IT Crowd... Automobile edition.

I was driving 80/mph when my car’s transmission locked up and wouldn’t change gears. It was scary, my kids were in the car. I solemnly had to admit that turning off my car, and starting it again fixed it.

Why are there computers in cars, again?

Taking your foot off the accelerator should stop the flow of fuel, at which point the car will reduce rpms and spin down until it hits idle. If the transmission stays in gear during this process and doesn't downshift it will stall, at which point the car will stop (likely with no small amount of chonking and protestation). Only difference with a manual is you would be responsible for the downshift, inability to downshift is referred to as a lockout.

If that didn't happen you experienced a stuck accelerator, and I would ask if you were driving a Toyota. You're entitled to repair and damages if so.

@Root because it's actually more efficient, if only development wasn't always rushed with compromises.

Speaking from my own experience of working in automotive.

@SortOfTested thanks for the info! Looks like it may be a faulty solenoid on the transmission? I’m no mechanic apart from changing brake pads.

@Root Emissions standards, mainly. That plus the rise of "lease not buy" means manufacturers care less and less about long term reliability - they just care if it works ok for a 3, or at most 5 year lease.

In general though, combustion engines are now at the point where they have to have be so ridiculously complex to meet said emissions standards that premature failure is kind of inevitable, and it's ridiculously complicated to fix when it happens.

I was thinking you are driving a manual till I read the last line...

I guess you were lucky that the car didn’t begin installing updates during startup.

@Lensflare the satellite radio does it, I wouldn’t have been surprised if the rest of the car did too.

@devphobe yeah since I learned that many cashpoints are running some soft of embedded Windows, I wouldn't be surprised either to hear the sound of a Windows XP error from within a car.

@devphobe wink-wink, they (some) actually do have OTA capabilities 😉