As the 20th century progressed, technology rendered the syce obsolete in two distinct ways. First, the automobile became more reliable. Electric starters replaced hand cranks, and cars became sealed units that required professional mechanics rather than daily personal attendants. Second, the social structures that supported such a surplus of domestic labor began to dissolve. The decline of the British Empire and the rise of a democratic, independent India shifted labor economics. The concept of a full-time attendant solely for the maintenance of a private car became economically unviable and socially outdated.
The keyword occasionally surfaces in other specialized contexts: As the 20th century progressed, technology rendered the
: Syces are responsible for bathing, grooming, and checking horses for injuries or signs of illness. As the 20th century progressed