These are the 10 most useless features in cars
- Car makers have worked hard to pack their models with the latest generation of in-car tech in recent years.
- Many of these new fangled features are really helpful and provide consumers greater levels of safety, comfort, and connectivity.
- Features such as adaptive cruise control, advanced camera systems, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration have a great benefit to drivers.
- There are also features that are less useful like gesture control, social media integration, and electronic air vents.
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Automotive technology has improved by leaps and bounds in recent years. With the booming auto sales in the US, carmakers are scrambling to pack their offerings with feature content as a way to compete for customers.
Radios have been replaced with infotainment systems while the trusty park brake lever has been replaced by an electric switch.
Read more: Here are the 15 cars people love to drive for a long time — and they're all from Toyota, Honda, and Subaru.
Many of these new fangled features are really helpful and provide consumers greater levels of safety, comfort, and connectivity.
Features like adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning, and 360-degree camera systems have all made driving safer and a bit less stressful. At the same time, AppleCarplay and Android Auto integration, as well as 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot capability, allows drivers to be more connected to the outside world.
However, there are some features that are less helpful. Some of these features are well-intentioned but unsuccessful attempts to integrate new technology into the cars while others can be chalked up to poorly designed interior layouts.
Here is a closer look at 10 of the most useless features in cars today:
10. Rear-seat entertainment systems
Rear seat entertainment systems were all the rage back in the 1990s and the 2000s. However, with the advent of tablets; smartphones; and Wi-Fi hotspots, the value of these expensive systems have diminished.
9. Paddle shifters
Paddle shifters are great on a performance machine. They allow the driver to make quick gear shifts without taking their hands off the steering. It's incredibly useful if you're carving up a racetrack in your McLaren 720S or Ferrari 488. They are decidedly less useful in your Toyota Camry family sedan or crossover SUV.
8. Third-row seats in compact crossover SUVs
The market for compact crossover SUVs is booming. The segment now accounts for roughly one out of every five vehicles sold in the US. As a result, a few brands have added a third row to differentiate themselves from the competition. However, these third-row seats, like the ones found on the second generation Volkswagen Tiguan, are pretty much useless. They tend to be so cramped that only small children can fit. Even then, it may require you to shift the second row forward, thereby compromising the comfort of those passengers as well.
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