Analogue driving

analogue driving /an-uh-log dry-ving/ noun (uncountable)

Analogue driving is the experience of operating a motorcar that lacks modern electronic driver aids, relying instead on direct, unassisted mechanical connections between the driver, the controls, and the road. It is the fond, slightly rose-tinted term for driving cars from an era before computers decided you were too clumsy to be trusted with your own destiny. It describes a raw, unfiltered conversation between person and machine, where the steering wheel actually transmits what the front tyres are doing and the only traction control is the driver’s right foot. It is, in essence, driving a car that requires you to know what you are doing, a terrifyingly outdated concept.

The Full Story of Analogue Driving

For the vast majority of motoring history, all driving was analogue. There was no other kind. It was not a feature to be celebrated on a brochure; it was simply the way cars were built. A steering wheel was connected to a steering rack by a metal bar. The accelerator pedal pulled a cable that opened a carburettor. The brake pedal pushed fluid through pipes to squeeze pads against a disc. The car did exactly what you told it to, for better or, quite often, for worse.

The experience was defined by a rich stream of sensory information. An unassisted steering rack would wriggle and writhe in your hands, a constant telegram from the front tyres reporting on the state of the road surface and the remaining reserves of grip. A throttle connected to a carburettor offered an instantaneous response; a twitch of your ankle produced a corresponding bark from the engine. Brakes required real, physical effort and a sensitive foot to feel the precise point before the wheels locked. Driving was a physical act, a full-body conversation conducted through the fingertips, the seat of the pants, and the soles of the feet.

This unfiltered world began to disappear with the arrival of the electronic nanny. The first and most sensible was the anti-lock braking system (ABS), a box of tricks that could pump the brakes faster and more effectively than a human foot. It was a life-saving invention and the thin end of a very thick wedge. Soon came traction control, a system designed to stop you from applying too much power with all the subtlety of a disapproving schoolteacher. Then came stability control, which decided it knew better than you how to get around a corner.

The final connections were severed by electric power steering and drive-by-wire throttles. The steering wheel no longer had a direct physical link to the road, and the throttle pedal sent a polite request to the engine’s electronic brain, which would consider it and then act accordingly. The car became a partner, one that held a veto over your more enthusiastic suggestions.

Today, in a world of flawlessly competent cars that isolate the driver from every sensation, the term "analogue" has become a badge of honour. Enthusiasts crave the challenge and engagement of an older machine where they are the most important component. It is why a thirty-year-old sports car with less power than a modern hatchback can provide a more thrilling drive. It is a deliberate choice to embrace imperfection and feel everything.

For The Record

Is analogue driving inherently more dangerous?

Objectively, yes. A modern car with ABS, stability control, and a dozen airbags will do a far better job of saving you from your own incompetence. An analogue car offers fewer safety nets, which is a key part of its appeal to skilled drivers and a significant risk for the unskilled.

What was the last truly analogue driver's car?

This is a topic of fierce and unending pub debate. Strong contenders are usually cars from the early 1990s, like the original Lotus Elise S1 or Honda NSX, which often featured unassisted steering but might have had basic ABS. Anything built after the mid-90s almost certainly has a layer of electronic minding.

Does a manual gearbox automatically make a car analogue?

It is a crucial ingredient, but it does not make the whole cake. A modern manual car will still have power steering, stability control, and a drive-by-wire throttle. The manual gearbox is a key part of the analogue feel and the driver’s workload, but it cannot define the entire car.

Is "steering feel" a real thing?

Absolutely. It is the physical feedback transmitted from the road surface, through the tyres and up the steering column to the driver’s hands. It tells a skilled driver about the texture of the tarmac and the amount of grip available. The best hydraulic power steering systems preserved this feeling; many modern electric systems erase it completely.

Are all modern cars devoid of analogue feel?

Most are, but some manufacturers fight to engineer it back in. Companies like Porsche and Lotus are famed for the quality of their steering and chassis feedback, using clever software and engineering to simulate that classic connection. It is a digital recreation of an analogue sensation, but often a very convincing one.