Unnecessary new tech in cars

[Fundguy1]

Autowipers are fine. Being in Florida, state with highest number of days with rain, they don't suck. Same with auto highbeams. Neither add much if any weight, aren't very expensive, and they almost never fail. If something makes it easier, doesn't add much weight, cost, or is prone to breaking, I don't mind so much. Like cruise control. But most of these "features" don't check off all those boxes. And I definitely don't care if I have one more novel bell or whistle my neighbor doesn't. Leave that for the tech geeked Tesla drivers.

[Vigilante375]

Originally Posted by -BEASTMW-

Why don't you guys like auto wipers? I think that's one of the best features.

Least favorite are gesture control and electronic parking brake. If it ain't broke, don't make it more complicated.

First time having the feature and they suck ballz. They are a standard feature on the 135i, so I could not get away from it and thought they would be awesome. Wrong.

I'll be driving on the Interstate and it won't be raining but the mist from the cars driving over the wet road will make my wipers swipe like it's a totally downpour. This even happens doing 30 MPH on a back road with no traffic and it's literally a light drizzle.

Then when it's a total downpour, the wipers swipe like it's a light rain. I always have to control the stupid "automatic wipers".

I literally drive around with the wipers on a constant swipe. I've asked BMW to do checks on the system when I go in for a scheduled free oil change and the techs always says it's within specs. Only thing I like is when you come to a dead stop, the wipers will swipe once every few seconds then when you pick up speed they'll return to what they were doing.

The two features I love, are the electric folding mirrors.....and the heated seats.

EDIT: The best feature by far is the hill assist for us manual drivers!

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by NickyC

I'll drive my own car for as long as I'm alive thank you very much.

It's impressive though how the Tesla kept itself under control and within its lane after the crash. A human driver likely would've ended up in the opposite lane with the Jeep being screwed too.

With that being said, I'm really not sure of how I feel about autonomous driving systems. In theory it sounds great, but can we really count on a computer to be flawless 100% of the time? Who's at fault when an accident does occur? Plus it has the potential to be abused, as shown in this clip. Tesla says to keep your hands on the wheel and pay attention to the road, but it's been well documented that many Tesla drivers are not doing this.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by -BEASTMW-

Why don't you guys like auto wipers? I think that's one of the best features.

Least favorite are gesture control and electronic parking brake. If it ain't broke, don't make it more complicated.

It's probably more sophisticated in modern cars, but in my '09 E90 the auto wipers are such a friggin headache. They either work too fast or too slow for the amount of rain falling. The good old simple 3-tier system in my other car works the best. I can easily adjust the speed to my liking.

[fbsm]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

It's probably more sophisticated in modern cars, but in my '09 E90 the auto wipers are such a friggin headache. They either work too fast or too slow for the amount of rain falling. The good old simple 3-tier system in my other car works the best. I can easily adjust the speed to my liking.

I cant stand the auto wipers in new cars

Just give me a low-med-high interval setting on a timer....get rid of the sensors

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by fbsm

I cant stand the auto wipers in new cars

Just give me a low-med-high interval setting on a timer....get rid of the sensors

It's really something automakers have to do. Once one car has X feature, all competitors need to have it even if it's a stupid feature.

BMW gesture control as well as the "self park" feature where the car pulls in and out of spots are both very stupid and useless, but I wouldn't be surprised if the competitors integrate them very soon.

[fbsm]

Originally Posted by Germanauto

It's really something automakers have to do. Once one car has X feature, all competitors need to have it even if it's a stupid feature.

BMW gesture control as well as the "self park" feature where the car pulls in and out of spots are both very stupid and useless, but I wouldn't be surprised if the competitors integrate them very soon.

I suspect we're very quickly approaching a point where there will be a market for a low (er) tech/high performance line of automobiles that are well finished/equipped

I'm a bit nostalgic for the mid 2000's automobiles to be honest....seemed to have the right amount of tech/finish/safety....at least some manufacturers did

[kprocivic]

I love wifi in my car. I love auto wipers and headlights. auto cruise is nice also. This thread is stupid. options are options,you don't like them then opt out lol.

[jpnh]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

This thread is stupid. options are options,you don't like them then opt out lol.

I think thats part of the point isnt it?

You CANT opt out of a lot of this

[kprocivic]

Originally Posted by jpnh

I think thats part of the point isnt it?

You CANT opt out of a lot of this

then get a different car if it matters that much.

[jpnh]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

then get a different car if it matters that much.

Why are you so upset about people voicing their preferences for various things?

Reminds me of folks with auto transmissions making statements like MT's shouldnt be offered at all.

Dont hate on folks personal preferences

[kprocivic]

Originally Posted by jpnh

Why are you so upset about people voicing their preferences for various things?

Reminds me of folks with auto transmissions making statements like MT's shouldnt be offered at all.

Dont hate on folks personal preferences

I'm not upset, I just don't agree. It is an option if you don't want the option get another car. why would you pay for something you don't want, blows my mind.

[Fundguy1]

Autocruise is worthless too. The cruise distance is so far that with the traffic 90% of the time yould never move. Short follow distance should be 2 car lengths not 6.

[zer0cool]

Many anti technology people here? Not sure why people wouldn't like adaptive cruise. It makes daily commutes and long highway drives so much more pleasant, as long as the system is done right. It's done very right by Tesla so I use it all the time.

When on vacation in CA last Thanksgiving, I rented a fully loaded Cadillac CTS (last car they had left, I would rather wanted an Audi or Merc since I was going to drive 1000 miles in a week) that also had Cadillac's newest system and it performed flawlessly in LA traffic and made it much more pleasant for my long road trip.

I think the tech is a huge plus but just rip-off expensive in many cars. In Mercs you need to get premium 3 to get this tech, in BMW, it costs thousands as well... I like how Porsche charges less for this tech than BMW or Merc. I would definitely order it on any Porsche. It's nice to adap cruise to the mountain on the highway so I more enjoy the curves.

[zer0cool]

Originally Posted by Fundguy1

Autocruise is worthless too. The cruise distance is so far that with the traffic 90% of the time yould never move. Short follow distance should be 2 car lengths not 6.

That's if the software is shitty... not the case with Tesla or the Cadillac I drove for a week around LA.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by zer0cool

Many anti technology people here? Not sure why people wouldn't like adaptive cruise. It makes daily commutes and long highway drives so much more pleasant, as long as the system is done right. It's done very right by Tesla so I use it all the time.

When on vacation in CA last Thanksgiving, I rented a fully loaded Cadillac CTS (last car they had left, I would rather wanted an Audi or Merc since I was going to drive 1000 miles in a week) that also had Cadillac's newest system and it performed flawlessly in LA traffic and made it much more pleasant for my long road trip.

I think the tech is a huge plus but just rip-off expensive in many cars. In Mercs you need to get premium 3 to get this tech, in BMW, it costs thousands as well... I like how Porsche charges less for this tech than BMW or Merc. I would definitely order it on any Porsche. It's nice to adap cruise to the mountain on the highway so I more enjoy the curves.

I agree. Whenever I'm in slow traffic, or even in traffic where the speed keeps changing between 50-70, I wish I had Adaptive Cruise.

[Vigilante375]

Originally Posted by kprocivic

I'm not upset, I just don't agree. It is an option if you don't want the option get another car. why would you pay for something you don't want, blows my mind.

For me, I wanted a 135i and had never dealt with some of the features the car came with or was optioned with.

The Nav, used it a couple of times but I use my phone or Garmin more. Auto wipers were something I always wanted to try and now I hate. Hill assist is awesome, headlights that turn with you are great on poorly lit or unlit back roads.

I want a Chevrolet SS but I am stuck with all the dumb standard features it comes with. Blind spot monitoring, Wifi, parking assist, lane departure, forward collision alert, Navigation, rear cross traffic alert, auto wipers, and cooled seats (I live in a WA and don't need it.)

I could just get a 1LE and be good to go but I want a 4 door, RWD manual V8 and the SS is the correct car. I just have to live with all those features that I'll never use. Technology is moving along and I enjoy seeing all the things manufacturers come out with but when they make it standard...that's when it gets asinine.

[Fundguy1]

Or they put it into packages with real stuff that you can't get outside the package, again forcing you to buy it.

[mbfanos]

Originally Posted by -BEASTMW-

Why don't you guys like auto wipers? I think that's one of the best features.

Because this is an internet forum

[8k4]

Foot trunk with kids
Adaptive cruise
Are nice

[fbsm]

Originally Posted by 8k4

Foot trunk with kids
Adaptive cruise
Are nice

Just give me a trunk monkey and you can put most any tech in the car and I'll deal.....but you have to give me the trunk monkey and immunity from prosecution

[Nkc]

Don't understand why adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning and correction is getting so much hate. I for one love to take little naps while driving on long trips on the daily cruiser. NAV is awesome because I can't even find my way home from a block away sometimes and I don't like to use google maps. Doing a 6000km roadtrip from Vancouver down to LA, up LV and back to Vancouver soon and I can even say that I need ALL those options that came standard anyways. Auto parking is pretty cool too if you're good at positioning the car. Along with other modes like SNOW/AUTO/SPORT/TRACK/TOW really sets the car up differently for what its being used for.

This only applies to the daily wife kid hauler. Everything I said above does not apply to a driver's car.