New report reveals automotive ‘knowledge gap’ as drivers struggle to identify common car parts

Research shows that many drivers are completely oblivious to how their cars work.

MANCHESTER, GREATER MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM, February 21, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In a recent study conducted by ethical car recycling specialists Scrap Car Network, a significant lack of understanding about car mechanics was revealed. 6% of drivers mistook a clutch for a brake disc, 18% mistook a crankshaft for a camshaft, 7% failed to identify spark plugs and 10% of answers given were for car parts that don’t even exist, such as a timing block and induction flue.

The findings suggest that car drivers are becoming less and less connected with the machinery that powers their vehicles, and manufacturers are helping drive this along. The majority of new cars are now shipped with engines that conceal or partially conceal the majority of the moving parts. While this may be linked to an improvement in performance and reliability, it is contributing to a reduction in familiarity with key engine components. Gone are the days when a driver could open their hood and see the timing belt or the cylinder head and know what these parts were for.

The increase in onboard CPUs and software powered cars is also contributing to this trend. The less cars rely on raw mechanics, the less need and opportunity there is for motorists to understand how their car works and know what the different parts do. These combined factors could lead to the end of the amatuer mechanic who fixes and tinkers with their own car.

Christopher Wylie, head of automotive at Scrap Car Network agrees.

"Modern cars tend to be more reliable and green, which is a great thing. But modern engine design, where moving parts are concealed and hard to access, has really made it difficult for people with an interest to tinker with their engines and make basic repairs and customisations.

“It's quite probable that a lot of drivers see nothing more than a neatly arranged assembly of engine casings - and have certainly never seen a head gasket - when they open the hood to add screen wash or check their oil. So it's no surprise that so many motorists can't tell their alternator from their crankshaft."

"On the whole this is probably a net benefit for motorists as consumers and the environmental benefits of more efficient engines are undeniable, but it does seem a shame that the opportunity to tinker and make basic repairs appears to be dying off."

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Scarlett Palmer
Essential Content Ltd.
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