What Are THE Most Annoying New Car Tech Features?
We see glitzy trendy car ads on TV, where the drivers appear to effortlessly utilize the technology they come with. Hands-free this, digital that etc.
But according to a new study published in Forbes Magazine and also released by PEMCO Insurance, many Americans have had it up to HERE with new car technology. J.D. Power, the survey people, and Consumer Reports say bluetooth and voice-recognition systems were two of the biggest offenders. But this list is from Forbes and includes even more items.
Here's a list of the most annoying new tech features found in the majority of newer vehicles (in no particular order).
- Auto Start-Stop: This feature is supposed to save fuel and wear on the engine. When you're foot is on the brake, stopped, the engine disengages. But it roars back to life when you move, and in bigger cars and some trucks, it jolts the sense of the driver. Many people disable this feature
- Lane Departure Warning: This feature is getting a LOT of play on TV ads lately. But according to Forbes' survey, drivers say its like "the boy who cried wolf." Abrupt moves, or even narrow twisting roads have been known to activate it. A number of drivers say they've disabled this one too.
- Key Fobs: Drivers don't like the often monstrous handful of plastic and tech that replaced the flat smooth ignition key years ago. But fobs have gotten bigger. Plus, drivers tend to leave engines running accidentally more often with Key fobs, especially when they're paired with push button starters. PEMCO says cars left running in garages for this reason have been linked to 28 carbon monoxide deaths and 45 injuries.
- And finally, Touch Controls: buttons and knobs have been replaced by touch pads, forcing drivers to spend more time pressing and sometimes missing the digital image on the screen. Most radio tuning 'buttons' on touch screens, say experts, are far slower than turning an actual dial to get to a radio station.
So if any of these features annoy you, you're not alone!