[ChiragM]

A few weeks back, we spoke about some of the cleverest and most innovative features in mainstream cars. Now, let us take a look at the opposite.

Disclaimer: I do understand that some of you might be using these features, but they have made their way to this list as the majority don't. @BHPians: please add to this list in your replies.

Gesture control

This feature first made its debut in the BMW 7-Series and has now come into mainstream cars like the Toyota Yaris. It allows you to control various settings with your hand. Well, in one word, its clumsy & unsophisticated. I'll stick to conventional buttons and knobs, thank you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmsD...ature=youtu.be

Social networking sites on infotainment systems

Many cars now come with various social networking apps on the infotainment system. Some even get the option to share data on Facebook & Twitter! This is a totally unnecessary feature and one that is very distracting. Not to mention, if you want to network, pull over and use the apps on your smartphone - it's easier & safer!

Switch off cabin lights when door is open

Seriously - why would you EVER want to switch off the cabin lights when opening the door? This is one of the most useless features found in every car. Other than mechanics who leave the door open & don't want to drain the battery, we can't think of anyone who'd want to turn the lights off:

Compass in a 2WD car

Enough said

Parking sensor "off" button

This one also leaves us scratching our heads. Why would anyone want to disable the parking sensors? Please note this is not to be confused with proximity sensors, which are a pain if left on in our traffic conditions:

AM Radio

Although cars are getting more & more modern by the day, they retain some stuff from the stone age. AM radio is a clear example of this. Do you listen to AM radio in the era of FM, Bluetooth & streaming music?

Voice commands

Another rarely-used feature. During its early days, voice command was a hit or miss. The systems have improved considerably over the past few years and they can now understand a variety of accents. Still, our preference is - you guessed it - knobs & buttons:

On-board navigation

With Google Maps now readily available on every smartphone, the inbuilt navigation maps are hardly used. Google Maps gives you real-time traffic updates too. Android Auto is becoming popular among the mass market cars, while Apple CarPlay will soon support Google Maps:

Electric steering adjustment

The main issue with electric steering adjust is that it takes way too long. What can be done in just 2 seconds with manual adjustment, now takes 10 - 20 seconds. Of course, the plus points are that with electric steering adjustment, you get better precision and memory function. Still, give us a manual lever any day!

MirrorLink

With Android Auto & Apple CarPlay coming to all cars sooner or later, it's time for MirrorLink to RIP. We found the experience clunky in comparison. Plus, it's not even supported on all smartphones:

CD/DVD player

Talking about outdated features, here's another. Show a kid a CD today and he would probably gasp in amazement:

Auto Start/Stop system

Auto Start/Stop helps manufacturers satisfy fuel-efficiency norms; they are also very popular with cabbies & those who like to stretch every drop of fuel. With us however, it is usually the first thing we switch off as the continuous start/stop in traffic is annoying! Moreover, usage of the start-stop system can increase wear & tear (engine, starter, battery):

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Indian Car Scene. Thanks for sharing!

Here's one from me -

Rear Foglamps

Don't get me wrong - rear foglamps are very important. Problem is, in India, no one knows how to use them . Every time I go out on the highway, I see cars with their rear foglamps ON in perfect weather conditions. What's worse, some of the German cars have such bright rear foglamps that they can seriously blind you at night !

[Sahil]

While I know a lot of people will differ but I find cruise control feature in India completely useless. I have never used it and don't see myself ever doing so either.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Sahil

While I know a lot of people will differ but I find cruise control feature in India completely useless.

Likewise! The first & last country I've used Cruise Control in is the USA with its straight freeways & traffic generally moving at the same speed.

I've driven plenty of cars with cruise control, and have owned two with the feature over the last 13 years. Usage = Zero.

I know some BHPians are fans of the feature, but I'd guesstimate they'd lose out bigtime in a poll on whether or not one uses cruise control.

[Samurai]

My List:

1) Cruise Control (owned 3 cars with it)
2) Sunroof (owned one car with it)

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Sunroof

I LOVE sunroofs and would find it difficult to own a car without one. I frequently open it on nights, weekends (daytime if no traffic + weather is cool) and highway drives.

Family loves it too.

It was also useful when I used to smoke (ventilation + getting the smoke out).

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Switch off cabin lights when door is open - why would you EVER want to switch off the cabin lights when opening the door? This is one of the most useless features found in every car. Other than mechanics who leave the door open & don't want to drain the battery, we can't think of anyone who'd want to turn the lights off:

WOW - my car has none of the features listed by you (other than the one quoted above) . Guess which one is it?

Well, I do like to have 'switch off' button on the cabin lights - why would I want to keep the light on during day-time? Keeping the doors open during day time may be for a simple reason that I am cleaning the interiors of my car thoroughly and airing it once a month. This takes a good half-hour to complete....

BTW, while I do agree that some of the features may not fulfill any useful purpose, they have become part of the overall design of the car over the years?

Clue to identify my car (apart from peeking into my garage) - it does have a useful feature on cabin lights - even if the button is left in the on position i.e. light glows even after the door is closed, it switches off automatically after a couple of minutes. (So I need not worry whether I have left the light on, when I park it).

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by Sahil

While I know a lot of people will differ but I find cruise control feature in India completely useless. I have never used it and don't see myself ever doing so either.

Please come down to Tamil Nadu or north Karnataka. Driving from Bangalore to Trivandrum crossing the entire length of Tamil Nadu gives me a very sore right heel. Same goes from the drive north of Bangalore towards Pune. And these are stretches were you can be in fifth gear (Highest my car has) all the way from one toll plaza to the other.

Surely looking forward to a car with cruise control whenever the next upgrade happens, and setting up at at a sane speed which can be maintained on such roads (around 100kmph).

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Well, I do like to have 'switch off' button on the cabin lights

+1. Use it whenever I wash or detail the car.

[vigsom]

This might irk some, but power seats can get stuck and be a pain after a few years of ownership, due to the dusty conditions here.Mechanical adjustment is much much better.

Instantaneous FE readings aren't needed. The average would suffice.

Push button start is another feature that backfires sometimes.

[blackasta]

Frankly, off late Indian companies have become so aggressive in stripping off utilities & features from even the top trims of cars, that it's difficult to find useful features, leave aside useless ones !!

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Switch off cabin lights when door is open

Compass in a 2WD car

Parking sensor "off" button

AM Radio

On-board navigation

The quoted features are not useless IMO.

switch of cabin lights - I use this feature quite frequently when I am cleaning my car. I wish I had an option to even switch off the luggage lamp when the hatchback is opened , during the same tenure.

Compass - GPS is dependent on reception from the satellite. The compass I guess is something built in. So if you get lost with no GPS reception or cellphone tower, you can use the compass and a paper map to find your way back.

Parking sensor off - well, if someone is comfortable to park without them, why leave them on? I did not feel the need for parking sensors in any of my last 3 cars.

AM radio - AM radios have much longer range than FM, and the most important reason I can think of retaining them is for emergency broadcasts.

On board navigation - what if my phone is dead (not discharged but broken)? or lost/stolen?

Originally Posted by GTO

Rear Foglamps

Rear foglamps if switched on during good weather dazzles the driver behind you.
But as many states in India have torrential rain and fog, I find it to be an useful feature.
Misused - yes, useless - no.

Originally Posted by Sahil

While I know a lot of people will differ but I find cruise control feature in India completely useless.

Yes, with rampant indisciplined driving and jaywalking prevalent on Indian highways, cruise control is one feature that's better not used.

[avira_tk]

I know cruise control is laughed at, on busy highways it's useless but there is a use case for it, but not for the usual long weekend journey. The feature is extremely useful if you are on the highway on a weekday, you can't put it at 100 and expect to reach the next toll booth in 30 minutes,but, on afternoon drives, it allows you to make progress without any accelerator input, stretch your legs and get extremely good mileage. I've managed to drive for 7 hours in a stretch with intermittent usage.

The above example doesn't apply if you are with your kids. You can increase and decrease the speed also, even in a manual, it's quite convenient.

[batish]

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

[SJM1214]

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Switch off cabin lights when door is open

Seriously - why would you EVER want to switch off the cabin lights when opening the door?

IMHO, this is not that useless feature. There are plenty of occasions where we need to keep doors or boot open for a fair amount of time.

Except for cleaning and repairing, some occasions like this. By the way that's my MS Brezza.

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Well, I do like to have 'switch off' button on the cabin lights - why would I want to keep the light on during day-time? Keeping the doors open during day time may be for a simple reason that I am cleaning the interiors of my car thoroughly and airing it once a month.

+1.

[Blow Horn Ok]

I find voice commands very much useful. Just to call someone by calling their names. Picking up a phone for dialling or going through ridiculous techniques of the infotainment system (touch or button) is too distracting while driving.

One addition from my side is the irritating voice notifications found on the Mahindra vehicles.

[SmartCat]

Car AC's air flow modes! Why would anybody want to "get cold feet"?