As an automotive journalist, I have a revolving list of features, released or not, that I love. That list, however, is dwarfed by the one covering the features that I hate. Sometimes, automakers step out of their comfort zone, and good things happen. Other times, they miss the mark, and when they do miss, it’s done in a big way.
I’ve amassed quite a list of tech features that drive me up the wall, but they told me I could only talk about four of them with you today, dear reader. That being said, we don’t have much time to waste.
Fire touch-sensitive buttons into the sun
I’ve not met a single person who actually prefers these
Somewhere in some meeting a few years ago, automotive design executives sat in a very well-equipped boardroom and thought that touch-sensitive buttons would be the future of automotive design. Now, a few years later, they have, for the most part, thankfully reneged on that decision. For instance, my 2025 Volkswagen Atlas no longer has touch-sensitive steering wheel controls. However, it does have touch-sensitive climate controls, which almost made me pass on it.
These are great in theory, until you’re driving down the interstate, want to turn your music up just a notch, and then inadvertently deafen yourself by turning the volume all the way up to 10 with a simple slide of the finger. What was wrong with the actual buttons? We’ve dealt with them for quite some time, and they tend to work. Let this be a lesson, then, in not reinventing the wheel.
Auto Start/Stop isn’t as helpful as it seems
The first button I push to start my morning commute
First off, let me say that I understand the good intentions behind auto stop/start on vehicles with traditional internal combustion engines, and I agree that the atmosphere deserves our protection. That said, I don’t think auto stop/start is doing all that much to provide that protection. Instead, it’s making driving not only annoying but, in some cases, a bit more dangerous. For instance, several drivers have reported saving less than 5 gallons of fuel over 40k miles with auto stop/start.
That isn’t the dangerous part, though. If you live in a city as I do, deciding when to make your turn across traffic is a big moment. If there’s no traffic light on your side, then the chances are you want to spend as little time as possible actually making that turn. Auto stop/start takes time away from that turn, and even a slight amount makes a difference in how long it actually takes. What’s more, some companies are now hiding the auto stop/start button on the infotainment screen, making it harder to access in hopes that drivers won’t go to the trouble to turn it off. I am not that driver, though.
Aggressive Lane-keep Assistance programs
They don’t merely suggest a change of direction
The first vehicle I ever drove with lane-keep assist was a 2017 GMC Yukon Denali, and it put the fear of God into my soul. If I so much as thought about getting close to either the mayo or the mustard, the family grocery-getter slammed me back into my rightful place in the center of the lane. Other cars I’ve reviewed have simply gently suggested I move over with a slight vibration in my seat, but very few have found that sweet spot in between that can gently nudge me in the right direction.
Those cars are fun to drive, and are often my picks for longer road trips. However, aggressive lane-keep systems are still out there, especially on late-2010s and early-2020s vehicle models, so buyers beware. Your equilibrium might never recover.
Subscription services should be banned
Who wants to subscribe to use the car you already paid for
I’ve been vocal about manufacturers charging for subscription services here on Pocket-lint before, and if you thought I was done, guess again. There’s no reason any person should have to pay a single cent to access a feature on a car they’ve already purchased. Most manufacturers that engage in this do so to keep initial MSRP down and regain that drop on the back end, but in doing so, they greatly limit the functions and features that they poured resources into developing.
BMW even toyed with the idea of making certain features considered standard across most manufacturers, such as heated seats, revolve around a subscription platform. That idea was quickly shuttered once word got out to consumers, but it hasn’t stopped companies like Tesla from employing similar models for their in-car infotainment functionality. So, if you needed yet another reason to stay away from EVs for a bit, there you have it.
