Car Technologies That Are Becoming Things of The Past - Part 2

Although technology is advancing at a phenomenal rate, sometimes we come across features that seem to be going backward. Interestingly, new (especially expensive) cars seem to be packed with features that lack functionality offered by older cars. Let us take another look at auto technologies that appear to have regressed rather advanced.

Changing The Radio Stations

A decade ago, switching radio stations in your car did not require a degree in computer science. You pushed a single button (go a few years further back and turned a nob). However, several new vehicles make the concept and ordeal. There are options upon options to navigate through just to hear some music. You may be better off trying to learn how to play a new instrument if you are not familiar with the setup.

Spare Tires

Even if you head back two decades, it was common for almost all car models to come equipped with a spare tire that resembled the original one. However, most of the new models seem to either have a miniature spare or none at all. Carmakers are so busy offering the latest connectivity and flashy exteriors that they cut on the production cost by not bothering to add a spare tire. Again emergency functionality is pushed aside for technology that cannot help you in a pinch.

Gesture Controls

Now, the game of gesture controls for operating a car seems to have gone a bit too far-handed. For instance, the new 7-series by BMW comes with some outrageous gesture controls. Swipe your hands to answer a call or wave it to control the audio. Gone is the old school easier method of doing all of this with the punch of a button. Gestures do not always get it right, the button did. And if you naturally gesture when you talk beware!

Self-Parking

With car manufacturers trying every possible thing to incorporate the latest technology, self-parking was something many people looked forward to. It was Lexus that first launched a semi-automated parking system in its car which allowed the car to park itself when it found the right spot. However, not all is great with this technology. If you want to use the self-parking feature, you still need to do many things. This includes activating the system and then letting it sense a spot and getting the car parked by itself. Well, the old school way of parking would be a lot easier if you had learned it.