WE OFTEN HEAR from readers complaining about technology, everything from it not working to it being an expense for something they rarely or never use.
One reader asked a not unreasonable question about touchscreens mounted permanently on car dashboards and how they might be damaged by the unforgiving Australian sun. We can sympathise, having fried more than one dash cam until we learnt to remove it before leaving a car parked in the open air. We’re looking into his enquiry, although it is unlikely any manufacturer will admit there’s a problem (even if there is!)
In the last week, another issue has arisen.
In Adelaide, drivers who have parked in the CBD have been reporting difficulties unlocking and, in some cases, even starting, their cars.
According to a report in The Advertiser, the problem appears to be centred around the Calvary Adelaide Hospital construction site.
Experts believe the problem is most likely being caused by interference from a faulty electrical installation in the area, possibly a security camera or door opener.
The remote central locking failure problem is intermittent and doesn’t seem to affect European cars.
Because car remotes are low-powered devices, they are rarely affected by mobile phone cell towers or other communications technology. However, other low-powered devices that malfunction and transmit continuously can cause problems.
Remote unlocking is a minor inconvenience, because you can almost always unlock the doors manually, but cars that are “keyless” start are more of a problem: how do you start a car that won’t recognise a key?
Technology. When it works, it’s great. And when it doesn’t …