My mum can't change a tyre or do auto repairs and I don't think it's because she's spent her life on her smartphone. Blaming technology for kids lacking basic skills is an easy way to shift blame away from bad parenting/teaching.You are assuming I can't do that. You can teach a monkey to push buttons, but that's not the same as understanding the mechanics behind whatever it is those buttons control. 'But smartphones have calculators' is the reason why when a til goes down cafe staff stand there looking gormless trying to work out what $4.20 + $3.50 adds up to and how much change is required from $10.
Not only can I read a Melways, I can change a tyre and do basic auto maintenance and repairs. I consider myself at some advantage to someone who is rendered useless by a flat phone battery or driving 5 minutes out of range. But I'm sure the RACV app (I assume there is one) comes in handy in the middle of nowehere.