"what can be done to stop and revert this horrible trend?"

Angry mob finding developers and beating them with soap in a sock will certainly do it.

Google's fault for not allowing the USER to have control over permissions, I should allow the permissions, not the app.

What is truely awful is DLC or "in app purchases" Honestly writing a half assed app then extorting money from your users is the path of the scumbag.

Dont be a scumbag developer.

We dont want to afford you, will you come work for us for chump change?

They can afford you, they just hope you will be stupid and be blinded by the "opportunity".

Why make your own? Just freaking put Android in there and call it done. Ford,GM,Honda, all utterly SUCK at infotainment design. Partner with Google and just put freaking android on that damn double din display and have a fricking standard. I know they love raping people with the $250 map update CD every year, and utterly love charging people $1600 for a $290 device that does half of what most aftermarket devices do.

The automotive industry needs to stop applying their own flavor to everything because they suck at it.

Step 1 stop using stupid analog gauges. Honestly short of the Tach there is ZERO reason to have freaking needles. I prefer a digital speedo, my gas gauge showing that I have 6.5 gallons and 350 mile range remaining, Temp gauge is not needed but I like it. I wish they had a "turn on your heater" light when the temperature actually get's above arctic temperatures for the cars that dont have gauges.

On gauge I really want, Washer fluid level. or at least make the light come on when the damn thing is 1/2 empty and not when I have only 2 squirts left.

People that buy paddle shifting automatics are silly.

If you dont have a clutch pedal, you drive an automatic.

Bullshit.

The Executives cause more damage to GM than all the unions combined.

Because Japanese CEO's are not whoring out the company. American CEO's are some of the worst people on the planet, they do whatever they can to give themselves stellar salaries while crashing the company to give them even more gains. the CEO and Board should be LEGALLY liable for everything that a corporation does, IF they screw over the employees, they lose everything they personally own. EVERYTHING. They also spend time in jail for any laws broken.

Problem is the United states is OWNED by these corporations, your Senators and Represenatives all are bought and paid for by them.

There is a reason why the status of Justice is blindfolded. So she does not have to see the piles of money being used to bribe the system.

"The LEAF requires much less service "

This is not what I have seen. My honda Civic has not been int othe shop as much as the neighbors Leaf. He has had to have 4 software updates done on the car as well as a couple of electric issues.

Mine has been in 0 times, I can stop to get an oil change done in 10 minutes on my way home, I dont even get out of the car. Price difference, I will be ahead of him for 10 years at $4.00 a gallon gas before the Leaf saves him enough money to reduce its TCO to my civic. That is if he has no major service needed. Civics are known to go 200,000 miles without trouble.

You buy a leaf for other reasons, less service and operating cost are not them.

"You don't realize how obnoxious gear changes are until you drive without them."

I've had that for decades, it's an automatic transmission.