I agree. Much has to do with gubmint regulations. In order to sell a car in the USA today, you need to clean an arrow through a lot more hoops than 30yrs ago.
Blame the EPA, Congress, lawyers, whatever alphabet agency makes up the rules, NHTSA?, etc.
While cars handle better, are safer and have more options, they are scary complex electronically, leading some to quickly decline in value. A network analyzer wouldn't have made sense in a repair shop 30 yrs ago. Neither would an oscilloscope. Now a days, it does.
Then if a car didn't start, there was only a few things to check. Now? All sorts of things can cause a CAN-buss vehicle to not start. Had a long talk to my indy about this with either a 99-01 Volvo. That car has to check numerous small controllers before "enabling" the START condition.
That's nuts......that's why I still have my '98 amongst other reasons.
I will add it's easy to tell which designers grew up playing video games: Their designs are proof.