As a driving instructor it's vital to have the right car, but what IS the right car?
I've been looking around for a replacement for my Citroen DS3 and have realised that although my current car is only 18 months old, technology has moved on quite a bit with most cars now bristling with high tech specifications. Automatic lights and wipers now seem standard on many models as well as bluetooth equipped stereo's, 'Stop Start' technology, DAB radios and Sat Nav's. Now, anybody who know's me will tell you that I love my tech, but to be honest this level of automation in a car used for driving tuition is simply a waste of time. After all, I would expect my learner to know WHEN to turn on the lights or wipers and not wait for some in-built sensor to do it for them. Same with the now common 'hill hold' feature that means a learner doesn't need to know when to use a handbrake or use clutch control on a hill to control the car safely. It's been a revelation watching the faces of the car salesmen as I've said that all these 'features' are just not needed for my use case and is there an option to 'turn them off'?
It's obviously a sign of the times that this extra 'kit' is included in new car specifications and most people would get lots of use out of it, but just not we instructors. Give me a comfy basic car to teach in any day over the high tech super mini's. Now, I've just got to find one...
I've been looking around for a replacement for my Citroen DS3 and have realised that although my current car is only 18 months old, technology has moved on quite a bit with most cars now bristling with high tech specifications. Automatic lights and wipers now seem standard on many models as well as bluetooth equipped stereo's, 'Stop Start' technology, DAB radios and Sat Nav's. Now, anybody who know's me will tell you that I love my tech, but to be honest this level of automation in a car used for driving tuition is simply a waste of time. After all, I would expect my learner to know WHEN to turn on the lights or wipers and not wait for some in-built sensor to do it for them. Same with the now common 'hill hold' feature that means a learner doesn't need to know when to use a handbrake or use clutch control on a hill to control the car safely. It's been a revelation watching the faces of the car salesmen as I've said that all these 'features' are just not needed for my use case and is there an option to 'turn them off'?
It's obviously a sign of the times that this extra 'kit' is included in new car specifications and most people would get lots of use out of it, but just not we instructors. Give me a comfy basic car to teach in any day over the high tech super mini's. Now, I've just got to find one...
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