One complaint from many consumers today is that vehicles tend to look the same—as though carmakers are afraid to be different. It seems like few options on car dealership lots stand out for the right reasons, and that can suck if you don’t want the same thing everybody else has.
When Being Different Doesn’t Work
But what happens when carmakers dare to be different? Sometimes, doing things that haven’t been done before doesn’t work out over the long haul. What might initially be groundbreaking can get thrown into the landfill of failed automotive innovations. Here are 15 car innovations that certainly didn’t age well.
Pop-Up Headlights
It’s not that there aren’t some fantastic classic vehicles with pop-up headlights. But pop-up headlights belong in the past. Sports cars from decades past featured them, but they’re now more or less a relic from a previous generation due to aerodynamic concerns and safety regulations.
Automatic Seatbelts
Another invention from yesteryear that no longer captivates drivers’ enthusiasm is automatic seatbelts. Automatic seatbelts are motorized seatbelts designed to make buckling up easier. However, these devices can malfunction and cause more problems than they solve.
CD Changers
CD changers were once a must-have. Multi-disc CD changers, once high-tech marvels, are now almost obsolete. We’re living at a time when some younger drivers wouldn’t know what to do with a CD if their lives depended on it. MP3s are the norm now, so CD changers are an innovation whose time has largely passed.
Car Phones
If your car comes with a built-in car phone, it’s likely an older vehicle. It used to be all the rage for executives and other movers and shakers with places to go, people to see, and things to do. However, the rise of cell phones and smartphones has made built-in car phones unnecessary.
Ashtrays and Lighters
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that in 2021, an estimated 28.3 million U.S. adults smoked cigarettes. That’s despite the fact that everyone knows that smoking is a health hazard with zero health benefits. Still, cars back in the day catered to smokers, whether drivers or passengers, with built-in ashtrays and lighters.
Every car featured them. But smoking rates have declined, and automakers no longer see ashtrays and lighters as priorities—and neither do most motorists, fortunately.
Cassette Players
Carmakers included cassette players in vehicles for a long time before they were phased out and replaced with CD players. But you probably don’t need to be reminded that tape decks have gone the way of the Dodo bird.
T-Tops
Remember targa-style roofs? They were an alternative to convertibles. However, the problem with Targa-style roofs, also known as t-tops, is that they often leak. They also lack the structural integrity of traditional roofs, causing them to go out of style.
Retractable Antennas
Retractable antennas were all the rage at one time…and for good reason. They were an innovation back in the day that improved reception. But they are no longer needed due to developments like in-car digital radio.
Manual Window Cranks
If looking for an older used car, you may not mind manual window cranks. After all, it may come with the territory. And it’s one less thing that can go wrong. But manual window cranks are another innovation that didn’t age well. People are used to power windows that make opening and closing them easier, and they don’t want to go back.
Vinyl Roofs
One luxury car feature people looked for in the past was vinyl roofs. Vinyl roofs once symbolized a buyer’s appreciation for the best trim levels. Fast-forward to here and now, and it’s clear vinyl roofs are prone to wear and tear. Now, older vinyl roofs can look ragged and out-of-date.
Wood Paneling
Another automotive innovation that has exceeded its best-before date is wood paneling—like the type that used to be a feature in classic station wagons. While some people still like faux wood paneling and think it’s unique and quirky, others consider it a relic of the past.
Flip-Down DVD Players
Flip-down DVD players were once a godsend—the sort of feature available on higher trim levels for minivan or SUV customers. They made long road trips easier for kids who would otherwise bother their parents by repeatedly asking, “Are we there yet?” However, the rise of tablet computers has made flip-down DVD players largely obsolete.
Automatic Headlight Dimmer
Automatic headlight dimmer technology is a good idea. It’s the execution that leaves something to be desired. If you have a car with this feature, it may not be as accurate as it should be. Your high beams could blind oncoming traffic and create dangerous situations on the roadway.
It’s the sort of feature that’s better in theory than in practice, so it’s a technology that hasn’t aged well.
Hood Ornaments
Once a symbol of luxury, hood ornaments are one of those automotive innovations that no longer make as much sense as they once did. Pedestrian safety concerns are part of the reason hood ornaments have outlived their usefulness.
Headlight Wipers
Headlight wipers are the sort of automotive feature that has “fad” written all over it. It was a fad that didn’t last long since little wipers that cleaned headlights are, well, a fad. They broke often and faded out of use soon enough.
Not All Car Innovations Were Made to Last
These are examples of car innovations that lacked the power to go the distance for one reason or another. Some of them served their purpose for a while, and others served no real purpose at all.
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