10 Car Features That Sound Cool But Are Totally Pointless

1. Social Media in Your Car: A Distraction Waiting to Happen

Let’s start with one of the most baffling additions to modern vehicles: integrating social media messaging into car dashboards. While many car features have a clear purpose, this one leaves us scratching our heads. What could possibly have motivated car manufacturers to add this feature?

Imagine the brainstorming session that led to this decision. Picture a middle manager in a corporate meeting room, enthusiastically pitching the idea:
Manager: "Let’s make sure our drivers can be distracted not just by phone calls and text messages, but also by every single update from their WhatsApp group chats and Facebook Messenger conversations—like that guy who’s interested in buying their old couch!"
Employee: "That’s a fantastic idea, boss!"

It’s hard to fathom how this feature made it past the drawing board. While connectivity is important, integrating social media messaging into a car’s interface seems like an unnecessary distraction. After all, driving requires focus, and adding more ways to divert attention seems counterintuitive.

2. Gesture Control: A Futuristic Idea That Falls Flat

Gestures are one of the oldest and most universal forms of human communication. A friendly wave, a pointed finger, or even a rude hand signal can convey a message without a single word. But using gestures to control machines? That’s a different story.

Humans are naturally adept at interpreting gestures, but machines require clear, unambiguous instructions. Think about the simplicity of pressing a button or flipping a switch—it’s direct and effective. Now imagine trying to adjust your car’s air conditioning by waving your hand in a specific pattern. Instead of cooling down, you might accidentally turn on the radio or activate a completely unrelated feature.

While gesture control sounds futuristic, it often leads to frustration rather than convenience. Until the technology becomes more intuitive, it’s hard to see it as anything more than a gimmick.

3. Style Over Substance: When Form Overshadows Function

Cars are often designed with practical features that serve specific purposes. Over time, however, some of these features become purely decorative, losing their original functionality. For example:

• Roof racks that look sturdy but can’t carry more than a lightweight bag.

• Brush guards that appear rugged but offer less protection than a sheet of plastic wrap.

• Bull bars that seem tough but wouldn’t stop a small animal, let alone a bull.

This trend isn’t limited to the automotive world. Take the Emeco Navy Chair, for instance. Originally designed in 1944 for use on U.S. Navy ships, these chairs were built to be lightweight, fireproof, and incredibly durable. Today, they’re highly sought after for their timeless design and craftsmanship. However, the market is flooded with cheap imitations that look similar but lack the quality and durability of the original.

The problem is clear: people are often drawn to the aesthetics of a product without considering its functionality or purpose. Buying something that looks good but fails to perform is, ultimately, a waste of resources.

4. Voice Recognition: Great in Theory, Frustrating in Practice

Voice recognition technology has come a long way, but it’s far from perfect. In cars, these systems are supposed to make life easier by allowing drivers to control various functions without taking their hands off the wheel. However, the reality is often frustrating.

Take the story of Stephen Dobie, an editor with a distinctly English accent, who struggled to get his car’s voice recognition system to understand him. Despite speaking clearly, the system repeatedly failed to interpret his commands. This isn’t an isolated incident—many drivers have similar experiences, especially those with accents or dialects that differ from the system’s "standard" settings.

Training voice recognition systems to understand every accent, dialect, and language is a monumental task. It would require an enormous amount of time and resources, and even then, the results might not be perfect. Until the technology improves, many drivers will find it easier to simply press a button or use a touchscreen.

5. Change-Up Indicator: A Small Step, Not a Giant Leap

Many of us strive to live sustainably, making small changes in our daily lives to reduce our environmental impact. We recycle, conserve energy, and make eco-friendly choices whenever possible. However, these individual efforts often feel insignificant compared to the larger actions—or inactions—of governments and corporations.

For example, while many Australians support the idea of a nationwide solar energy system, the government continues to invest in fossil fuels like fracking and coal. This disconnect between individual efforts and systemic change is frustrating.

In the automotive world, this issue is reflected in features like the change-up indicator. Instead of improving engine efficiency or reducing vehicle weight to save fuel, car manufacturers add a small light on the dashboard that suggests when to shift gears. While this might help drivers save a tiny amount of fuel, it’s a far cry from the meaningful changes needed to address climate change.

6. CVT Paddle Shifters: Solving a Problem That Didn’t Exist

Continuously Variable Transmissions (CVTs) are a modern engineering marvel. Unlike traditional gearboxes with fixed gear ratios, CVTs use a system of belts and pulleys to provide an infinite range of ratios. This allows the engine to operate at its most efficient level, improving fuel economy and performance.

However, CVTs have a major drawback: they often produce a monotonous, droning sound that many drivers find unpleasant. To address this, some manufacturers have added paddle shifters that simulate gear changes, giving drivers the feeling of a traditional gearbox.

But here’s the irony: if you’re adding steps to a CVT, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of having a CVT in the first place? If you want the experience of a traditional gearbox, why not just get one?

7. Beeping Backup Warnings: Helpful or Just Annoying?

Backup cameras are a fantastic innovation, helping drivers see obstacles and navigate tight spaces with ease. However, the accompanying beeping alarms are another story. These warnings often start with a mild alert and escalate to an ear-piercing screech, making it difficult to concentrate on the task at hand.

Some cars take this to the extreme. For example, the BMW X5 has a system that goes into full panic mode if you open the door while the car is in gear. It shifts to park, sounds an alarm, and displays a warning message as if you’ve just triggered a nuclear meltdown.

While safety is important, these systems often feel overbearing. A little trust in the driver’s abilities would go a long way.

8. G-Force Meter: A Toy for Enthusiasts

For pilots, monitoring g-forces is critical. Excessive g-forces can cause a pilot to lose consciousness or damage the aircraft. In cars, however, a g-force meter is little more than a novelty.

Some drivers use it to brag about their cornering skills:
Driver 1: "I pulled 1.4g in that corner!"
Driver 2: "Well, I hit 1.55g. I’m clearly the better driver."
While it might be fun to compare numbers, a g-force meter doesn’t add much practical value to everyday driving.

9. Engine Sound Synthesizer: Fake Noise for Real Thrills?

The sound of an engine is one of the most thrilling aspects of driving. The roar of a powerful engine, the rumble of exhaust, and the whine of a turbocharger all contribute to the sensory experience of being behind the wheel.

However, modern engines are designed for efficiency, which often means sacrificing sound quality. To compensate, some carmakers use sound synthesizers to artificially enhance or recreate the sound of a powerful engine.

While this might make the driving experience more exciting, it’s ultimately a form of audio trickery. It’s like watching a movie with a laugh track—the experience feels artificial.

10. Autonomous Driving: Convenience at What Cost?

Driving is a privilege, the result of centuries of human innovation and progress. Cars are marvels of engineering, allowing us to travel vast distances in comfort and style.

Yet, some people now want to hand over control to autonomous systems. While self-driving technology has its benefits, it also raises important questions. If you don’t want to drive, why not take a train or use public transportation?

For many of us, driving is more than just a means of getting from point A to point B. It’s an experience, a reminder of how far we’ve come as a species. Let’s not lose sight of that.