10 Car Features that will go EXTINCT by the end of this Decade

Who doesn’t love the good ole’ days, those were the simpler times. It was the time before the bots directly or indirectly took everything we use and own. Similar is the case with cars. Technology in cars has never been better. All the tech wizards have been working their magic onto cars and have made them smarter and intuitive than ever before. Some cars today even speak to you for crying out loud.

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But with the Influx of tech in automobiles, while making things convenient it has also made it much more complicated than before. Surely most of us are from the era when automobiles had the most fundamental gizmos and it never seemed to the true blood enthusiasts that there is a need for more. From simple entertainment units in the centre console to manual roll-up windows, the nostalgic factor attached to all this is irreplaceable for some us. Giving an ode to this, today we share 10 such car features are probably going to extinct this Decade.

1. Actual Physical Keys

   

   The sense of ownership of a car or any vehicle for that matter begins from holding the keys to it in your hands. That sublime feeling of knowing that something rightfully yours to keep begins right there. Another aspect of physical keys, the feeling of which is so strong that it makes completely irreplaceable is good old turning the ignition to start the car with those keys. The adrenaline kick for any enthusiast begins from right there.

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   But taking away from all those feelings are the new-age features like “keyless entry” and “push start/stop button”. These completely eliminated the need for the conventional key. What we have now are sensors wrapped up it small plastic boxes with premium finish instead of the old metal strip with patterns on it. This surely brought convenience to the process but the old way of doing things with the key wasn’t a big hassle either and honestly it was fun too.

2. Full-Size Spare Wheel

   

   Now, this some space we were okay with not being saved, what we are not okay with is the downsized spare wheel. Having a full-sized spare in your car’s trunk or mounted on the tailgate (in case of SUVs) gave such a sense of confidence in case of tyre mishap like a puncture which is literally so often while driving. Having a full-sized spare wheel instead of a space saver in your car will definitely be missed.

3. Manual Handbrake

   

   The thing that makes the already fun-to-drive manual transmission cars even more fun is a manual handbrake. Skilled drivers who like to go sideways in their car at a secure and safe location just love the feedback from a manual handbrake. As for other kinds of drivers, the sense of confidence that a manual handbrake provides while parking the car is much better than the electronic e-brake.

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   Beyond anything else, we all are just simply accustomed to the handbrake lever in the centre of the front seats. Not having one feels like something’s missing.

4. Radio Antenna

   

   Nothing else makes you wanna go a trip down the memory lane more than remembering those small rectangular-shaped car radio tuners with retractable antennas mounted at the back of the car. Despite having several functionality issues, thinking of such a setup brings back so many memories from the past. A sheer ode to simpler times.

5. Manual Transmission (old reliable!)

   

   Today we live in a world where convenience is the top priority, that is the primary concern behind all the other new-age features as well. For the urban, Cars with automatic transmission is the top priority since traffic congestions are bigger than ever and manual gearbox aren’t the best partner for that. That is why most of the manufacturers have an automatic variant for even the smallest cars in their portfolio these days.

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   But what these automatic car owners are missing out on is the comprehensive experience of driving a car. They say it is not a real car if it has only two pedals in it. Those who are in love with driving will never choose an automatic over a manual as one feels more connected to the car while working through those gears. A feeling, simply unmatched.

6. Physical Buttons/Knobs/Dials

   

   There are a host features one needs to operate in a car. From the Infotainment System to the AC controls, one has to controls all of these while staying focussed on driving the car.

   Physical buttons provide such good feedback when it comes to controlling all the features in the car while driving. Once you get familiar with the positioning of the buttons on the console, you don’t even need to get your eyes off the road while driving to operate them.

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   This is no the case with Touch-sensitive buttons modern cars come equipped with. One needs to take their eyes off the road quite often in order to operate basic functions of the car. This is not at all driver-friendly and could also lead to accidents in some situations.

7. Analogue Tachometer (Rev Counter)

   

   Your heart races as fast as the needle on the tachometer climbs up the numbers while you’re out for a fun drive in your car, there’s no denying that. Analogues dials are gradually being replaced by digital screens showing the rev band. Those TFT information displays lack the charm of the analogue dials and the adrenaline kick they have on offer for the driver as the revs go up high.

8. Aux Port (3.5mm)

   

   With the introduction of Bluetooth connectivity first and connected car features later, this feature is long gone. But surely was hassle-free, quick access to music while driving, just needed to plug the aux cable into your phone and you were good to go. Connectivity features in today’s cars compared to the aux connectivity sometimes feel like a lot of work for listening to music in the car.

9. Traditional Ignition (Barrel)

   

   With the conventional key gone, the process of shoving the key into the keyhole at the side on the steering rack, ramming it full way to get the car going has also gone with it. This process helped the driver to get his senses alerted before beginning to drive.

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   The push-button feature for the ignition lacks that feedback and will definitely be missed once gone completely.

10. Tailpipe/Exhaust (sticking out)

    

    Cars back in the day had bumpers craved out to stick out the tailpipe from there. It was the time when the emission norms weren’t as strict as now and the cars sounded much better as well. So the visual of where that exhaust note was coming from was a delight as well. Modern-cars have exhaust pipes bend and hidden behind the rear bumper, which despite making the car’s design more seamless, is not very enticing.

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So, these were some practical, simple and usable features that will go extinct by the end of this decade. Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comment section below.