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-   -   The most useless features in cars (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/201389-most-useless-features-cars-6.html)

:) I find the auto wipers really useful as I dont have to set the wiping speed myself. Based on how it has been calibrated I think it becomes a useful/useless feature

Not getting the relation between Cruise Control and side wall burst. You mean to say you were distracted due to the CC being on?

As someone said above, one man's meat is another man's poison.

Many features are discussed in this thread that fit the description above. Out of all those, Cruise Control is something which shouldn't be in the useless features list, IMO.

I drive in Kerala roads and I still find Cruise Control to be extremely useful. Kerala roads aren't like the GQ or any such wide open highways but still there are plenty of chances to use it. All wide open highways in India are very good candidates for cruise control usage.

Some people are very apprehensive in using the top gear in MT cars (5th or 6th) even when they drive above 70-80kmph. There is a notion that those gears are only meant to be used in the highways but not really - they can be used whenever speed permits. The AT in my car shifts to 6th at 74kmph with a light foot on the pedal. Many MT users will never do that because of this apprehension. A good driver should get the same impulse to up-shift from 5th to 6th, like the impulse he/she gets to up-shift from say 3rd to 4th, at the right speeds of course.

Same is the case for Cruise Control - it is not something one should only use in highways when you see 5 Kms of empty road in front of you. I use it on all empty stretches that I see. For example, going back home from work I just enter the main road, accelerate to 75kmph, and push the button and relax until I have to slow down in the next junction which is like 400 meters away. If I see no vehicles in front of me, and if I don't want to involve too much into driving, CC will be turned on and I relax until I come across the next slow moving truck or something.

Only thing that I can think of now, that I don't use in my A3 is the cigarette lighter. And I have conveniently removed it and replaced it with a multi USB socket.

Another things that I don't use or feel necessary are features like cruise control and sunroof. But that doesn't mean these are useless features.

It's just that I don't use cruise control because for me I prefer to drive however long the drive is. But for many cruise control is a must for long highway drives.

And Sunroof I don't think it suits our hot climate. Even at night with the amount of dust around I prefer not to use the sunroof. Just my personal opinion.

Right.

I have it on my car - never thought it as an useless feature (at least, till now) :)

Can any feature which aids the 'appeal' factor be categorised as 'useless' feature?

It isn't that heavy - come to think of it, the mats I have in my car are heavier than the spoiler.

It also reminds me of the 'sunshade' of old ambys (which was mounted on front windscreen)!

BTW, the spoiler enables me to tag my car as 'Sports' model. Ain't it worth something? stupid:

I have to reply - after a session of fire walking I think this would be the feature a devotee would be using the most

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firewalking

Just joking lol:

Just remembered , I have used this feature - kept quite a few cold drinks bottle on 3d mats and used this feature to localize the cold and keep the bottles chilled without having to deal with moisture formation on bottles and subsequent dripping on seats

Lovely thread, when cars come out they randomly list things in the features to extend their product brochure, but there are many in the list which we would never use as well.

My wife and my brother in law keep switching off the cabin lights whenever they are in the car. Dont know why - I have to go back to switch it to normal everytime they are off the car. I never like when the cabin lights are off on my car when the door is open.

I have seen this knob stand out on the Innova - God knows why ?

Yes, I have this on both my cars - I use them to distract my kid where I try to speak weird languages and the system responds - and she wonders who speaks and looks around the car.

I wish my XUV5OO had some space to hold my phone which the charger connected than look at the Maps.

Yes, I have used this for about less than 6 months since we bought the XUV5OO do not remember using it later on. We never switch it off ever.

And I always felt this would obviously have some impact on the Starter / Battery

XUV has this rear fog lamp and Ecosport doesnt !!

I neither know why the XUV has it nor I know why this isnt there in Ecosport.

I always wanted to own one car with a Sun Roof - my wife has told me that our next car should have a sunroof ! I have always loved it as well.

My List
1. Conversation Mirrors - like the ones on the XUV - never used them.

2. ESP Off - Why would would such it off - isnt it a safety feature

3. Cooled Glovebox

4. Laptop / Tablet holders under the dash

5. Sunglass holders - if it is not big enought ot hold aviators then its is not useful - the one in ecosport barely take in my small powered glasses.

6. AutoWiper in India - I try to as conservative on the use of Wiper Blades, autowipers go on even in the case it is not required - this might actually spoil your visibility if the glass is not clean enough and it would only scatter the dirt around.

7. Auto Head Lamp - Do not remember when I had used it.

8. CHROME CHROME CHROME : I keep reading on brochures when they compare models stating - Chrome Door Handles - Chrome Side Mirror Cover - Chrome This - Chrome That - When will they get rid of this chrome.

Just my opinion - but love reading most of your opinions.

Regarding this, I believe it helps a car to come out of a "stuck in mud" situation if ESP is turned off rather than having it turned on.

Always felt that key ignition is much better than Push button start. Unfortunately you don't have customization options.

Well, sometimes mosquitoes find its way into the interiors of the car. And the areas around my ankle become the favorite hunting grounds for them.


I use the blower to literally blow away all of those winged invaders after setting it to that position :).

Rear spoiler: Apart from the aesthetic appeal, don't find any use with it. Cars like Wagon R offer rear spoiler as an accessory and many people opt for it just for the looks.

Fixed driver armrest: If it is a convenience feature, make it convenient to use!

Fixed rear headrests: Again, useful only to a particular set of people with less height. Cars should come with three adjustable rear headrests as standard, if the manufacturer states that the seating capacity is five.

Ask a person with sweaty feet. :)

Very personal list of features people use or don't. I for one always keep the auto headlamp feature on in my car since the last 11 years I have owned

I might get a lot of flak for saying this. However, I truly believe that there will be few of us who may think in my way.
In my opinion, these are the list of useless features in a car :

1. Touch Screen infotainment systems : Take your eyes off the road, its new age!
2. Rain sensing wipers : You can see the rain, but you dont want to flick that little stick.
3. Automatic Headlights: Its such a pain to turn on a switch!
4. Start-stop button : Hitting a button is so brute! Who turns a key?
5. Keyless Entry : Alright, you dont want to turn the key as your hands are full of shopping bags. But who will open the door for you?
6. Cruise Control : Come on, be a real driver!
7. DRLs in tropical places : Power to the sales guys
8. Automatic climate control : How difficult is it to control the temperature manually?
9. Autonomous driving : No comments, that's what is earning my bread

I belong to the group who loves bare basic cars. I started driving with my dad's 20 year old HM Amby mark4 , then drove the Indigo, then bought my own Tata Nano, and now driving a 8 year old basic VW Lupo.

I strongly feel that car companies bring in these not-so-useful features to :
1. Make a product differentiation without changing the actual product itself
2. Make your car look old as the software tech improves a lot faster than the core automotive tech, and so after few years, you would feel that your car has all/no latest tech, even if your car drives absolutely well.
3. Make more money, the more electronics stuff is in your car, the more points of failure and thus you go to servicing more often and eventually change your car, just like the way you changed your last mobile phone which was working perfectly.
4. Create artificial demand, as these insignificant add-ons make people want to have them, and thats what the car companies want you to feel.

Just crossed 55000kms on my Linea T Jet, most of which was driving on highways in TN.

I use Cruise Control extensively on TN highway trips from Pondy to Kerala (I could never use it in Kerala, though) and elsewhere.

In addition to freeing your right foot, it has other advantages. It improves mileage, It curbs your urge to speed (inadvertently or otherwise).

I can't think of buying a car without it, with the current usage pattern of my Linea T Jet.

Well, I use it occassionally to keep my lassi cool in a basket in front of the co-driver seat. My alto k10 has a luggage hook below the glovebox. If I hang a packet of chocolates or a water bottle from this hook, cool air blows straight in it.