[NDizzle]

Tangent - because I believe I'm a minority here on HN - a hobbyist mechanic.

Right now one of the worst things to see are these all in one NAV/radio/media/HVAC devices. They are basically impossible to troubleshoot without specialized equipment. Only dealerships have these - the private garages don't see enough volume of particular makes and models of cars to warrant a purchase.

As this becomes more and more common I may even double-down on learning how to fix these things, because it will very quickly become an essential skill in the not too distant future.

Think briefly about the instrument cluster that was in the car you drove up until about 2010. Then do a quick skim of various manufacturer sites and examine the kind of clusters that are going into even new Dodges and Fords - not to mention luxury cars.

Can you imagine having to go to a junkyard to pull out an instrument cluster for a 2011 Ford Festiva in the year 2020? What a nightmare.