".RC." wrote:

I would say around 20 years would be an expected lifespan before you could expect electronic issues. Although reading various forums there seems to be more issues with electronics then mechanical things. Often, nothing wrong with the machine, but a sensor or wiring is faulty.

Mankind has been making engines and other mechanical components for over 100 years and pretty much got the bugs ironed out. Regarding electronics on vehicles... reminds me of a (fictitious) "quote" I heard years ago between Bill Gates and the head of BMW on a plane. Bill was pressuring the BMW guy to put computers and Microsoft software in all his cars. The BMW guy said...Bill, we just can't afford to have our cars 'crashing' every few days.
Seriously, my VW Touareg which I've had for 12 years is mechanically perfect the silky smooth 3L V6 runs like a clock. The electronics not so. Sat nav packed up VW wanted over £500 to sort out, so I bought a Garmin. CD player packed up. the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recycling) valve sensor packed up, the hi/low transfer sensor packed up. The manufacturers have little incentive to get these things reliable because most owners trade their cars in before the electronics start playing up.
At a recent exhibition, I was approached by a researcher asking me if I would buy a "autonomous" or self driving car. No way would I buy one as I do not want to trust my life to electronic sensors !
I somehow doubt if any of the new "Electronic" generation of Cat (or any other make of equipment) will still be capable of a hard days work (even if they are still around) in 80 years like my D2, R2, D4 and D7 tractors from 1940 !