The Most Annoying New-Car Features

Though today’s cars deliver accommodations and levels of performance that are unmatched in motoring history, no car is perfect. A given model may leap off the line with authority, hug the corners as tightly a child clutching on to her mother and be slathered with all manner of comfort and convenience features, but as they say, the devil’s in the details. Motorists seem to be particularly frustrated with some of the latest high-tech features - particularly infotainment systems that require a steep learning curve, and once mastered can still be difficult and distracting to operate. Dissatisfaction with items like Bluetooth mobile-phone interfaces and voice recognition systems is causing some otherwise admirable models receiving lower marks in the latest J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study. “Owners clearly want the latest technology in their vehicles, and they don’t hesitate to express their disapproval when it doesn’t work,” says Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive at J.D. Power. The editors of Cars.com recently compiled a rogues gallery of the most annoying automotive features commonly found in current cars and trucks, and we’re presenting what we feel are the most exasperating among them in no particular order with our own commentary: • Touch Controls. For better or worse, conventional knobs and buttons are being replaced by touch-sensitive controls either incorporated into the dashboard or as part of display screens that compound the problem with complex menu-driven commands. They tend to be unresponsive and difficult to locate and engage while the vehicle is moving and can be dangerously distracting by switching the driver’s focus away from the road. • Audio Tuning Buttons. Again, this makes the simple action of skipping up or down the radio dial unnecessarily arduous by requiring a driver to emulate an old telegraph operator, rapidly tapping his or her way one tenth of a frequency at a time en route from one station to another. • Navigation Systems. As it is, GPS systems can be cumbersome to program, but many cars disable this and other touchscreen-based functions while the vehicle is moving to help keep the driver’s attention focused on the road. That’s admirable, but it’s also unnecessary if there’s a front-seat passenger who can accomplish such tasks without running the car off the road. • Voice-Controlled Systems. Here’s another seemingly good idea meant to reduce driver distractions that’s often too exasperating to operate. Many force motorists to speak like engineers to execute commands (“audio system…USB device…artist…track, etc.), and at best they tend to misinterpret many commands, especially from drivers with accents or other speech affectations. • Auto Stop-Start. Yet another feature that seems to make perfect sense, at least on paper. It switches off a car’s engine while stopped (when it otherwise gets zero miles per gallon), starting up automatically when the driver’s foot is lifted from the brake pedal. It may save a few miles per gallon for those who do a lot of city driving, but it’s irritating in practice, especially in higher-performance cars that re-engage with a mighty rumble at every stop sign. • Car Alarms. Does anyone even pay attention to alarms anymore, especially on busy streets where they tend to be set off more by passing trucks than thieves? • Giant Key Fobs. Keyless push-button entry/start systems can be a great convenience, but the key fobs required to operate them have grown to the size of yesterday’s flip-phones. They’re especially huge among luxury-branded models, where we’re told they’re meant to be status symbols in their own right. Bigger is not necessarily better here.