Being exposed to new cars all the time, I get the chance to sample new technology and new features regularly. Some of these improvements are welcome and are now part of the equipment anyone buying a new car expects to see. For example, it is almost a challenge to find a car that doesn't have electric windows as standard equipment. Cruise control is another convenience that is considered basic equipment on any car but the lowest of lowest-equipped ones. It's the same for air-conditioning.
Most features are well thought-out and user-friendly, but others drive me nuts, in the way they intrude or do not allow me to do what I want in a minimum of time, or that do not allow me to override them. Here are a few neat and not-so-neat features found in modern cars.
AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS
Why do so many cars lock the doors automatically when starting to roll? I find that annoying, not to say unsafe. I know this is done for paranoid Americans who need to feel safe rather than really being safe, but it isn't. How simple would it be to have the option to neutralize this feature if the owner doesn't want his car to lock the doors as he begins to drive? Or at least program this feature so that the doors go back to the original 'all unlocked' position if that was how they were before rolling. It is simply absurd to have to re-unlock the door to have access to rear seat packages, or to gallantly open the door for a passenger.
AUTO-DOWN WINDOWS
A marvelous invention is the auto-up feature on electric windows. With the advent of computers, the auto-down or up feature is merely a function of the software in a computer. If it's such a simple input, why not program the auto-down feature at the same time? It would simply cost a few minutes, or maybe a few hours, of an engineer's time during the conception phase of the products, which essentially means less than a penny per car. And if you can do the auto-up and auto-down on the driver's side, why not do it on all four windows, like Volkswagen does? It mystifies me.
TURN SIGNAL REPEATERS
While on the subject of electronics, a lot of German cars have a very nice feature in the turn signal operation. Hit them slightly, kind of halfway, and the turn signal will operate three clicks, perfect for changing lanes. No need to hold it. Again, it's a simple software thing that subconsciously brings substance and luxury to mind.
HVAC FLOW WHERE YOU WANT IT ... AND ONLY THERE!
I personally like to direct air to my feet. And just hate having air blowing in my face. Others like the opposite ... or would rather have the flow directed to their upper body. Most cars will allow you to do so, but I have noticed a tendency recently, mostly in high-end luxury cars, to maintain airflow through all vents, even if selecting one as the source you want the air to come from. By selecting the feet as the main airflow way, there will still be a minimum of flow sent through the mid and upper vents, with no way to cancel the upper source. Who would want a car that doesn't allow the ventilation settings that the driver needs?
COMPLICATED COMPUTER INTERFACES
The good old, reliable button is simple and effective. Press one to change the temperature setting. Turn a knob to adjust the radio volume. It does what the driver asks in minimal time, allowing the driver to keep eyes on the road.
Why then are some luxury car companies concentrating a myriad of functions through a main knob on the center console? Want to change the radio station? Press the main knob to activate the system, turn it one way to get out of the HVAC settings into the radio settings, then press again to select the radio setting, then turn the knob the other way to find the radio station, then press the knob to select the station. The process stops here if the station is amongst the pre-selected ones. If not, add at least two more steps to the process. Got an idea how long your eyes were off the road?
And that is for everyday functions. More specialized ones require even more steps. I spoke a few days ago to the owner of such a luxo-cruiser and asked how he liked his car. Now, this owner was not your grandpa. He was a businessman in his mid-forties. He said he was wowed by all the functions when he bought the car, but now cusses them. Not user-friendly enough. He hardly ever uses most of them because he never remembers how and because he almost veered off-road a few times trying to use them. 'nuff said...
HALF ELECTRIC SEATS
This half measure is just cheap. You often find this on North American cars, but also on some imported ones. I am talking about these "electric seats" that only motorize the bottom part of the seat, leaving the upper part manually activated.
Don't get me wrong; I do not mind non-electric seats. I even often prefer them to their motorized counterparts, but why go halfway?
HEATED FABRIC SEATS
I hate not being able to spec a car exactly as I want, especially not being able to get heated seats on a non-leather covered seat. For some reason, some manufacturers only offer heated seats with their upscale leather-covered seats. I personally don't like leather and will never pay to get it. I like and want fabric seats as I find them more comfortable. And being able to heat the seat is a feature I appreciate once in a while. As a buyer, I wouldn't even consider a specific model if I couldn't get this fabric/heated seat combo. Hey, it came standard on my 1988 Volvo 745 wagon!
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Well, these are seven of many irritating things I discovered while being exposed to new cars regularly. The recurring theme here is simple: let the driver/consumer have the choice.