[WillPostForFood]

Most technology on cars existed years or decades before the became commonplace and affordable enough to use outside racing or exotic cars.

Airbags were patented in the 1950s. Modern ABS in 1971. Fist electronic fuel injector in 1957. You could take the Formula 1 level technology of 1970, and with enough money, apply it to a pickup truck. It would be shockingly expensive - and not as good. T

hat's my point! You are getting so much more for your dollar today, even though prices have risen faster than inflation. You are getting a multi-million dollar truck for $50k.

[oivey]

> You are getting a multi-million dollar truck for $50k.

You’re not, though, because that truck never did and never could exist. A modern F-150 isn’t a 70s F1 car made cheap by new tech. This isn’t something you can wave away with an argument equivalent to “we put 1000 research points in the tech tree.”

When the US economy was working well, products got better and cheaper over time. Tech and increased labor productivity drove that. Now, tech and labor productivity has continued to increase, yet consumer prices have far outpaced inflation.

[WillPostForFood]

"A modern F-150 isn’t a 70s F1 car made cheap by new tech. "

Yes, it pretty much is. You have to consider technology in cars is moving on two seperate/distinct paths.

1: improving manufacturing processes, materials, quality, which is lowering prices over time. Megacasting aluminum car parts is an example.

2: Adding totally new complex parts and systems that cars didn't have. This is things like airbags, antilock breaks, infotainment system, catalytic converters. This adds to the total cost.

#2 is far outpacing #1, which is why prices of cars are going up faster than inflation, wages, etc.