant for its durability and off-road capabilities, making it a popular choice among truck enthusiasts and those needing a robust vehicle for work or recreation.
"... products now, they've kind of gone away from the G80, and it's just like, boop, or the Ford product, ..."
The BMW M3 is a fast and fancy car that many people love to drive because it handles really well. It's like a sportier version of a regular BMW, designed for people who enjoy driving.
The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, known for its powerful engine and sporty handling. It is significant in the automotive world for its blend of luxury and performance, making it a favorite among driving enthusiasts.
"...ock, and it just does it. Same thing with a Jeep Gladiator, great engagement. Jeep's got the problem with t..."
The Jeep Gladiator is a truck that can go off-road easily, like a Jeep. It has a bed in the back for carrying stuff, making it great for both work and play.
The Jeep Gladiator is a unique pickup truck that combines the off-road capabilities of a Jeep with the utility of a truck bed. It's significant for its rugged design and versatility, appealing to those who enjoy outdoor adventures.
".... Yeah, I mean, compare the Panistar to like the Tacoma, the Gladiators of Tacoma. Or like a third dude ..."
The Toyota Tacoma is a smaller truck that people use for work and fun. It's known for being dependable and can handle rough terrains, which is great for outdoor adventures.
The Toyota Tacoma is a midsize pickup truck known for its reliability and off-road prowess. It is significant for its versatility, making it a popular choice for both daily driving and outdoor activities.
Select text to request an explanation
Hey, Kase, welcome back to TFL Talking Trucks, and today you've got me instead of Andre.
Yeah, likewise.
So it's the two of us again, at least for this week, next week, Andre should be back.
Back to the A team.
Yeah, exactly.
Back to the guys out there having Andre on the podcast.
But for today's podcast, you and I are going to be talking about something a little similar
to last week, but different.
This is going to be the most unwanted truck tech, truck tech that nobody asked for.
And this is a list that I understand you agree with very much, but I might try and play devil's
advocate here a little bit, even though my truck is 30 years old.
So a lot of the things on this list are things that I probably mostly agree with as well.
So before we get into it, let's talk about Andre.
Andre, he's flying back from Germany.
He was just doing a Mercedes Sprinter van program.
So he's going to have some Sprinter videos to share.
But more excitedly, he's on his way to Detroit, where he's, what's he picking up at Ram, right?
Yeah, exactly.
They are going to get him a more affordable trim of a Ram pickup to drive back here to
Colorado to test out so that we can show what that looks like, because a lot of the
trucks that we get in the press fleet, they're not trucks that we get to spec out ourselves.
So a lot of times people are watching the videos on these trucks and they've got all
the options.
They're the highest trim level.
And I understand why the manufacturers do that.
They want to show off the nicest features you can get on those trucks.
But a lot of people out there, our audience and us ourselves, we would like to test out
trucks that are a little more affordable.
So that's what they're sending us.
Yeah, I think Ram was kind enough to actually build, because we've been whining and whinging
about how expensive trucks are.
And so they actually built out a full size Ram.
Is it going to be the, is it a 1500?
It's a 1500, right?
Yeah.
So it's a full size 1500.
And it's going to be, I think it's penistar powered.
Yeah.
Well, no, I think it's a hurricane.
It's a hurricane.
I want to say it's a hurricane.
Anyway, you will figure it out when he comes back with the truck, but it's exciting that
we're actually going to have a truck that isn't like $800 million, but is relatively
affordable and is something that you guys have been asking for for a very long time.
Now, before we get to kind of unwanted truck tech, let me ask you about your Cummins.
I don't know if people know out there, but you have an old school Cummins, so tell me
about your truck.
Yeah, I've still got my same 12-off Cummins that we've done a bunch of videos with.
I've had it for the entire time that I've been working here.
So for the last five years, and it's a great truck.
So recently I went through and did a couple upgrades, a little bit of maintenance on it.
So it's got a rebuilt transmission as Rams do.
As Rams do?
Yes.
It's something they like.
So a rebuilt transmission.
I also put a rebuilt transfer case in it as well.
Wow, that's an old video.
Yeah, it is an old video because you've got a topper on that thing now.
Yeah.
And I take the topper off in the winter a lot, but I was mostly looking at my hairdo.
I guess that hasn't actually changed that much.
But yeah, if you're watching this podcast, Cole is pulling up some footage of my truck
on prior videos that we've done.
And it's driving really well.
I did a bunch of steering parts on it and brake parts, hub assemblies with the wheel bearings,
all kind of stuff.
So it's driving great.
Now, the reason I brought this up because this truck has none of the unwanted truck
tick that we're talking about.
Yeah.
It doesn't even have back seats.
And of course, if you, if you are an old school truck lover, then you can always get
an old truck.
Yeah.
And you can always.
They're still out there.
They're still out there and they're relatively affordable and you can always make it your
own.
But so let's get to this list.
So I found this list on Top Gear and it was a list basically that was meant for car tech.
But we can certainly adapt it to truck tech because it's very similar.
I have to say something that I think is a hot take case, but I think I'm not that far
off on this.
I have never lived through a time where manufacturers seem to care less about what the buyer wants
than now.
They, you know, everybody is out there talking about the stuff that the manufacturers are
putting on their trucks, on their cars, they're hating on it.
And yet the manufacturers just kind of ignore what people want and keep going down this
road.
And then they blame, they either blame governments or they blame, you know, competition.
But like I said, I have never lived in a time where the manufacturer cares less about what
the actual customer wants.
And I'm going to blame Tesla on this, right?
Right.
You know, there's this, there's this call.
Is there there's like a Steve Jobs, famous Steve Jobs saying maybe you could find it
where he basically said, don't ask what the customer wants because they don't know what
they want.
It's something like that.
Right.
It's a famous quote.
Basically, like when the iPhone came out, he made the, he made the, did you find it?
Yeah, let's see.
Steve Jobs famously said, you can't just ask customers what they want and try to give that
to them by the time you get it built, they want something new.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And so, so there's this pervasive ideology, I think in Silicon Valley, where basically
the customer doesn't know what they want because they're not, you know, at the forefront
of new technology.
So you give them what they want from your perspective because they don't know what they
want.
And the problem with that, and it's pervasive now in the car and truck industry and all
kinds of places.
The problem with that is, you know, when the iPhone came out, everybody was like, oh my
god, that is so, you know, perfect.
This is what I've been looking for.
Because before the iPhone, I remember there were like those Motorola flip phones, right?
There were those Nokia phones, but I knew exactly what I wanted.
There was no doubt that I knew what I wanted.
I knew I wanted a phone that would not only work as a phone, but that in fact, you know,
you could not only text on by column, but you could actually, you know, cruise the internet
on.
Yeah.
It had games on it, right?
I knew exactly what I wanted.
And it wasn't that, I don't think that revolutionary that Apple came along and just put all the
stuff that I wanted, basically my computer on my phone.
And I think that that quote of Steve Jobs, that quote of his works better with technology
because technology always has to be on the bleeding edge of what's possible and what's
new.
And it's hard for us who are just regular consumers, we don't live in that world to
see what that next step is going to be.
So we can't necessarily say what we want.
And that in the auto industry might even be true of some luxury cars, of some super cars,
things like that, where they are also at the bleeding edge of technology, but for trucks
and for four by fours, the formula for what works really hasn't changed that much over
time.
So you don't necessarily, I don't think you really need to reinvent the wheel to make
trucks that people want because what makes a truck functional is the same things that
have made trucks good and trucks functional for the last hundred years.
Back to the Model T.
When the first consumer truck came out, let's call it the Model T truck, which we have by
the way in our fleet.
So usually at TFL, we do this list and we start at number 10 and we go number one, but
I will jump to number one right now because I think this is undoubtedly the most unwanted
truck tech that I have yet to see anybody saying that they would actually like.
And that is automatic stop start.
I think that is universally hated.
Yeah, yeah, which is fair enough.
It's definitely frustrating.
Like I said, I think I'm going to try and take a little bit of the devil's advocate
position so that this is not such a one note kind of podcast.
So what I will say to its credit, we just recently did an MPG test in different driving
modes on Honda Passport.
And on that passport, the biggest difference between sport mode and normal mode was a little
bit what Gira was holding, but also using stop start.
And the difference we saw in MPG was five, five miles per gallon, which is a good amount.
The other thing with stop start is, yeah, it feels a little funky.
Your AC is not running while the engine is stopped.
So it might get a little hot in the vents.
But people talk a lot about all the wear on your starter motors, but these these vehicles
go through such rigorous testing and they've beefed up those starter motors to be able
to handle that.
So I'm going to take the position that it's you're the first one case.
Not all that bad.
Yeah, I don't think I'm going to get a lot of people agreeing with me.
I don't think you're going to have many people agreeing with you.
No, the reason for that, of course, is because of EPA and cafe numbers, which now are relevant
because the Trump administration still has the cafe numbers in place, but they've gotten
rid of all the penalties.
So it's a toothless regulation right now.
And back then, when the penalties were still in place and when corporate average, whatever
cafe stands for were important, every not even mile, but every added half MPG was super
important.
And so what that allowed you to do was on that little Minroni sticker, maybe put down
20 MPG versus 18 MPG or 19 MPG, because it does actually make a difference.
The downside, of course, you said is that the air conditioning doesn't work.
And the bigger downside for truck people is that when you put in a car, you put in a four
cylinder when that engine shuts off, you probably can't feel it because it's a little
tiny thing.
But when you're, you know, and you've got a big old V8 under the hood, every time that
thing comes to life, the whole truck kind of, yeah, so it's a strange feeling.
It is.
Yeah, it's like I understand.
And I kind of equated to a golf cart, which is not a good thing coming from a trucker
world.
Yeah, because that's how golf cart works.
They kind of they do the same thing.
They spring to life, the gas ones, at least when you when you when you put the accelerator.
Now to some extent, this issue has been solved with the latest hybrids, because the hybrids
allow you to maintain air conditioning and maintain all the functions without the engine
running.
And often they're a little bit smoother on startup, or they can start up once it doesn't
with the hybrid.
What can happen is you can roll a little bit before the engine comes on.
Yeah, so you're not actually every time you press the accelerator on like a golf cart
doesn't snap the engine on.
And I think that especially with Toyota, with Ford's hybrid, I kind of alleviates that.
But I still think what especially I think irks people is that you have to turn it off
every time you turn the truck on and off.
Yeah, and for the auto stop start to have a bearing over the fuel economy figures like
the EPA figure, it has to reset to being on every key cycle.
Otherwise they wouldn't be able to include it in that number.
So that's the reason that a key cycles back on all the time, which I agree is annoying
because in general, you want a vehicle to start back up with whatever settings you left
it with.
So that that would make the feature a lot less annoying.
Again, my personal feeling is the same as as what's being expressed here on.
It's not my favorite piece of technology, but there is an argument to be made for it.
All right, let's go to Top Gear's list and number 10 on their list.
So now we're going from one back to 10 that will come down is a lane keep assist.
What do you think of lane keep assist?
Yeah, that pretty much universally I don't like.
I'm sure statistically, you can you can reflect the benefits of it.
You can show that it helps people stay on the road.
But here's where it really irritates me.
When we drive out to our company ranch, we store a lot of vehicles, do a lot of videos.
There are so many people on bicycles.
There are.
And legally, it's a big bike path for boulder cyclists.
Massive.
There's as many bikes as cars on this stretch of road.
Yeah, there are.
And you legally have to give them space three feet.
Yep.
And they're out there in the shoulder.
They're not on the bike path.
They're exactly.
So in order for you to do that, you got to move across the lane a little bit.
And I've had in several vehicles, the steering wheel take over and steer me back
toward the cyclist, thinking that I'm doing that by accident when it's very much intentional.
And and me moving out of the way to give a cyclist room and the steering wheel
taking over control and steering back toward them.
That is not fun.
I really, really don't like that.
Yeah.
And then, you know, GM even makes it more annoying because they vibrate your seat sometimes.
So you got with a GM vehicle, I got the seat vibration in a lot of cars.
You have the steering wheel vibration in the most annoying cases that the wheel actually
jerks out of your hand.
Yeah.
And by far what makes it super, super annoying, beside the fact that the truck thinks like it's
trying to outsmart you.
So it's actually, you know, driving versus you driving, which is kind of stupid.
We'll get to that later.
But the thing that really pisses me off is it's impossible to find out where you turn it off.
I'll give you an example of that.
We've got that Honda Passport Trail Sport sitting right on front of these doors at Honda Lentas.
I don't know how to turn that off.
I've now spent at least 20 minutes trying to figure out some cars.
There's a little button.
Yeah.
There is a little button on the Honda, but it's only for when you're using cruise control.
Right.
But I don't know.
I don't know where inside all the menus you actually disengage that.
And the other frustrating thing is on some vehicles, it's in the center dashboard, right?
Yeah, in the screen.
Yeah.
And sometimes it's in the big screen.
It varies based on manufacturer.
And of course, if it's your own vehicle, you're not necessarily going to have this problem.
But it's super annoying just figuring out where to turn it off.
And it's even more annoying if it turns back on now.
In Europe, they've got these rules where I think it has to turn on every time you cycle the engine
along with the dinghy when you exceed the speed limit.
I don't know how you guys do it in Europe.
I think I would take a screwdriver and stick it in my ear every time I went in the car.
The first thing I had to do was turn lane keep off and turn that speed warning.
Yeah, because we used to have the Ineos Grenadier.
And every time you key-cycled that, you had to do the over-the-speed limit warning.
And that alone was one of the worst things about owning that vehicle.
It just makes, you know, I think me and you love to drive.
Yeah.
And it just makes driving crap.
It just makes it no fun.
And it just makes it annoying.
And you start to dread it instead of start to look forward to it.
Yeah, one of the reasons, this is maybe sounds weird and abstract,
but follow me for a second here.
One of the reasons I like cars and not horses is because cars don't make decisions for themselves,
right?
Until now.
Yeah, until now.
So I'm not, to me, that doesn't feel like progress.
All right.
Number two, or number, sorry, that was number 10.
Number nine on the list here is pop out door handles.
Now, this is the thing that has been around a long time,
but Tesla really brought it into the mainstream.
And this is exactly where we get to this moment in time
where the manufacturers are doing stuff that people hate.
There are all kinds of issues with pop out door handles.
Luckily, most trucks don't have them.
True.
But there are some.
Cole, would you be so kind and Google, does Rivian have pop out door handles?
It's been a while since we've driven a Rivian.
So the problem with pop out door handles is first and foremost.
Yeah, it's like the Aston Martin style.
Yeah, it's got the ones where you push on it, which is less annoying than the ones that
actually pop out.
But I always worry about, you know, we just had a Tesla Model S from 2014
and we just sold it's got pop out door handle.
It's got a hundred and four thousand miles.
But I just worry that that's going to fail.
Yeah.
And they do, especially those those old Tesla pop out door handles fail.
Yeah, a hundred percent.
They do now.
Now to make it more annoying, Tesla took another step further down this road.
They got rid of like actual door handles period in the Cybertruck.
Remember how that work?
Yeah, if only that was if only that was the worst thing about this horrible.
Yeah, I agree.
So on the Cybertruck, the way that it works is you've got these like hidden black panels
that you have to push.
And then then the you know, then the door pops open.
Well, you'd hate to ruin the sleek lines.
Yeah, lines of the thing.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And of course, the biggest issue with with those little hidden buttons is unless you know
they're there, most people just walk up to it and are like confounded by how you get into the thing.
I mean, imagine imagine trying to get your your parents or grandparents or somebody
into that vehicle and explaining that to them.
You'd have to do a lap around the truck every single time to open it for them.
Yeah.
And then the other part that that kind of goes along with that is electronic doors period.
So in order to make these things work, you can no longer just have a mechanical mechanism
that opens up the door the way that, you know, we've had it forever that that works,
you know, on vehicles that are three, four, five or thousand miles into their life cycle.
Now you have to have electronic ones where obviously if there's no power, you can't open the door.
There usually are manual handles.
Yeah, backups.
Yeah, like in the in the Cybertruck, they're very hard to find.
And if there's an emergency, let's say a fire or something, it's very dangerous.
And I just don't understand why we need electronic door handles.
And I'm so grateful that in the truck world, we stuck to mechanical ones for the most part.
For the most part, it hasn't infected the truck market too much.
But there are some offenders.
We have the Hummer EV right now.
What's a door handle like that?
I think look up Hummer EV.
I think if I don't if I don't like if it doesn't stick out in my brain,
I think it's just a regular door.
Yeah, it's a regular door handle.
Thank God shows how much we're actually paying attention to these door handles.
Yeah.
Maybe we should more.
Yeah.
Yeah.
If you have to think about it, you're not making it better designers.
You're not.
You're making it worse.
Yeah.
That is the kind of thing that ideally should just blend in the background and not be memorable
at all because it just works.
Yeah.
And then I was I was talking to a friend of ours who's an engineer and a lot of the companies
will use the fact that because they're electric, a lot of these vehicles,
they have to have very good aero.
In other words, you don't want to have anything that creates bad wind flow.
But the percentage of like wind disruption that a door handle versus a sleek door makes
is so minuscule that you could you couldn't even measure it in terms of fuel economy.
It's not like, hey, if we if we make the door handles flush and electric with the door,
then we're going to get two MPG better.
It's not measurable.
It's that much.
It's that little of a thing.
So it's just a style thing that, you know, Tesla started and everybody jumped on the bandwagon.
People aren't aren't like, okay, paying attention to number.
Eight bad touchscreens.
What do you think a touchscreens case?
I definitely think they're being overused.
Yeah.
That's not really a controversial take.
There are some upsides.
So for example, on some of the newer Ford trucks, you can go in and set up your instrument
cluster to show you in great detail all of the temperatures.
Yeah, that is a good point.
All of the fluids on the truck, which is awesome.
That's that's a huge amount of information that you could program into the display and
you can reconfigure that display depending on what it is you're doing.
If you're maybe on a light off-road trail or if you're hooked up to a trailer.
So the modularity of a screen can be good.
Look at all the fingerprints on that one on the screen though.
That, yeah, that doesn't look great.
Okay.
The good news once again, the truck world is a little bit inoculated from all the silliness
in the car world in that the trucks aren't always on the bleeding edge of technology
in a lot of ways, which is I'm thankful for.
So I'll give you an example of that.
Many of the trucks that we have have screens, but they still keep the HVAC controls as real
buttons and levers and that's nice.
Yeah, especially if you're getting in and out of a truck, you got gloves on.
It's nice to have actual physical buttons for things.
So I appreciate that.
Yeah, at this point and in this day and age, I think a lot of screens in place of physical
buttons or actual physical analog gauges feels more like cost cutting than a luxury feature.
So there's definitely, there's downsides.
And to be fair, you can take that instrument cluster that's in front of you, the old,
you know, driver-centric dashboard and you can configure that and a lot of truck manufacturers
do to show your temperature gauges.
You don't have to have it in the big screen.
It can be in the small screen that's right in front of you.
Yeah, like on the Fords, it is in your instrument cluster screen.
So yeah, I think there are some perks to how much you can, you can kind of change up the
displays on the screens depending on how you want it to be set up.
So at times it's cool.
It's not all bad.
And I'll tell you where it's gone really into the deep end.
This is GM, of course, where they put their light switch in the screen now.
Where they, yeah, we're going to get rid of the physical light switch.
And there's, I don't know what it is about that, but that to me is just like one bridge too far.
That, that we talked about last week because that's, that's just a glaring example of cost cutting.
So that, that much is pretty irritating.
And then the other thing that really irritated me was when we had the RAM,
not the warlock, the one that we had before them with the new hurricane, the 1500,
it had a passenger screen.
What do you think of passenger screens?
Not strictly necessary, is it?
It's not, I mean, you've got, I've only got my phone.
I think every passenger has this in their pocket.
Yeah, I don't, I don't think it's needed.
Yeah.
And it really annoyed me because, and this is a Roman thing, I suppose,
you might feel different about it because you're in much better shape than I am.
But when you turned it off, it actually reflected an image of myself.
So what I was looking at when I was in the passenger seat was my overflowing
belly over the seat belt.
And I was like, I can't sit here because I'm feeling so bad about myself.
Right.
Looking down on this now mirror that is reflecting the, you know,
my belly fat and the way the seat belt is squishing me.
I'm sure it's an unintended consequence.
But yeah, it.
Don't need that reminder.
At best it feels like an unnecessary gimmick because I'm not sure it's anything that anybody
was asking for.
It's something that they threw in there just to add something to it that wasn't there before.
But it's not the kind of thing that I really think is going to get people
going to dealers in droves to buy those trucks.
Yeah.
So I mean, initially when that, the first time I saw one of those passenger screens
was like on a Ferrari and what you could do there is you could like see how fast you were going,
which is kind of cool in a Ferrari, I guess.
But what do you need that screen for in the truck?
I guess you can have the passenger control the music, maybe do the navigation,
but you've got that screen in the center where you could do that anyway.
It just seems like an erroneous and extraneous bit of screen there just for the sake of having it.
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