Roffa:
Given that poor r/t has killed on more than one occasion, I don't think that's anything to brag about or be proud of that the system has evolved in such a manner.
That is thread creep for it doesn't seem to have been an issue in the instant case. Having said that, you are absolutely correct. VHF voice communications have not improved since World War II. The system has just "progressed" to saturation at many times.
I have called it "the fragile VHF comm link" for years and, indeed, it has killed on far too many occasions; particularly with radar vectors in mountainous areas.
EGPWS has made a lot of saves since its implementation. Even the low-end terrain warning options in light aircraft Garmin panel-mount navigators have made some saves in recent years. We don't hear about most of them.