On second thought …
Readers give us their Top 10 auto features that need tweaking
Afew months ago on Driving. ca, we had a story outlining 10 automotive features that need to be re-engineered or better thought out. Features ranged from backup cameras that get dirty all the time to silly dash lights that don’t alert drivers that their headlamps are off at night to USB ports that can’t be reached.
The response to that story was swift and profound, attracting plenty of readers and comments, many of whom agreed with the points raised. But lots of readers responded with comments pointing out other significant — and highly irritating — defects in car design. From those comments it was clear that the following automotive features also need some serious second thought.
Windshield wipers
Lots of drivers complained that today’s windshield wipers are simply not up to the job, both in winter and summer. It really does seem crude that wipers, while having improved marginally from the 1950s, still operate pretty much the same way as they always have. Surely there’s an engineering solution — a better way — either through aerodynamics or heat or coatings or something.
As Landon Fraser wrote: “Please spend more that 84 minutes in designing wipers that really work in northern climates like ours.” Some suggest standard heated washer nozzles or warmed washer fluid, while others advocated heated glass. Another complained that “auto wipers” will sometimes needlessly go off when humidity is high.
Headlights
Again, plenty of frustration over headlamps and their use (or lack of use) at night as well as during the winter, when they can get coated with slush and ice. This is especially so with LEDs that don’t produce heat like filament or projector bulbs, which means they won’t melt ice off the lens. As Mike Pasemko put it: “Every vehicle in Canada needs headlight and tail light washing, defrosting, and clearing systems. This would be the biggest safety advance since headlights were invented.”
Reverse lights
Many GM vehicles light up their reverse lights when the car is locked or unlocked or the ignition is turned off (presumably to cast light at night so drivers can see their way to the door of their homes better, or to find the car better). But the reverse light is the wrong light to use for this, suggests Paul Meyer: “Where I drive there is lots of angle parking, and when you come upon a GM product with the backup lights on, you don’t know if the driver intends to back up or has just turned off his/her vehicle’s ignition and is about to get out. Backup lights should only come on if the car is actually in reverse gear.” Hear, hear!
Cheap switches
Why do some car companies cheap out on inexpensive window switches, offering one-touch automatic down — sometimes for only one window — but not auto up? For only pennies more, some say, it would be simple to include window switches that allow all four windows to auto down — and up — with one touch. Automakers, you have the power .…
Knobs vs. touch screens
Enough with the drooling over touch screens and give us old-fashioned switches with a tactile sensation that confirms the switch is activated, something that can be done without taking eyes off the road, said more than one reader. “BAN all touch screens, and go back to dials and knobs,” argues Nick Bogut. Mike Everatt agrees, especially “for radio and heating and cooling. It’s a complete PITA to adjust temperature or volume with a bloody touch screen!” Couldn’t agree more.
More buttons please
While we’re on about touch screens, whatever happened to basic buttons for basic things? Too often, some said, basic controls are buried within another section, and the driver needs to take two steps to activate one thing. “Heated seats should NEVER be controlled via the touch screen interface; they deserve their own buttons,” says Matt Hoffman.
Voice-command systems
How many times have you said “call home” and your voice-command system replies, “Call Homer” or other such mistake? If a vehicle is going to have voice-activated controls, which can be great for keeping eyes on the road, they should work accurately more than 50 per cent of the time. As auto writers, we personally endure these misunderstandings all the time, and some cars are better at hearing than others, especially those with quiet cabins, but as Mike Everatt points out, saying a command often gets the reply: “Sorry, I’m having a hard time understanding.” Everatt makes a good point: “My iPhone understands me, (even in my car) why doesn’t my car?”
Battery placement
The battery in some vehicles is so inconveniently located that it is a safety hazard, argues Cavan Ames, who points out that in his Dodge Journey, the front left wheel needs to be removed just to replace the battery. Indeed, batteries sometimes need a boost or a charge, and all should be easily accessed via the engine bay or trunk. Some cars may have remote jumper leads, but many don’t.
Rear turn signals
Why do some manufacturers insist on using red lights for both the brake and rear turn signals when it is far safer and clearer if turn signals are differentiated with amber, wonders Darko Biljan. “Unlike EU, North America is very inconsistent,” he says, even within models from a single manufacturer. In addition, he suggests we should adopt EU emergency braking lights: when a driver uses hard braking at high speeds, the brake lights start flashing. “This is a great warning for drivers behind you to slow down.” Good idea.
Rear fog lights
Since we’re taking cues from Europe, why not adopt the same rear fog-light feature found there, suggests Jon Klaus. “Automakers here, like those in Europe, need to add high intensity REAR FOG lights — not silly reflectors.”