Late reply...

Dijit wrote:

Call me a heretic

Ok: you heretic! jk

I do have to disagree on several levels, though.

Dijit wrote:

but unfortunately electronics in vehicles promise much but deliver little of tangible benefit.

Dijit wrote:

Manufacturers buy packaged modules which are designed by third parties so we buy a vehicle with a piecemeal approach rather than a more integrated holistic approach.

No. Vehicle manufacturers go to highly specialized subsystem manufacturers - suppliers - to purchase components (headlight manufacturers, cooling system manufacturers, fueling system, etc etc). These components are purchased together with their complementary electronics. The electronics are designed with a common vehicle interface based on industry-wide standards. Were a vehicle manufacturer to go to one electronics manufacturer (Lucas? ) for all electronics, then the electronic components would have to be adapted interface with each of the mechanical subsystems. By an outside company (the electronic co. - not the supplier of the subsystem). With thousands of individual inputs and outputs.

Nope. Sorry. This would result in sheer chaos. The system of standardized data busses connecting diverse components is efficient and works quite well. Look in your smartphone. Or PC. Or the next airplane you fly on.

Dijit wrote:

LR systems and the poor discrimination between ecu's serves to ensure that few of these vehicles will survive to become collectible classics. All too often a single problem throws up error codes galore which are meaningless and masks efforts to logically and systematically diagnose and eradicate faults.

Dijit wrote:

Many of the systems are more about style over function and the more gizmos that are thrown at the cars the bigger the problems further down the road and the shorter the economic lifespan of these cars.

Ok, maybe the massage seats or electrically folding trailer hitch on the L405 are just a little over the top (then again, maybe after not man-handling the heavy, removable hitch into place you will have just that extra portion of stamina needed to maneuver a very heavy trailer to the hitch - and afterwards you can re-adjust the slipped discs with a seat massage.LOL).
And, I dunno, but I am a pretty happy camper when I glide through traffic listening to my impeccable HK stereo, wipers automatically coming on every now and again, knowing I easily have the power to pass the stupid truck in front of me even in the smallest break in oncoming traffic without having to stop at a petrol station immediately after the passing maneuver (and not feeling guilty as my clean motor is hardly polluting). And these items will be no less reliable in the long run than a mid-60s E-type or early 70s Silver Shadow. And seems like most of both of those are still around.

Looking back, it seems I disagree on with your post on all levels. Land Rover and the other vehicle manufacturers will figure out ways of making the keyless systems work. We all fly these days and none of us were born with wings.  
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

Well said Steve  MY 2010 5.0 SC Galway green and sand interior!!
Have the Faultmate MSV2 Extreme to be tinkering with the settings etc. !!

Nicely said, x2.

I can remember reading about in LRO in the early 90s of a couple who took there brand new Disco 1 tdi to North Africa and ran into mechanical problems. People raged about the silliness of taking such a high tech, gizmo laden car to such an out of the way spot. Now the TDI Disco is seen as the bastion of simple diy friendliness.

Yes, newer cars are harder to repair without support, but they're also much less likely to break in the first place.

It was a bit of a rant, wasn't it...
 
RRC 2Dr, RRC 4Dr,
P38, and 2 L322s
(wife thinks I'm nuts - prob right, too)

Its not as bad as my old mk1 Cortina, I got in the wrong car by mistake AND started it up before realising that it wasn't mine - it was back in the day and drink was involved - thank goodness for drinking and driving awareness nowadays.  Geoff

A rant can be fun amongst friends.