12-05-2025
Auto reviewer shreds 'dumb' car features nobody wanted... but they're stuck with them anyway
Car companies are spending billions to pack vehicles with more screens, sensors, and semi-intelligent assistants.
Some of it works: adaptive cruise control, automatic child locks and phone mirroring have made driving safer and more family-friendly.
But much of it is 'just dumb.'
That's the opinion of Kristen Brown, who has driven hundreds of vehicles — from rugged off-roaders to bloated minivans — for outlets like A Girls Guide to Cars.
As a mom of two toddlers, she often evaluates new features while wrangling car seats, dropped toys, and rambunctious kids.
Her verdict: these million-dollar tech innovations are bloating car prices. Plus, many of the features are redundant and not built for real life — especially for mothers.
'I see cars from a different perspective than other reviewers,' she said. 'My goal is to speak to an underrepresented, underserved, and unappreciated audience.'
Here are the features Brown says aren't worth the hype.
In-cabin fridges
Luxury SUVs and minivans have started offering built-in fridges, often as high-priced add-ons.
Brown encountered one in a $59,869 Toyota Sienna priced at $735 — and found it almost completely useless.
'You can't take the fridge out of the car, like you can with a $35 cooler from REI,' she said.
'The fridge barely kept our drinks cool.'
Worse, it became a cumbersome hazard. She tripped over it while securing her daughter's car seat.
Built-in navigation systems
Massive infotainment screens that mirror phone apps have become standard across the industry.
That's fine — until automakers force in their own navigation systems.
'It's redundant to have its own dedicated navigation system,' Brown said.
'Why can't they just give us the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?'
Brown said there is a bit of a distinction: EVs and plug-in hybrids can benefit from automaker-produced navigation settings.
Built-in maps in electric vehicles can help plan charging stops and precondition the battery for faster fill-ups.
But for gas cars, third-party apps are more reliable and easier to use.
Voice Recognition
Touchscreens are distracting, so automakers are turning to voice commands to keep eyes on the road.
Brown's take: most don't work.
'Voice recognition is redundant to me,' she said.
Recently, she test drove a Kia Carnival, and found its voice-command particularly egregious.
'Every time I tried to make it do basic stuff it misunderstood me or didn't work.'
Sometimes, the cars have even misheard regular conversations with activation phrases, starting the voice recognition software in error without being prompted.
Ventilated seats
Some drivers love cooled seats, but Brown isn't sold.
Unlike seat warmers, cooled seats only circulate a small amount of air through the seat and back panels.
To Brown, they don't change a body's temperature enough to justify the often hundred-dollar add-on.
The internal fans are also prone to breaking, she said — and replacing them isn't cheap.
Brown praised Toyota's phone storage systems, which can turn off wireless charging pads
Wireless phone charging
New vehicles often include wireless charging pads inside center consoles. In theory, they encourage drivers to stash their phones.
In practice, they overheat devices and wreck battery health, according to Brown.
'They're dumb,' she said. 'They always just make my phone really hot, and it's actually really bad for your phone's battery health.'
But one automaker earns a pass: Toyota.
Some of its models, including the GR Corolla and Sienna, include a power-off button for the pad — allowing phones to be stored safely without constant heat buildup.
Leading car warnings
Some new cars now alert drivers when the vehicle ahead starts to pull away at a red light.
If the driver in the new car doesn't start to pull forward, the leading car warning will chime.
Brown loves the feature, saying that it helps when she has to take her eyes off the road while stopped to retrieve fallen toys dropped by her children.
But her in-laws hate the tech. They think its a reminder of how much cars monitor driving habits.
'It's definitely a generational thing,' she said.
