Is it harder to maintain lane center the older you get?

[The motor guy]

Maybe it's my older vehicles, but when I was young I used to be able to let my hand of the wheel and she would stay going straight for a while. Now even with a whole new front end I still have trouble. Most times I have a trailer back there though, so I guess that pulls the truck around.
Update: I ji
Just remember it being a natural thing when I was younger. Now it's almost one of the main things I foucs on when driving.

 

[supton]

I feel like this is two questions: the ability for one to stay in lane while on “autopilot”, and the ability of a vehicle, with an unknown amount of wear, to track straight. Two different things.

Add in a trailer and that’s a third variable.

 

[wpod]

Everything becomes harder when we get older . Some more some less.

 

[walterjay]

I drive very well for my age but not as good as when I was younger.

 

[ZZman]

Well depth perception is affected along with seeing worse at night

 

[Mainia]

Could be a possibility as I notice a bit less "on top of every aspect of my driving" so to speak at 62. I drive a tuner car with a lot of work to my suspension. I am hyper aware of car location and I do question have I lost some since my car days of tuner cars of in my 20's and yester years. I would say yes to a degree.

But vehicle alignment and tires has a lot to do with it too. You said you had a whole new front end. Most cars/ trucks run with toe in, which is best for straight tracking. In a performance car I run toe out as it allows better traction fully loaded in the corner and makes for more responsive steering. But it is not as good for effortless straight tracking steering. My new alignment guy set me at zero toe. He was not a performance car alignment guy I found out and did not set it to my specs I told him I wanted. He was a "close enough for me" kind a guy, which doesn't work in a high performance road car. My car was always hunting and I could not find road center well. It also followed the arc/cup of the tire ruts that long use of asphalt roads get. My car did not corner correctly as I did not have my usual toe out. So your alignment may be making your truck roam around because of it's settings. There is a very large swing of "in spec" that "average" alignment guys use. You could just be on the far extremes of this very large swing the the industry uses.

 

[Jetronic]

Everything becomes harder when we get older . Some more some less.

except my body, that gets softer

 

[JeffKeryk]

Well, one of our cars shows your position in the lane, so it is basically telling me I'm a lousy driver.

 

[redhat]

OP, one thing to consider also is road quality. Here in Western NY, not all roads are evenly unkept and many have a terrible crown on them which seems to move different track width vehicles everywhere

 

[Jetronic]

Maybe it's my older vehicles, but when I was young I used to be able to let my hand of the wheel and she would stay going straight for a while. Now even with a whole new front end I still have trouble. Most times I have a trailer back there though, so I guess that pulls the truck around.
Update: I ji
Just remember it being a natural thing when I was younger. Now it's almost one of the main things I foucs on when driving.

It's the car you drive.

 

[wpod]

except my body, that gets softer

Indeed with that !

 

[Kira]

when I was young I used to be able to let my hand of the wheel and she would stay going straight

When you take your hands off the steering wheel, you're removing all input.
You'll have no ability to compare your old hands' driving to your younger ones' driving if they're in your lap.

 

[LongTime_Lurker]

I tried driving completely straight right after I received my license. As I have aged, I began to realize that we live in an imperfect world with road crown, grooved pavement, lanes with constantly varying widths, and vehicles with different suspension setups. Even a Tesla with Autosteer struggles to center itself in certain situations found throughout the city. If I wanted to travel 100% straight, I'd hop into something that follows a tram line or track.

 

[supton]

I have found that my Toyotas have had, as a rule, overboosted power steering. But some of my other vehicles were easier to go straight, heavier steering or better dead spot in the center. Not sure that everyone is doing EPS well, bot sure if that is another variable.

 

[vavavroom]

It seems to me that many newer cars require more steering input to stay on center when compared to older models. Also, the steering gives less feedback for a more isolated experience on newer models. There's almost no torque steer anymore in most new FWD cars so you barely feel it when the car pulls to the side during acceleration. I don't know about the effect of arthritic hands and neuropathy but none of that will help in sensing if your car is running dead-nuts straight.

 

[4WD]

Well, one of our cars shows your position in the lane, so it is basically telling me I'm a lousy driver.

Yep - and I tell that lady in the dashboard a thing or two as well

 

[hrv]

NO....

 

[meep]

Yes. The inner ear becomes less sensitive as we age. This is where we get balance from. You might notice it as people turn their heads. A younger driver may be able to turn their head to look to the side and for a moment still keep the vehicle going in its original direction. An older person may be unable to do that as well and the vehicle will move in the direction they have turned their head. It’s an inner ear / balance thing.

 

[Skippy722]

I blame the 4 kids aged 1 to 8.

 

[heavy260]

Yes. The inner ear becomes less sensitive as we age. This is where we get balance from. You might notice it as people turn their heads. A younger driver may be able to turn their head to look to the side and for a moment still keep the vehicle going in its original direction. An older person may be unable to do that as well and the vehicle will move in the direction they have turned their head. It’s an inner ear / balance thing.

Throw muscle memory in there also.