How much technology is too much? The 1929 Cord automobile was a luxury car with

[abqtommy]

front-wheel drive, an automatic transmission and retractable headlights. And it didn't have a micro-chip!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cord_(automobile)

In fact, the first car with a micro-chip was built in 1968.

https://www.chipsetc.com/computer-chips-inside-the-car.html

However, the driver and passengers in any automobile in 1929 could have enjoyed a snack of
potato chips as they rode along. Important dates for the potato chip are 1853 and the 1920s.

https://www.thoughtco.com/history-of-potato-chips-1991777

[Tomconroy]

1. The Cord was a good looking automobile!

[ProfessorGAC]

2. Fun Chip Fact

Potato chips have the familiar saddle shape.
The edges thermally dehydrate faster and stay flat while the inner part expands due to the extra steam formed.
So the centers try to float in the oil for a short time, while the outer edges are already firm.
Take 1/8th inch slices of potato and fry. They stay flat because the mass transfer of the steam is closer to the same and the rigidity of the thicker chip stops the bending.
I actually videoed this to use as one of my "everyday science" bits when I substitute. I used a mini camcorder and a friend converted it to DVD. I've used it about 10 times. Jr Hi kids seem to dig it.
I don't have a kitchen mandolin, so cutting the super thin slices was the hardest part!

[Volaris]

6. I always thought it was just so they fit better in my mouth lol!!

[Mr.Bill]

3. I just bought a 2021 Nissan Sentra.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that I will never know all the electronic features on that dashboard. I've got the radio figured out, not much different than the 2018 Sentra I traded in. Now I'm focusing on all the safety features. I sure hope all this stuff works as long as I own this car.

[rsdsharp]

5. I hear you. We just bought a 2021 Hyundai Kona.

This thing not only has features I’ve never had on a car before, it has stuff I didn’t know existed in cars, let alone one that cost less than 30 grand.

[Mr.Bill]

7. I know. I'm driving down the road

and it tells me what the speed limit is where I am out. I mean there's a little speed limit sign about the size of a postage stamp near the speedometer. As we turned into the Senior moble home park we live in, I jokingly said let's see if it knows it 5mph there. And you know what? it did.

[localroger]

4. That 1968 VW did not have what anyone today would consider

...either a microchip or a computer. It was actually an analog computer, a cascade of analog amplifiers which could not be reprogrammed or repurposed, and it probably didn't even use integrated circuits (aka microchips) as those were still very expensive and the Apollo program was sucking up the entire world supply.

[tinrobot]

8. The Cord also got horrible gas mileage and polluted like crazy

The first major use of computer chips in cars was to meet emissions controls. That also resulted in more efficient use of fuel, which increased gas mileage.

Cars that pollute less and use less gas... not a bad thing.

[JCMach1]

9. My dad used to have a business that specialized in rebuilding museum quality original parts cars

I have actually driven a Cord. I was about 13 at the time. I would get to move the vehicles around the different parts of the garage and/or storage.

Beautiful, beautiful car...

[LisaM]

10. I love Cords.

I don't know if they still have it, but my grandfather used to take me to Auburn, Indiana, for the Auburn/Cord/Dusenberg parade and car.show Labor Day weekend.

[bluedigger]

11. And the 57 Cadillac had a bar in the glove box.

Everything since then is fluff.

[JCMach1]

12. I also remember a Rolls Royce Phantom with built-in flower vases...

[MichMan]

13. The 1929 Cord L29 had neither an automatic transmission nor retractable headlights

It did however have FWD. One out of three correct