Car Keys
by R. Craig 

It seems that in the past fifteen years or so the computer age has changed our daily lives in a big way. Almost everything we do in our daily routine has some form of computer involved. And most of these are taken for granted. For example, you wake up to your digital alarm clock…computer. You heat up your coffee or cook your breakfast in the microwave oven…computer. You turn on the cable or satellite television…computer. See what I mean? And of course personal computers are common household items. Remember the good old days when you woke up to a wind up alarm clock, heated your coffee on a gas stove and adjusted your ‘ rabbit ears" on the TV? They weren't so bad.

    All late model automobiles are no exception to the computer age. In fact, there were computers in some models in the early eighties, long before home computers became popular. It is amazing how far technology has come in the auto industry in the past  twenty five years. There are systems on the market today that warn you when you are backing too close to an object. There are VCR and DVD players in vans. Just about every model is available with state-of-the-art stereo systems. Some manufacturers offer satellite assistance to your vehicle if you get locked out or are in an accident. They can even diagnosis a problem with the vehicle and recommend a local dealer without ever seeing the car! They can locate your vehicle in case it is stolen. They can get you to your destination if you get lost on the road. 
With the push of a button you can open the rear hatch of your minivan without putting your grocery bags down. The list of features goes on and they are all controlled in some way by computers.  Now I know computers are the wave of the present and the future, but if I didn't have all the conveniences of the computer age, I would still get along just fine. I can still calculate with a pencil and paper although I will admit a calculator sure is handy! As far as my car goes, it has a computer but not many other fancy gadgets. 

 There is one thing I can say about the older cars. They had something the new cars don't have and that is character. If you don't know what I mean by that, just go to a car show and see if someone will let you sit in an older car. Or better yet see if you can get a ride in one. You will see what I mean. And that feeling of character is something no computer can ever provide. I think that is why restoring old cars is so popular. 

 And by the way, I am writing this article on my computer. I'm too lazy to do it by hand. See you next month!