how when it breaks, it's one more expensive thing that needs to be replaced. And unfortunately, it becomes necessity because it becomes a problem if you can't read how fast you're going or how much gas you have in the tank. With regards to "progress" being made, I feel conflicted these days.
This isn't a new problem though. My old E24 didn't have a working speedo, odometer or fuel gauge because of mechanical complexity and leaky SI board batteries. This was an expensive fix! There's always a risk technology will fail, and there always have been... it's never really stopped in it's own comfort zone - it's always evolved.