The underlying problem is the obsession with 'growth'.

This obsession with a need for continued growth eventually led to P.O., for when everybody has bought one - and they were built 'too good' and are still working - then you must make them throw the old ones away. So 'style' cam in, etc. One must cynically wonder about 'extra safety' too - disk brakes were around in the 1930's, but only put on cars when they could make extra money out of them, cause drums were 'cheaper'.

Some advances such as safety belts, I agree with. Also the 'consumer industry' invented different types of things we all need, such as AM -> FM radio, LPs -> 8 tracks -> cassettes -> CDs, etc may be said to be an 'advance'.