[Kosfactor]

Different people, different priorities - I like Coca Cola, I know there is a lot of sugar in it.

Similarly there were several thousand buyers for Omni until BS6 came in, naturally all those 6000 Omni buying people did not become rich to afford something else - for anything the new car market contracted post BS6 - pretty sure Omni is now quite expensive in used car market.

Lets not pretend to know what every car buyer wants - we cannot even begin to understand it given our demographic.

[JoshMachine]

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

My point is, are we auto-enthusiasts yearning for random useless features rather than focussing on important features, while also complaining about prices growing.

One man's need is other man's yearning.
It is upto both to buy what they feel is right. Car manufacturers want to serve max possible set of customers.

Needs I have never understood, which a lot of people express on the forum
---
Things I think people should ask first, before other features like above
---
New features I think which actually add value
---

Some of the features mentioned like auto IRVMs, LED lights, 360 degree camera, Android Auto/Car Play etc. actually make a lot of sense and enhance the safety coefficient to a great extent.
However, features like sunroof, cooled glovebox might not make it to the essential feature set in any customer / manufacturer brochure.

This is not just a safety vs novelty features thread but a broader thread which would like to question the existence of features which are not really needed. Who are these people who are trying to solve a problem which no one needs to be solved thus adding to the costs

Addition of these 'creature comforts' may not be to SOLVE a problem as such, but it is to create that layer of product/service differentiation in an otherwise crowded market. And this differentiation holds true specially for price sensitive segment, rather than the luxury segment.
An excellent example of this strategy is KIA, which has really shaken the 10-20 lakh segment. The launch of KIA Carens is just the latest in this direction.

Customers always need and yearn for more choice, and sometimes they are ready to pay that additional price just to experience or maybe flaunt it.

[clementw]

DRLs in India tops my list of puzzling features that do very little for the user. Many features are in the make people lazy list, for instance when did we last roll up windows?
Agree with many in the forum, safety should be priority. Gimmicks should be optional and will help keeping costs down.
Today airbags are optional in many models.

[Narendranath]

Originally Posted by ron178

I understand where you're coming from, and for a long time I thought it was baffling why people didn't prioritise 'obvious' things like safety. But I realised that the decision is the end consumer's choice.

Yes, consumer awareness through various means is a crucial factor. At the same time proactive measures on the part of the government aimed at enhancing safety cannot be underestimated. This process is underway and it's only a matter of time before the automobile industry takes the cues and evolves into a more responsible player.

[dicor]

Agree with you all on lot of points.

Different people have different use case for things.

I like power seats alot. I love driving and can drive for 6 hours straight. I have done longest journey of 18 hours non-stop (break for nature calls only). Previously I kept adjusting my seat manually and I had to be careful about the force I apply to pull lever. With power seat, I can shift position swiftly. It's a useful feature for me just like power windows.

I also like sunroof and I actually use it as moonroof. Cabin looks so bright and airy.

Now coming to thread

I always wonder about the usefulness of following stuff in a car

Connected systems
Internet inside - They say it to make you feel good but truth is that they use this data to reject the warranty and in future, and in future it will be used for working on subscription based models.

Infotainment
6" inches, and now 10" touch screen. Useless for me. Buttons are good. They are distraction during driving.
Social media interaction. My XUV OEM ICE contains Twitter, Zomato

MID / DIS unwanted bits
Highly untrusted data related to FE / DTE, current torque. Unless it serves a purpose like gradient / tilt in off road vehicles, which door is open, I don't find these screens very useful.


The only information I want is speedometer, Odometer, tachometer, trip meter, Fuel Gauge and temprature gauge.

Start / Stop button
I would say this is fancy stuff, you still have to carry key. Once I left my car on, went to grcocerry shop and came back home and then realized I have dropped my key somewhere. Spent 3 hours on that day to find my lost key.
Once my 2 years old son, pushed the button when I was navigating through the ghats of Manikaran sahib.

Rain (read moisture) sensing auto wipers
I don't know what algorithm they do use, but they are not at all useful, infact they could be dangrous sometimes. First thing is there is a significant delay. The sensor placement is so high that if water is splashed on the area which actuall I use for visibility, nothing happens. Next thing, I noticed that something they wipe quite fast even if it's drizzling out. It all depends upon my vehicle speed and what if someone throws an egg on my screen?

Speed sensing adaptive volume
Why Why? It's a world of quite engine, if I am cruising at 40 KMPH or 100 KMPH, the cabin remain quiet, why to increase audio sound automatically?

Electronic Parking Brakes
Do we need it? What is battery is dead and we want to park on an incline?

Last but not the least
Autonomous driving

[Ice]

My two cents :
We have moved from an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” , to “if it ain’t new, don’t sell it”

Every manufacturer is caught up in launching models which are supremely better than the previous one. Is the new S Class really that much better to drive than the previous one?

The shortening product life cycles demand refreshes that engineering alone can’t keep up with. Enter tech.

[shatrughna]

Very interesting thread which got me intrigued and after reading all the posts and replies so far, I agree that the idea of useful , should have, could have and must have features and on the otherside unnecessary features are very subjective and depending upon intended use by buyer and that the list of features on wishlist may vary from person to person and from time to time.

I recall about 2 decades back, alloy wheels were still desired items and not all cars came with alloys by default and many people would go for it as after-market accessory. Cigarette lighter, ash-tray were one of the standard features in several cars and then most have now removed it. Tinted glasses, vanity mirror in sun shade, ICE with casette player, then cassette and cd player and then cd-changer system evolved and further evolved to dvd player and some of these were USPs. Some lower versions of even maruti 800 never had even ac (only blower) and still sold well. After market fitment of ac was a common practice. In some cars, AC with heater were offered, 2 zone, 3 zone, 4 zone climate control systems apart from rear ac vents, dual ac etc. also became differentiators. Lumbar support some people consider as must have and some dont and ditto for fore and aft adjustment of seat base or for that matter tilt adjustment of steering or tilt plus reach adjustable steering is also dependent upon the manufacturer and the trim level within the car model. There are several cars that have no option of several features and some are offered with some features as standard and some offer it as optional accessory. Ventilated seats, cooled seats, IRVM, left side ORVM was optional then mandated, then auto dimming IRVM and auto dimming ORVMs as well as heated ORVMs have also been offered. I also know the difference between a car with separate antenna for radio( not to forget telescopic antenna and motorised telespcopic antenna - these too happened to be novelties once upon a time) and a car with printed antenna on rear hatch/ door glass with or without heating elements inbuilt and then shark fin antenna are currently USP for some car sales agents and buyers.
I feel most agree that safety, good ergonomics, dynamics, fuel efficiency, good aftersales service support , ease of maintenance , comfort, NVH, handling, driving pleasure, fulfilment of intended purpose of purchase etc. come through multiple tangible and non-tangible characteristics and features that a car offers.

All the features like various types of headlight, fog lights, DRLs, reversing lights, parking lights, cabin lights, multiple airbags,drum brakes , disc brakes, keyless access, request sensors on driver side, both sides front doors and all four doors and similar features like 2 speaks setup to 16 speakers set up , sun roof , moonroof or even no roof or convertibles, everything is to someone's liking and some people may not like like shape and color of car, size of tyres, type of tyres(radial, tubeless, run flats). In some cases, few options may be a thrusted choice and some cases no choice at all just like rear ac vents between two front seats on the floor or on the roof and even nothing at all or on the door pillars, height adjustable seat belts, halogen, xenon, projector, led , laser , matrix led types, IR enabled, blind spot monitoring, ADAS, self drive, manual , AT, DCT, single geared, multi geared, swiveling seats, reverse camera, reverse sensors, auto parking, assisted parking, car alarm, geo-fencing, engine cutoff, electronic parking brakes, auto-hold, cruise control, radar based cruise control, telematics based remote start stop, wireless chargers, 12 V sockets, 220 Volt sockets, auto folding mirrors, auto tilting mirror(on reverse), self-cancelling turn indicators, auto wipers, auto dimmers, headlight washers, coat hook, grocery hook, net holders, tiltable adjustable rear seats, captain seats, window wipers and wash and likewise mutliple features mechanical, electronic or computer/AI based now are part of process of evolution of cars and technology, innovation, competition and market conditions ( customers their preferences, ecosystem ( e.g. whether a market would see hydrogen fuel cell cars or, internal cusbustion engine, hybrid, electric cars, affordability, law and order situation, resources available, regulatory guidelines, taxes, incentives, profitability, potential etc.)

Essential parts of the car are the engine, transmission system with gears, suspension, steering, wheels, fuel tank, radiator/ coolant, battery if self start , brakes and then may be headlight and brakelights, wipers too and driver seat apart from that everything else starting from horn, wiper, headlights, abs, turning lights, DRLs etc. till automonous driving features or even flying cars are optional and they will keep on getting added , modified and evolve till we will need mobility, speed, safety, comfort and till there are challenges , shortcomings , competition and there is a manufacturer willing to challenge existing status quo in the market. Who defines what we need and how government prioritises what a car must have is depending upon the public feedback, overall environment, what we may be able to afford and what suits the ideologies and compulsions of the government , what a maufacturer agrees to do and can afford to do in a sustainable and profitable way and within the cost that intended customers can afford to pay and are willing to pay. All the features are always welcome , more the merrier and sky is the limit.

[FASTLIFE]

There's WANT and then there's NEED . Have you ever seen a scooty with led headlamps using low-beams in the city ?? NO, WHY ?? because of illiteracy, foolishness whatever you may call, they don't know that there's a switch to flick it, is led headlamps bad?? Definitely NO?? far better output than energy guzzler halogens, but led headlamps should come with auto levelling which it doesn't, so there's that. some features which I think should be mandatory :-
a) ABS+ EBD + 2 Airbags
b) Rear wipers( they can omit defogger and wash for cost cutting)
c) Crash Tested before launch
d) 100 KMPH to 0 Brake Test
e) Seat Height Adjustment
f) TPMS
g) Better child lock system than ( Altroz )

[Thirugnnanam]

I think the priorities for features in cars must be placed this way:

1. Features that would benefit everybody
2. Features that may not benefit everybody.

In no. 1, features such as all disc brakes, 6 air bags, power windows, etc which benefit everybody who is driving the car irrespective of whether they like it or not.
In no. 2, it's the features that some may find useful while others may not. Ex: cooled glove box, powered seats, engine start stop and other such fancy features.

[ron_9191]

Originally Posted by EV NXT

Since the trigger for the issue was the KSRTC episode let me quickly describe the EPIC DISASTER that is Kerala roads:

1. The vehicle density in Kerala dictates 8 lane highways as NHAI guidelines. Against this 2 lane without dividers are all that is provided.

2. Kerala’s number of vehicles per 1,000 population is 425 compared to the country’s 18 per 1,000 population, China’s 47 and United States 507 as per the World Development Indicators.

No vehicle safety mechanism will compensate for single lane where 8 lanes are required.

Kerala roads are a veritable death trap because of the lack of support from the powers that be leading to infrastructural failure of epic proportions.

Totally agree with you on this. A drive on NH-66 from Cherthala to Trivandrum during peak hours will have your mind buzzing for weeks. The same goes with MC Road too but thankfully it is a lot better than the hell it used to be.

[sanjayrozario]

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

Guys,


Needs I have never understood, which a lot of people express on the forum

Cooled glovebox - How chilled can a cooled glovebox make your drink? The delta temperature between the glovebox and car cabin wont be too much. Also if you really are stocking up drinks, you can just buy them whenever you take a break.

This is not just a safety vs novelty features thread but a broader thread which would like to question the existence of features which are not really needed. Who are these people who are trying to solve a problem which no one needs to be solved thus adding to the costs.

Couldn't agree more. Though I prefer having a cooled glovebox because of my li'l girl; so the wife keeps some fruits in it. The delta temperature between the cabin & the glovebox helps. Else, I agree with your points of view.

[m8002?]

I would like my car to have rock solid reliability. All the fancy stuff are optional.

I would prefer a realiable engine, transmission, turbo combine rather than have a "technologically advanced" but not reliable one. To me technology should make stuff better than the previous generation.

I also dont find the trend of moving all the controls to the touch screen good. The touch screen conks off and suddenly half your car functionality is gone.

Things like mood lighting, fancy stickering/badges, rain sensing wipers, I feel are simply unnecessary. If someone cannot even switch on the wipers, then (s)he shouldn't be driving in the first place.

[banana]

I agree with the general view of the discussion.

Some of my views are,

Infotainment system should remain pluggable or independent. I would not prefer loosing the ability to change temperature of the cabin for a some time if my infotainment unit goes bad. Same thing for OTA updates as well. Let MID and car remain independent or pluggable but with no interdependency with the connected car.

I found some portable cooler for the car on a shopping website, I believe it is better compared to the cooled glovebox for two reasons,
1. can set different mode (hot/cold) for the portable ice-box
2. it is removable, easier to clean and also runs on normal electricity

Visibility for oncoming traffic: auto head lamps are not necessary for visibility if DRLs are already installed. Better to stick a small patch of reflective tape (white for the front, red for the back) to stay visible to anyone carrying a light (be it in form of a headlight of a vehicle).

[also, sometimes I wish if it were possible to leave the engine running with the car locked (without using the second key) for something like walking up to a stranger and verifying if map is showing the right direction. I don't see major fuel savings in such case. Maybe I'm too demanding]

Just my views, feel free to disagree.

[VeluM]

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

[*]Auto dimming IRVMs - For gods sake, its a flip of a switch, if you are lazy enough to flip a switch, you shouldnt be in the drivers seat.

Other than the auto dimming IRVMs, I agree with you. One can’t predict a glare, and it might blind you at just the wrong time. I’ve never owned a car with this feature, but recognised the utility in city traffic when driving a friend’s car.

This topic is what makes me recognise the value of the budget European cars we have in India, mainly of the VW group. I think of Ford as well because we are unlikely to get the true “American” models. These are well built, not the best in features, and what Indians consider “pricey.” Tata and Mahindra have of late been on the right track too, and as a result cannot now be considered cheap.

Ultimately one gets what one pays for, be it safety or features, or at a price both.

[m8002?]

On a related note, it would also be great if many parts in the car can be made pluggable with a fixed interface. It can keep the ex-showroom cost of the car down.
1. Music system and speakers : just provide a std. port behind and 4-6 speaker points.
2. All variants come with steel wheels. Alloys can be changed outside.
3. Headlights and tail lamps also can be regular for all models with option to upgrade to LED/Halogen.