Re: Great Packards at Auction, PLEASE READ

Posted by ewrecks On 2022/4/3 10:10:35

I wanted to ad a comment to Howard’s note about the arrival of the electric car era and the impact on the collector car hobby.
There is no doubt that the electric cars are not a fad. Several European manufacturers have announced that they will no longer offer traditional gasoline or diesel vehicles by the end of the decade.
I leave it to others to debate whether the transition will improve the environment.but there is no doubt that we will see more of the vehicles and will see the replacement of the gas stations with charging stations.
I guess the transition will be much like the changes experienced early in the 20th century when horses were replaced by motor vehicles.
As vehicles have become more complex and dependable, we have seen the decline of the service station with mini marts offering fueling.
I am more concerned with the impact that self driving vehicles will have not only on our hobby but on our economy at large.
Currently there are several companies testing self driving vehicles in the Pittsburgh area in coordination with Carnegie Mellon.
I am told that there are beer trucks being loaded by robots in Colorado and then leaving the depot without a driver.
How rapidly the vehicles will progress to regular use is also a matter of speculation but I anticipate that it will be faster than we think.
The impact of self driving vehicles will have impact on our lives and economy that are going to be dramatic. Occupations like bus, truck, and cab drivers will be eliminated , but auto ownership in urban areas may become less attractive if you can summon a transport from your phone, give a voice command for your destination and relax.. a charge will appear on your next credit statement. With the cost of new vehicles, insurance rates and parking difficulties…why own a car.
The unintended consequences are more subtle. The Justice system will see less need for police and attorneys to deal with DUI cases since no one will be driving impaired. The insurers will not have to deal with a volume of vehicle accident claims and we may be seeing less billboard and TV ads for accident attorneys.
The pressure on the legislators to remove gasoline vehicles from the roads will be magnified when the classic cars share space with the self driving modules.
I am also too old to worry about these changes having much impact on me,but I see a time where it will be difficult to operate the classic cars in the fashion we have come to enjoy. It is already difficult to find anyone to work on the old cars or to find compatible fuel. The insurers will increase the costs to cover the loss of business occasioned by the reduction in ownership and environmentalist will continue to pressure for removal of the gasoline vehicles while fuel cost increases will make the joy ride more expensive.
We who have.spent most of our lives in the eight decades since WWII have seen dramatic changes in our lives and economy effected by computers, the internet and technology but have been blessed with a relatively safe and stable life that has allowed us to secure and enjoy the collector cars discussed on this
forum.
It is uncertain that the next generations will fare so well.
I plan an trying to enjoy my cars while I can and hope that progress does not cut off my enjoyment before age and physical deterioration curtails my activity.
Sorry for the rant.
RJR