Cars today are light years ahead of what they used to be just a few decades ago. Modern vehicles have several electronic nannies to help keep you safe, along with several comfort and convenience features that make your life a little easier. Items such as automatic rear hatches, forward collision warning, blind-spot warning, multi-zone climate controls, and advanced infotainment systems are valuable and add many benefits to your vehicular experience.On the other hand, some features are completely unnecessary and worthless in your vehicle. Whether it’s because an item is redundant, provides little to no benefits, or technology has simply passed those features by, several items are no longer necessary in modern vehicles. In fact, some of the most worthless features are modern items that should never have made it to the production line, especially those features that add to a driver’s distraction on the road. Gesture Control Mercedes-Benz Gesture control is a relatively new way to control and navigate through your infotainment menus, but it can be troublesome and challenging at times. This is nothing more than an alternative method to the touchscreen, which is likely still part of your vehicle. Still, many drivers like the latest technology in their cars, and gesture control is one of those items. Why It’s Worthless Many automakers have begun to realize the problems of having too many items integrated into their infotainment systems. This has led to some newer models adding physical buttons and knobs to the center stack. Gesture control still requires the driver to look down at the screen to understand which menus and selections are being chosen. GPS Navigation System iStock Images Many cars of the previous decade, before smartphones and connectivity were as advanced as they are now, could be had with a GPS navigation system. This means you no longer need a Garmin or other GPS system that was specifically designed to help you get where you’re going. These systems were helpful, but weren’t always updated with traffic, construction, and new road information. Still, they were a good starting point, and having an integrated system was great. Why It’s Worthless Today, an integrated GPS navigation system is basically worthless. Most drivers connect to the vehicle through their smartphone, which has an integrated navigation system. This is especially true when drivers utilize Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Despite the battery drain, most will turn to their smartphones for their navigation needs. Strangely, some people still want an integrated GPS system in their vehicle, which seems redundant. Night Vision Wikipedia How cool is it to see the warm bodies in the woods show up on your screen? The night vision feature in some vehicles scans the entire area around you and displays potential issues in your path. This could be a great feature for some drivers, and many desire it in their car, but it represents an additional distraction that isn’t necessary. Why It’s Worthless This feature is worthless for the driver because they should use headlights to see what’s going on around them. Looking away from the road, especially at night, represents a distraction and can quickly cause an accident. There are too many distractions in cars already. With the level of advanced technology added to it during the night, driving only makes things more challenging. Still, some people want night vision, but this feature should be used for the car’s safety systems, not as an additional screen for the driver. Social Media Messaging Integration Lexus In order to get some drivers to put their smartphones down and leave them alone while driving, some infotainment systems now integrate social media messaging. The world of FOMO makes people worried they won’t get all their notifications and information, especially if they spend several hours driving during a road trip. Why It’s Worthless This is simply another way for drivers to be distracted by their phones, and that means taking their eyes off the road in front of them. It’s bad enough that text messages can get through and be read or listened to while driving, but adding social media messaging to the mix seems like a step too far. Still, some drivers want this integration, and many infotainment systems have the capability built in. Paddle Shifters On Non-Performance Models Audi Most modern vehicles come with an automatic transmission, which means the time of feeling engaged by shifting gears is nearly over. That said, some vehicles give you a semblance of this feeling with paddle shifters that allow the driver to shift when they desire, instead of relying on the transmission. The problem is that most performance vehicles are programmed to do a better job than drivers shifting. Why It’s Worthless When driving the family SUV, you don’t need paddle shifters. The open road isn’t the place to test the rollover capabilities of your SUV. Additionally, if your vehicle has a CVT, you don’t need paddle shifters, but some cars have them. Despite the nonsensical nature of these items in most non-performance vehicles, some drivers get excited when they see paddle shifters. Motorized Seat Belt Presenter Mercedes-Benz The seat belt presenter pushes the seat belt forward to simplify the process of buckling your belt. It can be a nice feature to have, but it's certainly unnecessary. Once you sit in your seat, a motorized arm pushes the seat belt forward for you. This novelty item can be nice at first, but eventually, the novelty wears off. Why It’s Worthless Although some people like the idea of being pampered any way that they can, the motorized seat belt presenter is completely unnecessary. The old thought process is that more moving parts mean more items that can become broken. Mercedes-Benz used these items for a while, and they were pretty good, but repairing or replacing them can cost a lot of money, and typically only the dealership can do the work because they aren’t offered in many vehicles. Suicide Doors Mazda The visual impact created by suicide doors is pretty awesome. These doors have been known to be part of many luxury bands and turn arriving for a meeting or event into an event of its own. Some high-end models, such as the Lincoln Continental Coach Door, and many Rolls-Royce models have had suicide doors. Still, they are mostly impractical, with only the Ferrari Purosangue showing a practical use for them. Why It’s Worthless The extra-wide opening required for suicide doors makes it difficult to open them fully in a regular parking lot. Despite the wide open appearance, it’s not possible for both front and rear occupants to exit simultaneously, making it even more challenging. Despite the lack of practicality, many drivers admire and desire suicide doors. CD Player iStock Images Most automakers have moved away from CD players and don’t offer them in any vehicles. That said, you can still find some new models with CD players in them. Some drivers like to bring out their collection of CDs and have access to listening to them in their vehicle, which seems strange in the modern age, but if there weren’t a desire for them, Lexus, Subaru, and GMC wouldn’t provide them in some new models. Why It’s Worthless Music collections have transitioned to digital media. No longer are vinyl records, cassette tapes, and CD players required to listen to music, especially in a car. You don’t even need your old iPod or other MP3 player. Most drivers have subscriptions to Spotify or other music streaming services, which means they can easily listen to any music desired while in the car simply by connecting to the infotainment system, without a CD player or other alternative device. Engine Sound Synthesizer Audi The wonderful sounds of large gas-powered engines are becoming a thing of the past, but many automakers are adding fake sounds to their vehicles to make them sound like the engines of old. These sounds can give an electric performance car the sound of a gas-powered monster, and even allow some performance cars to produce various sounds depending on the driver’s desire and situation. Why It’s Worthless There’s no benefit to the vehicle having artificial sounds pumped through it. In some cases, adding sounds helps pedestrians know that a vehicle is present, which makes some sounds useful in electric vehicles, but otherwise, fake sounds aren’t necessary at all. Still, some people love to turn up the loudness with the push of a button or enjoy a quiet mode when they drive down the neighborhood road at night. Glass Gear Knob Volvo A glass gear knob is a cool feature that adds a little extra style to the cabin area. This item looks great, but it’s not exactly a practical choice. The gear knob is one of the most touched surfaces in a vehicle. Every time you move the vehicle, you have to touch this item, which can become a problem, especially if you wear jewelry. Why It’s Worthless Jewelry and other metal objects will scratch the glass, making the knob look worn and awful after a while. Several luxury automakers, including Volvo and BMW, offered glass gear knobs in the past. Some drivers still want them, but many automakers realize the issues with these knobs and replace them with smaller levers that are out of the way and not made to be part of the cabin’s styling elements.