Hacker News Reader

Comment by Scene_Cast2 | Hacker News Reader

What I'm surprised by is that cars are chock-full of ornate, unique parts (cupholders are a good example).

I would have imagined that car infotainment controls would be a small fraction of the BOM, so I've been wondering if it's not really a cost thing. Sort of like small phones or 3D TVs from the early 2000's.

View on HN

If you can save a dollar on a part, and that part goes into millions of cars per year… then it will be on the chopping block. That cost and weight savings are then passed onto other things, better rear camera? More electrical current to charge your phone faster. Quicker HVAC operation? Everything is a compromise and tradeoff.

Source - I work in an OEM.

>If you can save a dollar on a part, and that part goes into millions of cars per year… then it will be on the chopping block.

Mate, they're saving fractions of a cent on a part, let alone a dollar. You're probably getting promoted to CEO if you manage to save a dollar on a part. I've seen them cut 2mm of copper wiring in the ECU for the cost savings. 2mm!

Also worked for an OEM.

>better rear camera? More electrical current to charge your phone faster. Quicker HVAC operation?

Modern vehicle luxury is disgusting and decadent.

Yeah, I have to agree. People always talk about it that way, but to me it seems clear that removing buttons is just people trying to chase Tesla’s ball. There’s genuine consumer demand for buttons to go away in phones, kitchen appliances, etc., I’m not sure how obvious it was without hindsight that cars wouldn’t go the same way.

Also it's the basic user interface of the car, it must figure highly in purchase decisions.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com