yep, drive by wire is a silly idea.
and there's already prototype cars (mostly honda and bmw) that are purely drive by wire, the steering, brakes, accelerator, clutch & gears have all been converted to electric systems.
my main problem with it (apart from the lack of feel and driver feedback) is that electrical systems fail more often and more easily than mechanical ones. if the electrics died you'd be unable to stop or steer at all. how dangerous is that!! the reviews say the systems will automatically comep to a complete stop as soon as possible in that situaiton, but what if that fails too? all it takes is the battery to die and the alternator belt to snap and you're buggered. i will never buy a drive by wire car, i guarantee it. i'm sure there will be lots of people who are the same. apart from the safety aspect i want to feel the steering and brakes, its a big part of driver enjoyment and allows you to drive to the limit of the car's ability.