Automotive Manufacturers Prize Infotainment Over Safety
The future is now...or is it? While visions of utopian futures have long featured flying cars and hoverboards, the cars of today aren't too far behind. However, there are some features on manufacturers' lists which are, frankly, given far more weight than they should be.
1. Large Touchscreens
Infotainment is a big selling point for a lot of modern cars, but bigger doesn't always mean better. Overlarge touchscreens can lead to distracted driving and even prevent drivers from properly seeing what's ahead of them. Additionally, if touchscreens should come equipped so that they can only be used when the car is in park or at a standstill.
2. Bluetooth
We don't want to do away with Bluetooth capabilities entirely—hands-free driving is safe driving—but there should be a limit on how much Bluetooth should do. At the end of the day, struggling to find the optimal playlist for your five-minute drive is not more important than anyone's safety.
3. Keyless Locks
Keyless locks have become the norm in the past few years. While we certainly understand the convenience of not having to stand out in the rain or rifle through a handbag, keyless locks pose some problems. For starters, relying on proximity to open doors can be finicky, and fob batteries can die in a way that solid keys never will.
4. Flush Door Handles
Flush handles look cool yet offer little to drivers. The amount of aerodynamic drag they reduce isn't so much that you would otherwise notice unless you're putting the pedal to the metal every time they drive. In addition to complicating a simple feature, they ice over more easily than regular handles, effectively locking you out of your vehicle.
5. Massive Tires
It used to be that only monster trucks at derbies had massive wheels and modified suspension. Now, every suburban dad with a pick-up truck rolls around town with 21-inch wheels. Sure, they look cool, but most drivers who pay extra for them aren't doing the high-performance drivers they're built for.
6. Aesthetics
Perhaps this is contrarian, but we would much rather have ugly cars with optimized crumple zones and airbags than beautiful cars that lower the occupants' chances of survival. Aesthetics have been used as flexes for money and status for as long as humans have existed, but they shouldn't be priority for designers.
7. Heated Steering Wheels
We're not knocking heated steering wheels. For those of us who live in cold climates, heated steering wheels are much better than having to steer with gloves over your frozen fingers. However, like most things on this list, a heated steering wheel should not be the first item on a designer's agenda. A cold steering wheel is a little uncomfortable, but it isn't the end of the world.
8. Self-Driving Cars
Right behind visions of flying cars, self-driving cars are at the top of every retrofuturistic wish list. However, we may not be ready for them. In theory, self-driving cars could be safer than human error, but the technology just isn't there to make us feel safe yet.
9. Size
Bigger isn't always better. Anyone who's ever been crammed into the trunk for a university McDonald's run (you know who you are) will tell you how much they value leg room. However, most cars on the road these days look more like boats, guzzling more gas than ever and making it harder to see the world—and pint-sized foot traffic—around us.
10. Automatic Highbeams
Another feature that's better in theory than in practice is automatic highbeams. Automatic headlights we have absolutely no qualms with, in fact, they're beneficial seeing as how many people forget to turn them on. However, those ultra-bright LED highbeams that come on the second the sun sets blind all other drivers in the vacinity
Now that we've discussed some features manufacturers should stop prioritizing, let's look at some that should be at the tops of their lists.
1. Automatic Emergency Braking
Of all the cars available on the market, only a fraction have Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB). AEB systems monitor traffic and road conditions, automatically applying the brakes if the driver doesn't respond in time. This system costs very little for manufacturers to install, and we can only hope that they will become more common.
2. Fuel Efficiency
If everyone's going to be driving cars the size of battleships down the highway, the least manufacturers can do is make those gargantuan gas-guzzlers a little more eco-friendly. Stress about carbon emissions is, after all, one of the top reasons why young people are driving less. If the market wants to target this demographic, the smart thing to do would be to make cars that are better for the environment.
3. Blind Spot Detection
One of the biggest problems with blind spots (aside from them existing at all) is that drivers have the nasty habit of hiding in them. Granted, this isn't a problem for most courteous drivers. Blind spot detection uses sensors to detect vehicles hiding in those pesky blind spots, and alerts the driver of obstructions when attempt to reverse or change lanes.
4. Hood Height
We know we've been harping on about size, but, really, why are cars so big now? Why do drivers need to use running boards to get into all manner of vehicle? When we say manufacturers should prioritize hood height, we mean that they should prioritize hoods that you can actually see over to prevent senseless accidents.
5. Run-Off Road Protection
Run-off road protection was introduced with the release of the second generation Volvo XC90. In the case of a roadway departure, the system tightens seat belts to ensure passengers remain in the far. Additionally and energy-absorbing device is employed to help prevent spinal cord injuries.
6. Automatic Crash Response
No matter how safe of a driver you are, some accidents may not be up to you. In one of these worst-case scenarios where time is of the essence, automatic crash response systems will automatically respond to emergency services. Your location, along with your direction, vehicle color, and damage is sent to an advisor who can swiftly deplot emergency services to the scene.
7. Reverse Camera
Most people—even those who are good drivers—struggle with reverse parking, something that's only become more difficult as vehicles balloon in size. Even if you have great spatial awareness, those tight spaces and pesky blind spots can make parking frustrating. This is especially crucial in residential neighborhoods, where children are at risk of being backed over by drivers who can't see them.
8. Adaptive Cruise Control
Cruise control is one of the more luxurious options on this list, but we think it should be a priority for drivers and manufacturers. Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) not only helps drivers maintain the speed limit for long drives, but also keeps the car a safe distance away from the one in front of it. With tailgating being as big of an issue as it is, we don't understand why more people aren't taking advantage of cruise control.
9. Voice-To-Text
Remember when we said in the first half of this list that we think there should be less emphasis on Bluetooth and touchscreens? Well, our opinions haven't changed, but we still think voice-to-text is imperative in preventing distracted driving. Voice-activated prompts for calls, navigation, and simple texts would help drivers keep their eyes on the road and off of screens.
10. Tire Pressure Warning
You probably don't think too much about tire pressure, but it's saved a lot of lives. Underinflated tires can lead to flats and loss of control; overinflated tires make for bumpy rides and uneven wear. Pressure warnings help keep drivers away of these issues.
