That's not being cynical.... Like you, I'm of the generation that actually learned to drive a manual transmission and stuck my arm out the window to signal a turn. Today's trucks with a "back up knob" on the dash to "assist in backing a trailer???? What's wrong with turning around, looking out the back window and actually knowing how to "back up a trailer" ??? Some "new technology" is helpful, but much of it seems to be more "dumbing down" than "help for the driver"... Maybe it's aimed at increasing sales to people who don't know "squat" about towing???
My dad, way more years ago than I care to remember, told me that if I could keep the tractor between the rows (without tearing up the bean field) that he'd let me drive his pickup. Three speed, on the column, starter button on the floor under the accelerator, no key, just turn the ignition switch on, and... forget a heater, air conditioner, power anything, one tail light and, as I said, "stick your arm out the window to signal a turn while downshifting after double-clutching, into second gear while "in the turn" and accelerating out of the turn while upshifting to high gear again (all while rolling up the window to keep the rain out of the cab).....
Those days are long gone and now, radar tells us if anyone is in the left lane (so we don't even have to look at the side mirror any more) while the "adaptive cruise control" slows the truck while we're "texting our order" to the service department at the Ford dealership, or maybe it keeps us from "rear-ending the car in front of us" while we're trying to figure out the "in-dash instructions for the trailer back assist device .....
