Driverless Cars - Servicing, MOT and Brake Repair

DSA Autocentre - MOT, Brake Repair, Servicing and Tyres

Driverless Cars and Vans? You will still need to maintain it !

Robotics and automation are an ever increasing part of our lives and driverless cars on our roads may be just around the corner. Even so we will still need to maintain our cars. DSA Autocentre provide services including MOT, Servicing, Tyres and Brake Repair, so even when we dont need drivers please come to see us to sort out your maintenance requirements. 

Autonomous Cars and Vans Will Continue To Need Our Help

We are told that the cars and vans of the near future will not require our help for routine driving. Right now the industry is mad for autonomy and is working towards the day when we will all be passengers. That day is not here yet though and for the time being our input remains important, both on the road and with car maintenance.

You can see the trend already. More and more sophisticated technology is appearing on our motors from self-braking to wifi. There are changes too under the bonnet. Engine covers now make the internal organs of our cars and vans something of a mystery, for example. Additionally, ever-extending service intervals on certain new cars have meant that come service time, specialist knowledge is needed for automotive maintenance.

Disposable Cars and Vans?

Who knows? One day all the components of our cars may be disposable, like the wet wipes parents keep in the glove box.  Some components are just that; batteries, tyres, and shock absorbers are replaced rather than repaired and someone has to do that. Could it extend to engines that can be swapped as easily as Pokemon cards. It sounds like science fiction but not so long ago so did driverless cars.

Still, let’s worry about that when the time comes. Right now we still need to keep to a programme of car servicing to have vital fluids checked or changed and other electronic and mechanical functions reviewed or adjusted, especially when an MOT looms.

These days the idea of a home-made DIY approach to car servicing is out of the question for most of us. Technology in cars like electronic fuel injection and electronic control units may have made some aspects of maintenance easier but this is only possible if the servicing and tuning of vehicle can only be competently actioned if the right computer diagnostic equipment is used. Working on cars in the modern world is a job for highly trained automotive mechanics.

There’s a lot more to servicing a modern motor than simply giving it a quick lube job. sophisticated systems make sure of that.

The Importance Of Maintenance

Car servicing involves a whole range of component and system checks and adjustments. Despite complaints about the cost of garage maintenance from car owners in these days of austerity, the fact is professional car maintenance is worth every penny. With controlled and taxed emissions and the like, maintaining a car for peak economy, performance and emissions requires electronic monitoring and fine adjustment according to the diagnostic computer results.

A properly serviced and tuned car will have a longer, more economical service life than one that is run into the ground with minimal or inappropriate attention. With cars being generally very reliable, it is tempting to perhaps skimp on those minor jobs, but, as with the ‘check engine’ light on the dashboard, seemingly unimportant glitches can also  a portent for potentially major problems with the engine and transmission further down the road. At DSA Autocentre we service all makes and models of cars, so if you require an oil change or a full service contact us and we can provide all of your maintenance requirements.

A full service will include fluid level checks and or changes depending on the system. Brake fluid, for example, is hydroscopic which means attracts and absorbs water and should be changed at regular intervals before it loses its effectiveness. This is not something many of us think about.

Coolant is another critical fluid to a car's performance and engine longevity. Coolant degrades over time and loses its ability to inhibit corrosion inside the engine and also its cooling efficiency: this despite cars having ‘sealed systems’. With modern cars, there’s a lot to do.

The Best Option

Main dealers of course offer regular maintenance schedules as part of after-sales service. That is as it should be, but it is also the most expensive route to car servicing. Some motorists prefer to put their faith in cheap car garages but this is false economy. Possible the most ideal way forward is to use the services of a reputable independent garage who will be certain to provide quality service but at prices that bit less expensive than the main dealer option. Better still, those that offer a mobile car service will come to your house. How great is that?

A full service from a local garage will pick up any potential problems before they happen and advise accordingly. This could include little things like small leaks from the radiator, cap, water pump, cylinder head or gasket and hoses. After all, how often do any of us look under our cars for those telltale signs these days?

A full service will also provide condition reports on the brake pads, battery condition, steering alignment, tyre tread depth, suspension condition, exhaust leaks or corrosion and even how well the door locks are working.

We all have to accept that autonomous cars are the future, like it or not, although they will continue to need maintenance. In the meantime we’ll have to keep driving ourselves and the best thing about that, apart from the pleasure of owning a fully functioning and safe car, is that with a complete garage service history, the car will be worth more when the time comes for a change.