[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/6-modern-car-functions-nobody-asked-for\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/6-modern-car-functions-nobody-asked-for\/","headline":"6 Modern Car Functions Nobody Asked For","name":"6 Modern Car Functions Nobody Asked For","description":"As much as we love our motors here at Motor-Vision, we can\u2019t say that there aren\u2019t things in our cars that we\u2019ve never been able to love. These functions and features just make us question what exactly the manufacturers were thinking and how they could have possibly believed that it was something the majority of us would appreciate. You can think of this as an open letter addressed to all the car manufacturers in the world, pleading for these features […]","datePublished":"2018-12-10","dateModified":"2018-12-10","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/6-Modern-Car-Functions-Nobody-Asked-For-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/6-Modern-Car-Functions-Nobody-Asked-For-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/6-modern-car-functions-nobody-asked-for\/","about":["BLOG","Cars","LATEST CAR NEWS"],"wordCount":948,"keywords":["Car Features","Car Functions","Modern Car Features","Modern Car Functions"],"articleBody":"As much as we love our motors here at Motor-Vision, we can\u2019t say that there aren\u2019t things in our cars that we\u2019ve never been able to love.These functions and features just make us question what exactly the manufacturers were thinking and how they could have possibly believed that it was something the majority of us would appreciate. You can think of this as an open letter addressed to all the car manufacturers in the world, pleading for these features to be discontinued or (if applicable) for them to be able to be turned off in the future. We each have our own personal gripes with our beloved autos, let us know what yours is in the comments!Auto windscreen wipersOn some cars, the auto windscreen wipers are more of a burden than a gift. That\u2019s because all it takes for them to turn on is three measly raindrops and once they\u2019re on, they\u2019ll stay on for a good 5 minutes despite there being no actual rain. This leaves the dry, unlubricated rubber wipers dragging themselves across the windshield while making the most painful sound imaginable that almost makes you cringe.We want for the wipers to turn on as it starts to rain, not when we drive under a tree that just so happens to drip a little water on a perfectly clear and sunny day. It\u2019s not the false detection, but the length they stay on which annoys us the most. If the windshield is dry and no more water is left to wipe away, stop wiping! All cars should have an option to turn this feature off permanently! Arrgghh!Self-parking…but only in huge spacesSelf-parking is a great feature but please don\u2019t give us the option when it only works for spaces that you could park a van in. It\u2019s quite the tease to be sold a car with an \u201cautomatic parking\u201d feature and to later find out it only works on spaces that are so wide and easy that it\u2019d be quicker to just do it yourself.It\u2019s a great little novelty the first time you use it and a fantastic feature to show off to your family and friends but other than that, auto parking is a huge fad. Maybe in a few years the technology will be able to handle more challenging spaces, which is when this feature will begin to be properly appreciated.The much-debated stop-start featureSo many of us can agree that the stop-start feature is one of the most polarizing functions found in modern cars. It\u2019s become quite common, despite many consumers disliking it. Why do they dislike it, you ask? Firstly, there\u2019s the aggravation of the whole event. Coming to a stop results in a jolt and sudden cease of rumbling. The steering wheel becomes heavy, as do the brakes. After sitting in the peaceful bubble of your much quieter cabin for a minute or so, it\u2019s time to start moving again and with a sudden jolting ignition the rumbling is back up to 10 and before you can even allow your car to prepare itself, you have to put your foot on the accelerator and speed off.Secondly, there\u2019s that debate of how efficient it really is. Does all that starting and stopping really save fuel? Surely all the activity is wearing the engine and various components quicker? Each of us have our own opinion on the matter but only engineers will know for sure.Thirdly, most cars that have stop-start only allow the function to be turned off temporarily. Most cars turn the feature back on each time you get back into your car. Talk about annoying!Voice control that\u2019s hard of hearingI\u2019m willing to accept that my dog\u2019s hearing isn\u2019t what it used to be, or even my dear old grandmother. However, I am not willing to accept that brand new cars costing many thousands of pounds are unable to hear me properly, often resulting in phone misdials.If you\u2019re going to put in voice-activated commands, at least make sure that the car is capable of understanding normal speech. I don\u2019t want to have to speak like a robot for you to understand me. It\u2019s frustrating, it\u2019s a waste of time and it\u2019s embarrassing when I\u2019m trying to show off my car\u2019s cool feature.Touchscreen menusUsing a touchscreen menu in a car is a very unnatural thing. It just doesn\u2019t work. You have to kind of lean forward to reach the screen and your arm just has to hover in the air as you wait for the menu to catch up with your input, it\u2019s just not convenient at all. If there\u2019s not an alternative input, such as the trackpads in BMWs, then we didn\u2019t ask for this at all! Features should make things easier, not harder.No oil dipstickSome cars, mostly found in luxury cars, don\u2019t have an engine oil dipstick under the bonnet. Instead, you\u2019re forced to rely on the computer readings displaying on the gauge cluster or somewhere in the settings, which can be quite hard to find for those less technically inclined. Furthermore, what happens when the oil level sensor breaks? How are you meant to examine the condition of your engine oil? You wouldn\u2019t have to worry about these things with a good old fashioned dipstick, so why have manufacturers got rid of them?Those are just some of the small annoyances found in modern cars, what features in your car annoy you?"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Cars","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/\/cars\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"6 Modern Car Functions Nobody Asked For","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/6-modern-car-functions-nobody-asked-for\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]