Useless features in modern cars

[meaneyedcatz]

Because her car was in the shop, my wife had to rent a car so she could go to her grand sons birthday. It was some Japanese car. The drive was about 5 hours. She called me and told me there was no fuel gauge in the car! Just a display which told you how many miles you could drive with the fuel you had left. What a stupid way to display the amount of fuel! Your fuel economy will differ greatly if you've been city drive or highway driving so the number of miles of fuel left in the tank maybe far different than what is really there. I guess it is too hard to have a direct reading instrument so they put something in its place with is totally subjective.

Somewhere on the car is a proper fuel gauge. You might have to hit a dozen buttons but it's there.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

Some of the new safety features will only make the poor/lazy drivers even lazier.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

I shake my head when people pull into our shop with a bashed in bumper and complain the reverse sensors did not work.
I always told them they work at slow speed with items at certain heights. OF COURSE, the reply was I was going slow.
After the repair they would ask if we fixed the reverse sensors.
Car is complete and there was nothing wrong with sensors. Everything works.

Also, Cadillacs have vibrating sensors in the seat cushion. First time I was backing up and it went off I thought I was having leg spasms!

 

[WaywardSon]

Oh yes, because electrical components function so well in dirt, water, salt and grime. And when it fails, you have no lights whatsoever.

Must disagree. I don't know how many cars I owned from the mid-60's on with a floor control to dim/brighten the lights. I had one switch fail on one car...cheap part and 10 minutes to replace. I was talking to my kid about this yesterday. The floor switch is a FAR superior method.

The only time I ever lost my lights was in a curve and it resulted in my rolling the vehicle. The dimmer switch was on the same stalk as the switch to turn on the lights, honk the horn and signal a turn. A complete mess & similar to many of todays vehicles.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Trying to make cars/trucks idiot proof seems to be what they are making.
Do have to admit that duel master cylinder for brakes is great as I had two fail way back in the '60's, VW and Chevy 3/4 ton truck.

 

[hoosierone]

There are many poor drivers out there. I encounter them pretty much every time I leave the house. Kind of make it a challenge to see how far I can drive without coming across someone who has yet to master the art of driving. Usually not very far. I'd like to see a feature where you couldn't change lanes without signaling, and a feature that prevents you from running red lights. Maybe another where if you brake before turning your signals on, you can't make the turn.

 

[Gamecock]

I've gone over to the dark side, but not by choice.

My Mustang radio with Ford Sync 3 is so cryptic I gave up trying to figure out how to tune it, so I just use the voice command.

Push steering wheel button. Voice says, "Enter command." I say, "FM ninety-nine-seven." It says, "Do you want to set temperature to ninety-nine-seven?" "No, idiot."

I close the window and repeat process. This time it works.

 

[LVSteve]

Maybe another where if you brake before turning your signals on, you can't make the turn.

Loving that one! It is one of the way I judge other drivers.

 

[Gamecock]

Getting in and out of my son's Tacoma pickup, he has to be holding his mouth right for the door lock and seat belt to work right. I don't know who they think they are protecting.