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Typical car has 2-3 miles of wire in it. More disturbing, this can approach 200 lbs.
Various multiplex and data linked systems have come up - always with an eye towards reducing the mass of wiring. Seems like the increase in electronics content over takes it and net effect is static if not increasing weight.
VW's wiring harness problems came down to them using an insulation displacement technique on the connectors. Instead of stripping wires, crimping on terminals and inserting terminals into connectors, their system used connectors that had "teeth" in them and were conceptually clamshell shaped. You put all the unstripped wires in the right place, closed the clamshell and the the force of closing it would cause the teeth to bite through the wire insulation and make contact. Great idea, had some teething problems. I think many current cars use this technique - now debugged and working properly.
One of my VWs was in the shop for almost 8 weeks while they figured out what was wrong. Came down to a bad wiring harness, which could not be replaced, as it was considered a part of the car...
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