On 1/5/2017 6:08 PM, rick wrote:
Having been driving for 40 years ... the most that has ever gone wrong
on the Transmission side of things is a slipping clutch or a leaky prop
shaft oil seal.

tale of woe snipped



Some of the software controlled stuff on cars is pretty good, look for
example at fuel consumption.

It strikes me that once you have a lot of sensors, and only
half-intelligent software that always tends to look on the dark side,
then you have a recipe for this sort of disaster.

And actually, it's not necessarily the "computer" that is the problem. I
cherish the story of a doctor friend from the mid 70's.

Driving from Cornwall to Bristol one evening with a two year old in the
car, a "brake warning" light came on. In those days, I think it could
only have been the fluid level switch in the reservoir cap (possibly the
pad wear sensor). The brakes were still working fine, but being of a
cautious nature she called out the AA. The van arrived, they said "Oh it
is a brake warning, we don't touch those, we have to call out the Relay
recovery vehicle". Another delay while this turned up, and took her to
the Somerset border where they had to change vehicle (it's the rules).
But the new vehicle had a puncture, and no spare, so there was another
few hours delay while that was sorted. Then they didn't have the right
kit for loading the car (Renault 5). In loading it, they ripped both
drive shaft gaiters and denting the sump. So she gets to Bristol from
Cornwall after 14 hours (with a two-year old passenger). Car gets
dropped at her garage. Next day, they phone to say they couldn't find
any brake fault. But it is in the garage for a week for a sump and drive
shaft replacement, paid for by the AA.

In those days, the cars I was driving didn't have a fluid level sensor,
but I guess *most* of us in those circumstances would have driven home
defensively, checking brake function and fluid level periodically.

So what do we need for modern cars, with sensors everywhere? Well, since
the 1960's the "space" sector has usually had three or four sensors for
each critical parameter, usually with some diversity, plus a voting
system (2 out of 3 or 3 out of 4).

I can't help thinking that we are going to need something like this in cars.