These 5 New Car Features Are Making Modern Cars More AnnoyingAutoblogEarl LeeSat, September 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleAutoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Annoyed Journalist Talking"New is always better" is what I am suggested to think whenever a new car launches, but I refuse to believe that "new is always better." In a general sense, cars have become smarter, faster, more powerful, more efficient, and more complex than ever before, but for some reason, also more annoying.Most of the time, it's not the drive itself, but the little things that pile up over time. Here are five annoying new car features that get on my nerves. Also, please add to this list in the comments section. Maybe I missed a few, a bunch, or a whole spec sheet's worth.I'm looking at you, Tesla! TeslaPop-Out Door HandlesDoor handles had one job; now they have several, and it's getting annoying. Now they hold the button or touch panel for the keyless entry system, connected to some sort of connection to an NFC scanner, and now an electronic switch and retraction mechanism. For the highest-end of modern cars, gone are the mechanical door locks; instead we get electronic door locks controlled by software, with a servo that pops them out because "future." This means that we're left to wait a couple of seconds before we start grabbing the door handles while the system facilitates its theatrics.AdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, if something were to go haywire in the system, the feature would go from annoying to downright deadly. There have been numerous cases already where EVs crashed, caught fire, or had a malfunction that locked occupants in or out of the vehicle. In theory, it's pretty cool, but in practice, it's just theatrics that could possibly lead to something worse. Just go back to the old-school flush door handles in the 90s. Build them with stronger materials and make sure they can still accommodate the keyless entry system.Wireless Smartphone Pairing and ChargersI've already laid out all my thoughts in another article, but I'll say it again. Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto are annoying because they are unreliable. I'm not against the idea of convenience, but I am against random disconnections, lag, and stutters – all of which are present in the myriad of cars I've tested that are equipped with wireless smartphone pairing.The other annoying wireless tech is wireless charging. Considering the inefficiency of wireless charging, not only do you charge slower, but your phone also heats up during the entire process, causing unnecessary wear and tear on the battery.NissanTouchscreen Controls for EverythingFrom the get-go, the most annoying thing about touchscreen controls is the fact that you can't get to things immediately. Pad on the fact that there's no tactility to the switches whatsoever, and you have to jump through menu after menu, and you're left wondering, "Really? All this to change the direction of my air vents?" "All this to change my volume?" "All this to change my drive mode?"AdvertisementAdvertisementThere is also the minor annoyance of getting shortchanged. Nowadays, automakers don't need to make molds for their buttons anymore and just default to shoving everything into the touchscreen. The annoyance here is that manufacturers didn't think twice about putting switches in their cars, but now switches seem to come at a premium.Mercedes-BenzTouch-Sensitive ButtonsIn modern cars, where there are buttons, there's a possibility they'll become touch-based, and like a touch screen, a touch-sensitive button doesn't exactly deliver the satisfaction that a real button delivers.Not only that, but accidental touches become a problem. If you've ever changed a setting or opened a glovebox by accident, you'll know what I'm talking about. In addition, if the system freezes up, these software buttons become unresponsive. Needlessly complex? Yes. Annoying? Definitely.Panoramic Sunroofs With No ShadesThis is a feature/problem made famous by Tesla and solved by products from AliExpress, Wish, and Amazon. Tesla did it, so other brands are doing the same too. Instead of putting in a retraction mechanism, they just tinted the sunroof glass and called it a day. Simpler, yes, but the downgraded insulation from sound and the sun is not fun.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe annoying bit here is not being able to choose when you want to let the sun in. Of course, don't spec your car out with a sunroof if you don't want one, but sometimes you're left with no choice.TeslaThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Sep 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.