Most often when carmakers add fancy technology to vehicles, it’s usually meant to make driving easier, safer, or more enjoyable. But for some reasons some of these features don’t end up being as helpful as they sound. In fact, many drivers either avoid using them or forget they exist. Let’s take a look at four car features that people rarely use, and why they’ve fallen out of favor.

Sunroofs and Moonroofs

These are often marketed as luxurious and stylish, giving passengers access to fresh air or a view of the sky. A sunroof is an opaque panel that opens, while a moonroof is typically made of glass and may slide or tilt. While popular on paper, most drivers stop using them after the first month.



Why? Open sunroofs can be noisy, cause wind to rush into the car, or let in too much sunlight. They’re not ideal in rainy weather, polluted areas, or during cold winters either. Additionally, maintenance can be a headache, as the opening mechanisms or drainage systems can clog or fail, leading to costly repairs or even leaks. While they might look good, the practicality of sunroofs and moonroofs often doesn’t measure up.

Rain-Sensing Wipers

When these wipers first came out, they seemed like a good idea. They promised to automatically detect rain and adjust wiper speed for you. But in practice, these systems can be frustrating.



The sensors, which are usually located near the rearview mirror, often don’t work as expected. Sometimes, they activate at the slightest drizzle or when something like a bug hits the windshield. Other times, they’re too slow to respond during a heavy downpour. Drivers often find themselves turning this feature off and manually adjusting the wipers instead. Manual controls are simpler, more reliable, and easier to use, which makes rain-sensing wipers an unnecessary complication for many.

Voice Command Systems

Controlling your car with your voice sounds great and convenient. The idea is to let drivers keep their hands on the wheel while they use spoken commands to navigate, change music, or make calls. However, this feature isn’t as user-friendly as you might hope.



Voice systems in cars often struggle to understand natural speech. If the driver doesn’t phrase the command just right, the system might misinterpret it or fail entirely. Background noise, accents, or unusual names can make things even harder. Many drivers give up after getting repeated errors and go back to using buttons or touchscreens instead. While tech giants like Siri and Alexa excel at voice recognition, car manufacturers haven’t quite caught up yet.

Overloaded Driver Assistance Features

Modern cars are packed with features like lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition, or automatic parking. While some are useful, others can be confusing to use. Drivers often disable these functions, especially when they interfere too much with driving or make strange decisions.

The problem is that too many features make the driving experience more complicated, rather than simpler. Some drivers feel like they are having issues with the car instead of enjoying the ride. As a result, many of these high-tech tools end up unused.



Although technology in cars is exciting, not every feature ends up being practical or popular. Some, like sunroofs or rain-sensing wipers, sound great in theory but fall short in real-life use. For drivers, it’s often better to rely on simpler, more reliable options that provide predictability and peace of mind.