EDITORIAL: Unreliable electronics are the new Prince of Darkness

Younger engineers may be unfamiliar with Joseph Lucas Ltd., the infamous Tier-1 supplier of British automotive electrical and electronic woes. Lucas helped institutionalize, fairly or not, the sub-par reliability reputations of British car and motorcycle OEMs. Jokes including “The Lucas lighting switch has three settings: Dim, Flicker, and Off” became part of the lore for dozens of classic marques. Those who lovingly restore Brit vehicles today refer to company founder Joe Lucas as “the Prince of Darkness.”

I once missed a reporting assignment in the mid-1980s because the lovely new Jaguar XJ6 in my driveway, on loan from the company's press fleet, failed to start due to a Lucas-related malady. At least that's where Jag PR put the blame. When a flatbed arrived to recover the car, the driver-side electric window regulator failed. Would a fire be next?