How tech dependent will the Bronco be?

[Smalldog]

I watch a few really good Savagegeese reviews (which I think are excellent) and they talked about a tipping point with the XC80 Volvo, and to some extent with the new Landrover Defender. Their review of the Ford Explorer is illuminating, and also a bit worrisome about Ford in general and the current leadership. The point is that cars/trucks are increasingly layering complexity, which makes them nicer, but which also will necessarily increases the cost of ownership and the connection to the road. In the bronco segment on one extreme is the Grenadier, it seems, and on the other extreme is probably the Defender. My Wrangler (JKU 2016) has been pretty much problem-free.

I am curious if anyone can speculate about the durability, sensor dependence (which seems to plague the Defender), and basic drive-train bomb-proofness of the new Bronco. After watching the Ineos Grenadier build philosophy, and focus on simplicity and durability, I was wondering how the Bronco would compare.

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[XirallicBolts]

The Bronco is not alone in this regard. Even an absolute base model Toyota Corolla comes with forward radar, pedestrian detection, and a buttload of other sensors.

Cars are just rolling computers nowadays

 

[beachman101]

There is no longer going to be cars that are not dependent on computers. Maybe a company will come along that will try to market a "simple vehicle" but it likely wont be EPA legal or road legal.

 

[ZackDanger]

Our family has two categories of transport.

First are our stable of classics. Motorcycles mostly. No driver aids. No nannies. No computers. Just chassis, motor, and you.

Second is our fleet of modern vehicles, so we have the option to drive something that is safe, comfortable, and reliable.

 

[TNcoupe]

100% dependent....it wont run without it.

 

[indio22]

In some ways two kind of owners. Guy who unloads before warranty or not long after, bring on the electronic bling yahoo! And guy who buys down the road longer term, and has to deal with the bling malfunctioning/breaking.

Case in point, the self leveling system on my old van was probably a nice feature for the first owner. But for me it was a malfunctioning headache. There are pages written about how to bypass/replace the system due to cost and aggravation.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I know a guy that had a cracked headlight on his Taurus brick the car because it filled with water and tripped a series of Death Star grade chain reactions with computer system. It just needed a new light assembly but it was a paperweight otherwise.

But yeah, safe and nice and comfy or something like that...

 

[Rogues Gambit]

100% dependent....it wont run without it.

So in the future, where there'll be robots and when I'll have more $$$ than I truly need, can't go in and gut everything, make it a modern looking retro vehicle with the bare minimum in it?

 

[TNcoupe]

So in the future, where there'll be robots and when I'll have more $$$ than I truly need, can't go in and gut everything, make it a modern looking retro vehicle with the bare minimum in it?

Maybe, SBF swap with a carb and hydraulic power steering.

 

[rtaylor]

In some ways two kind of owners. Guy who unloads before warranty or not long after, bring on the electronic bling yahoo! And guy who buys down the road longer term, and has to deal with the bling malfunctioning/breaking.

Case in point, the self leveling system on my old van was probably a nice feature for the first owner. But for me it was a malfunctioning headache. There are pages written about how to bypass/replace the system due to cost and aggravation.

Yes, and this is partly why the value of most optional features depreciate rapidly to zero.

 

[DryYourTears]

I know a guy that had a cracked headlight on his Taurus brick the car because it filled with water and tripped a series of Death Star grade chain reactions with computer system. It just needed a new light assembly but it was a paperweight otherwise.

But yeah, safe and nice and comfy or something like that...

There is no way that happened. Maybe there were other things related, but having a broken headlight won't "brick the car". Even filled with water, the only thing that could maybe, possible, perhaps, happen is the battery goes dead from a short.

 

[Rick Astley]

None of these modern vehicles will be driving with anything close to full capability 20 years after factory production stops on them as the technology bricks itself.

Humans have not made backwards compatibility of software important in the least. Hardware systems such as manual transmissions would be considered safer bets in the long run except for the abundance of sensor suites to monitor aspects of operation.

Last weekend I had to remove and replace a total of 8 wires in the engine bay of my '51 to fully rewire all electricals ahead of the firewall in preparation to eventually migrate from a 6 volt positive-ground system to a 12-volt negative ground system. The car is 70 years old and I can work on it, can have parts made or bought off the shelf, transmission can be rebuilt easily, etc.

10 years after this generation of touchscreen goes out of production, Ford will no longer be required to make new parts available for it. It will most likely already be cut off from updates by that point, but as systems fail, they will simply brick themselves and cease whatever options it made available.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Body control module, engine control module, trans control module, ABS module, etc. All cars are loaded with computers and sensors. The Bronco will be as well.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

There is no way that happened. Maybe there were other things related, but having a broken headlight won't "brick the car". Even filled with water, the only thing that could maybe, possible, perhaps, happen is the battery goes dead from a short.

It shorted out the network. It's been a couple years so I double checked my sources (my little brother fixed it after much investigation) It was the collision avoidance tail lights flipping out because of water in the headlight on a MKX. Car did not run, accessories would not work and dash was dark.

He is up to 5 of them. My BIL is a senior master at a different dealer and has seen a few too.

 

[Rogues Gambit]

Maybe, SBF swap with a carb and hydraulic power steering.

Exactly. Ill keep Traction, Stability and ABS, rest are gone

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