Only retarded cars like the Tesla are pure drive by wire. Most other cars are mechanical steering and brake. Powesteering is nice but you can still turn the wheels as long as the steering column isn't locked (key unlocks it). Brakes are typically a pure mechanical linkage to a hydraulic cylinder with the ABS cycling some pumps.
Maybe some of the push button starter cars would be locked. I'm not sure how those work. I hate those things.
Thank you for your response. So "electronic" does not equal drive by wire? I ask because I drive a 2020 Honda subcompact and the manual for the car touts "electronic steering" and "electronic braking". When I push the button for the parking brake, there is a slight delay between the button push and the sound and feeling of the brakes being set. I really hate new cars but there weren't any good older cars available when I needed to replace my 2009. I hope you are right and that I'll be able to steer and brake versus flying off the mountainside.
Electronic can easily mean Electronic power steering though most are hydraulic. It depends on your vehicle but most are still mechanically linked. The test is to see if you can move the steering wheels with the car powered off. If you can (with force) cause the front wheels to move from side to side with the car powered off then you have mechanically linked power steering. This type of power steering has been the norm since power steering became a thing because it is robust, redundant, and provides good feedback to the driver.
Some cars are retarded and have gone drive by wire, though.
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