Slim: No manual function on the camera ? Too Bad.
My buddy has his in the center screen. He was able to get the dealer to set his up so he could manually activate it to see the trailer when towing.
Gene: Self driving cars ? Heaven help us. I enjoy driving too much. Give me a rough gravel back road, and a well handling, powerful car with manual transmission, and no traction control, and I'm enjoying my day.
I fear you are correct though.
I've spent too many years dealing with tech to fall for the idea that computers and software are infallible.
Jeep, Acura, and now the F150, have all had issues with their automatic braking/adaptive cruise control. And now the NTSB is recommending that it be mandatory on new vehicles.
Then we get vehicle software flaws that can be exploited:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/27/b...-under-the-hood.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0
I've never been a fan of things that don't give me full control if needed.
I won't even consider buying a vehicle that doesn't have the ability to turn of traction control. I've worked on a few cars that wouldn't move, due to snow on the ground. The TC system on those cars detected the tiniest amount of wheel wheel spin, and stopped those wheels from turning. We had to push fully functional cars into the the service bay. Suffice to say, they all have studded winter tires installed, during the winter, now.
FWIW, the feeling of freedom and, the enjoyment of controlling the boat, are some of the reasons I love sailing. Give it time. Some idiots will screw that up, in the name of "safety", protecting the incompetent, and preventing personal responsibility.