New cars are increasingly becoming more and more complex. Along with that complexity comes new technology but not all of it feels like advancement at times. With that in mind, we asked you what newly standard feature you would make entirely optional if you could. Your answers make one thing clear, adding electrification where it isn’t needed is a pain, not a pleasure.
We guessed that an offshoot of that, driver safety aids, would end up with the most gripes but were surprised when only a few of them mentioned them and only a few more voted for those comments. Honorable mentions go to Skinny for their comment on screens and infotainment systems. It was echoed by Reagan1, Juris Muris, and Holden Ute.
Kimbentsen also deserves credit for their comment about Auto Stop/Start. They got ten upvotes and only one downvote but DBP and the Hunnn said the same thing and got a combined vote count of seven up and zero down.
Read: What’s The Most Money Hungry Car You Ever Owned?
Taking home the Bronze is Ilbirs who says that the electronic parking brake needs to go. “Why add weight and complexity to do a task that a mechanical system does by just pulling a lever or pushing a pedal,” they say. We’re guessing this comes down to packaging but we also prefer a mechanical setup.
Ben gets credit for inspiring our opening image and picking up second place with seven upvotes and no dissenters. Slow-opening hatches are his big gripe and we can understand why. “Throw in a bit of rain or a tight schedule and it’s nearly unbearable,” he says. Rightly, he points out how unreliable those kick-sensing sensors are too.
Db edges out the victory though with eight upvotes and none opposed to his idea. “Unplug any and all connectivity. If anyone wants/needs the web, they can always revert to their smartphone.” That echoes the same sentiment that many have had regarding video games that require an internet connection. Of course, in this case, we’re talking about a car along with the investment inherited, and not something that’s only mildly annoying.
