[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by ashokabs

Come on guys if any of the features was really useless then it wouldn't be there in the car. I cannot think of any car company, with slim profit margins, who would put useless features.

Appreciate your point.

Sometimes the car manufacturer adds a feature to increase the snob value for the customer, to command a better price (or to justify a higher price). The customers may accept the feature as an add-on (bonus) while justifying the buying decision. But ultimately the feature may be useless and hence remains unused by the customer.

Such things also happen when the car manufacturer (and their marketing team) wants the car to be positioned in the market in a particular way but the market perceives and accepts (and uses) the car in a different way.

[nishsingh]

The only useless feature in my 11 year old car is the remote control for the car audio.



I have had this in my bedroom drawer since the day I bought my car, and the only time I have taken it out since is for this photo today

[Hellzboy]

Originally Posted by NPV

but a safety concern here:
I just hope that the kids stand when the car is parked/standstill, not when you're driving ? (That's one of the most dangerous things kids can do when the car is moving).

Originally Posted by mathuranuj

Bro, do you really drive your car without buckling up your kids?

Thanks for the concern and advise guys. I know it is a safety issue and i do not recommend it, and though, i drive at a slow speed it still can end in disaster. But the sheer joy and pleasure that one gets doing is great. I will, however, change this. Thanks once again.

[Carpainter]

One feature I feel useless in India atleast is heated ORVM. I mean except may be in Ladakh and Himalayas, where would you find a place in India so cold to use this feature. Also as the OP pointed out about the CD player, I think Aux input is another feature which is already obsolete but still find place in new cars.

[spanner777]

List of features that are beyond my understanding :
1. Beige door pads and carpets and calling them premium interiors. Not practical in India atleast.
2. Conituously sweeping rear wipers. Even in heavy rains, when the car is moving, the rear wipers would be required only intermittenly. Lack of intermittent mode is a downer
3. CD player
4. Presence of only electric boot release.

[roby_dk]

Originally Posted by Hellzboy

Voice control (in the Endy). I like. It helps me make calls, change fan speed , set the temperature, and it activates Siri on my iPhone for other tasks.

Considering you have Ford endeavour how are you changing Fan Speed using voice commands. I thought we can change only temperature in Sync3. Can you tell me what command we have to pass for changing blower speed.

[Mtv]

Grab handles above the door are useful for when you’re being thrown around in the cabin because of an over enthusiastic driver and you need something to hold on to

But some cars have a handle above the driver’s door too. This according to me is the most useless feature. Is the driver going to steer the car and shift gears, or hold on to the handle and lose control any way?

[Carpainter]

Originally Posted by Mtv

But some cars have a handle above the driver’s door too. This according to me is the most useless feature. Is the driver going to steer the car and shift gears, or hold on to the handle and lose control any way?


Attachment 1795238

I used to find it redundant as well but later realized that this would be useful for say an old driver who might need to grab something to get off the car (specially SUVs). Another use of this I've seen is to wash the roof of a SUV where one stands on the scuff plate and hold on to the handle to wipe the rooftop. Not really a must have but can be useful in some cases.

[Hellzboy]

Originally Posted by roby_dk

Considering you have Ford endeavour how are you changing Fan Speed using voice commands. I thought we can change only temperature in Sync3. Can you tell me what command we have to pass for changing blower speed.

sorry this is OFF TOPIC on this thread, but the way to change fan speed is say 'climate' on voice command prompt and then
'increase/decrease fan speed' and Sync then increases/decreases the speed in single step increments. I find it useful when driving alone as i do not need to 'feel' or look for the manual buttons.

[Mafia]

Originally Posted by batish

Even the instantaneous fuel economy display in MID is pretty much useless.

Attachment 1794820

I have to disagree here.

I have found the feature to help me drive more conservatively and get a better understanding of how to get better fuel efficiency.

I have a thirsty ride and fast ride. Helps me manage fuel efficiency by going easy on the throttle

[hifisharu]

Originally Posted by Pacifier

Based on how the discussion seems to be going in this thread, It's better to rename the thread to "The least used features in your car".

Thank you posting this suggestion, many features mentioned are pertinent to different weather conditions, time at which the feature was introduced etc.

Originally Posted by ashokabs

Come on guys if any of the features was really useless then it wouldn't be there in the car. I cannot think of any car company, with slim profit margins, who would put useless features. Of course the question really is what percentage use each feature. Such a thread cannot answer that question. I would say ironically this discussion is as useless as some of the features we find useless in a car!

The thread totally turned out as a rant thread, with people commenting about their pet peevs of certain cars.

As far as I can see, most car tech comes from countries where many features are mandatory ( EU, USA), such as DRLs, AHOs, Rear Fog lamps. It's upto us to use them correctly and understand the correct usage needs, not just dismiss it as useless or stupid. And most regulations in India are just copies of such laws and safety standards because no govt wants to invest time and effort in coming up with our own set of regulations. I can vouch for the fact that I have come across scenarios where I have utilized each and every one of the 'useless' features mentioned above( except the social media function), including many 'auto' functions. For example, the auto headlights, I live in a place/ country where tunnels are very common, so the auto headlight feature helps me reduce effort to turn it off and on again and again, sometimes several times in a day. Rear/Front de-fogger, definitely required in cold countries, as is heated seats and heated mirrors. Most of the so called advanced features are from 'imported' cars where selling the car in EU/US spec is easier for the manufacturers than come up with a whole new configuration just to save a few rupees here and there.

With autonomous driving cars being given more and more emphasis, soon people might be like why do we have that round thing blocking my vision in front of me? what a useless feature

[venuvedam]

Well, it seems I use a lot of these "useless" features on a regular basis. For instance, the parking sensor off button. I use it multiple times a day! When I am getting out of my drive-way, the parking sensor kicks in as soon as I put the car in R mode. However, once I am done backing up, the parking sensor doesn't stop until I reach 20 miles an hour speed. Till then, my music/podcasts/driving directions from the phone are all not audible. So, I normally shift the car to D; tap on the parking sensor off button and drive away.

Cruise Control - Used it heavily on the Hyderabad - Chennai circuit in my XUV500.

I am yet to come across a useless feature in my Audi Maybe the navigation but even that feature came in handy last week when I was in a cell phone dead zone in a very remote area.

Off topic - Does moon/sunroof compromise the safety aspect of a car? What happens to the structural integrity - in case the car goes belly up, God forbid?

[venkyhere]

what about push button start ? what purpose does it serve ? to make the driver feel like he's in a fighter jet ?
Now that we have folding key fobs, "too big for a pocket" is not an excuse - take the key, put it in a slot, then turn = who thinks that is cumbersome ? No need to fear that someone will "hack" your car.
This keyless push start is a glaring example of applying technology where its not needed at all. A bit like motorized toothbrushes.

[dark.knight]

Let me just summarize by saying that features, most useless or otherwise.. are highly subjective. Some may call ventilated seats nonsense (those not living in high temperature areas) and few may absolutely want Android auto (a feature which is beyond useless for me).

However, I've seen that every feature.. useful or not may turn out to help the owner one time or another. A keyless entry will be useful when one is suddenly caught in a shower and rushes into the car using the proximity lock button, and seats himself/herself into the car and finds that starting the car doesn't need them to dig into their pockets.

People can call superfluous features as unnecessary, just plain gadgetry among other things and they can be right.. they are after all mere convenience adding aspects. However even though I'd be fine in a bare-bones car or I might even enjoy such a car.. these convenience features if not thought about too much, if not overused or misused, will help once a way and it'd be like the car is doing the work for you on the rare chance that you find such work cumbersome.

It needs no saying though that too much reliance on electronics and electricals will lead to more failures in the car.. this is the number one reason why German cars fall apart within a decade according to an article I read.

[meetgds]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

what about push button start ? what purpose does it serve ? to make the driver feel like he's in a fighter jet ?
Now that we have folding key fobs, "too big for a pocket" is not an excuse - take the key, put it in a slot, then turn = who thinks that is cumbersome ? No need to fear that someone will "hack" your car.
This keyless push start is a glaring example of applying technology where its not needed at all. A bit like motorized toothbrushes.

I think some features add a 'feel good' value and whether you can consider them useless or not is highly subjective. Taking out the key from pocket is not really cumbersome but I must admit, when I first bought my Verna which has the push start, it made me feel good, and now when I sometimes take out my old i10 for ride, pulling out the key seems a bit 'yesterday's thing' if not cumbersome.

Also, I believe that we pay premium for 'feel good' value on other stuff (gadgets/appliances) too.