Your sarcasm is not well placed, as the flashing indicator is an improvement on all that went before it, whereas the disco ropelight effect we're now having foisted upon us is not. If it were the electronic equivalent of the hand signals you helpfully display for our younger viewers, the driver would have to stick their arm out of the window, then pull it in again, then stick it out again, then pull it in again, then stick it out again, then pull it in again (that's the soft touch 3 blink lane change version, currently available on many brands of vehicle, including Audis)
My sarcasm is currently working on other projects and won't be taking part in this thread today.
In fact I was merely highlighting the fact that other Luddites probably said similar things at an earlier time, whether it be for regulated hand signals in a formal and legal Code of Practice, or even the introduction of trafficators and their eventual replacement by flashing indicator lamps.
Your assertation that dynamic indicators are "utterly useless" and not a significant improvement on previous technology is based merely on your opinion rather than any technical or empirical evidence, yet it is well known that the human eye is drawn to movement, and some marker signs denoting tight corners have used a similar series of sequenced amber lights for years to mark both the hazard and the direction, so Audis claim that the dynamic aspect having safety advantages has some credibility. No?
The same reactionary arguments get exercised every time a manufacturer comes up with a different advance or a government mandates some new restriction. People don't see the point, or only see the downsides in extra expense, inconvenience or restriction on personal freedom;
Sat Nav - "what's wrong with a map, only idiots need Sat Nav",
Seatbelts - "it's uncomfortable, why should I be forced to wear one?",
Catalytic Converters - "More ****** expense"
Drink driving laws - "I drive better after a few drinks"
Speed cameras, speed humps, speed limits, bus lanes, tread depths, window tinting, dipped beams, noise reduction, emmision reduction, mobile phone laws, light intensity, hard shoulders, abs, fuel injection, crumple zones, plastic bumpers, alloy wheels, headrests, child seats...
Every one a fact of life now and taken for granted. Every one decried by someone as "utterly pointless" when introduced.
Now, this does beg a question...
if you don't think technological development or innovation is a good thing, why would you buy a car from a maker who's entire ethos for nearly 4 decades has been based around developing equal quantities of useful and pointless technology, and the use of the three famous words;
Vorsprung Durch Technik
Progress Through Technology
