Of course part of it is attraction to gadgetry. But I lived it and watched it evolve because I grew up in a towing and repair service. It started with electric windows to eliminate the effort needed to crank windows up and down. And that laziness spread to buttons. Automatic Climate Control was next to come because it was too much work to reach down and turn the heater control up/down or on and off as needed. Then came electric locks, Then auto search radios because tuning with a dial was too much work, then came...
I watched all this come about play by play, and it was all originally born of laziness and convenience. Window Cranks started it all...
LOL...good recap of the progression of tech in cars!
I always hated having to turn the wipers on now and then when it was misting or road spray dirtied the window. I thought intermittent wipers were the greatest thing ever invented! I actually bought a DIY HeathKit to add intermittent wipers to my 1976 Jeep CJ-7!