Manufacturers had their hands forced in designing better ignition systems by emissions legislation. If a spark plug fails to ignite the fuel in an engine, then the exhaust emissions standards are exceeded. The benefit to consumers is better performance, better fuel economy, and longer spark plug life. Many new vehicles are using platinum tip spark plugs. The centre electrode on the plug looks like a fine wire.
Platinum wears much better that older plug designs.
They also enable the spark to occur easier. A spark will jump much easier from a pointed object such as the fine tip of the platinum plug than it will from a large flat tip. The spark plugs can last for as long as the manufacturer advertises if everything is working correctly, but the vehicle may need plugs replaced if the engine has been flooded with gasoline or additives have fouled the tips. The fuel additive MMT has been blamed by the auto manufacturers for fouling spark plugs and shortening their expected life span. Legislation has removed MMT from fuels sold in most of the United States but it is still found in some fuels in Canada.