Cars are more than just a means of transportation. While we use them in our daily work like home appliances, they also enrich our lives. At the same time, how it changes over time reflects technology, the state of the economy, and customer values. They are mirrors of cultural and social trends, both permanent and temporary. Even winter beaters, which do little more than absorb abuse, may represent a point in time. Remember when heaters weren't common in beaters?
What trends do, old or new, tired or fresh you Are you aware in the car world? More importantly, are there any people who passed before us that we miss? For me, the popularity of Citizens Band radio went away too soon.
Although I never personally used CB radio, I was old enough to remember how it permeated pop culture. My father used it during his long road trips. If you have a lot of driving to do, riding a CB will ensure everyone in the car has time. I wasn't asked, but his father's CB handle was “Holy Cow.” (I thought this was a very smart thing to do, considering my family is of Indian descent.) One officer asked him on his CB frequency, “Are you a priest?” You may. He was just a regular guy driving on the interstate, he said.
These days, my dad streams music through the Chevrolet Bolt EUV's built-in Android Auto software and browses selected songs while the car's semi-autonomous Super Cruise mode is activated. Times have changed!
My father disputed my claim that CB radios were a lost automotive trend, pointing out that everyone is constantly communicating on the go. It's a valid point, but I would argue that the conversations that took place on CB Radio were more like his chat rooms online in the 2000s than anything else. In a world where everything is personalized and personalized, this kind of open-access communication feels nostalgic, even archaic.
Hagerty community, please tell us. What automotive trends are you missing?
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