Useless Features...

The heated seats are something the wife REALLY appreciates in the winter, even though after having a Pip for almost 5 years she will still preface a remark with "....I don't want to mess up your EV mileage, but can we get some heat in here quickly?"
Heated seats -- Worth It!

Only time we've used the heated steering wheel is riding snow machines in Yellowstone.

 

Omg, I would never buy a car without heated seats! The first thing I did when I bought my 09 Prius was to have heated seats installed. I would added heat to the steering wheel as well if I had been able to.

 

Yeah the wife uses the heated seats anytime the temp is below 65 degrees outside. I only use it when its below 32. But the heated steering wheel is quite nice the few times I've needed it. Plus the combination of the two in cold weather is more efficient than using the AC to heat the car.
Parking assist I've never used -- though I think its cool to say my car has it. But judging by many cars in parking lots it could be useful to some

 

Entune. Still don't know what it's good for so I didn't sign up. Maybe I'd discover something it's good for if I did sign up. I just can't see the need to get services that are on my phone hooked up to the car when the phone is in the car with me! Plus, I don't see any applications in the Entune App suite that I use on my phone anyway.

Moving lines on the backup camera screen. First of all, I find backing up using the backup camera to be dramatically more difficult than backing up using my mirrors. Second, the moving lines haven't had any degree of accuracy on any car I've tried them on. Finally, the only thing useful I've found a backup camera provides is the distance to nearby obstacles (like, within 3 feet of the back bumper) and the moving lines screw that up if the wheel is turned.

Self-parking systems. Seriously? Parking is one of the easiest and most basic things you learn how to do when you learn how to drive. Want something that's at least a little challenging? Try parallel parking a 42-foot long van/boat trailer combination. Parallel parking a Prius is a 10 second operation, and backing into a regular space is a 3 second operation.

Daytime running lights. They provide additional safety when they are novel, but once every car has them we all habituate to them and go back to not noticing.

Fog lights. I've had fog lights of multiple different types on multiple cars and not one of them ever did anything in fog or any other situation except lighting up the extreme side right near the car. I guess that's helpful if you're trying to see a curb you're going around but then wouldn't they be curb lights?

 

I agree heated seats and steering are useless where I live, but having lived in a cold climate previously, they are definitely *not* useless. You don't realize how cold a person gets on cold days and every little bit helps. Both can warm things up quickly enough to drive right away, rather than waiting for the cabin to warm up!

As for "I bought the Plus trim (prefer the smaller screen, cloth seats and manual seat moving). In no way does that mean I don't like gizmos and such (not at all!)... but I'd rather just open a can of tuna with a regular can opener than an electric one, if you know what I mean."

No, I don't know what you mean. I'm not trying to be mean, but I can't understand why you'd not want to use a powered can opener! Any assists in everyday life leave you open to doing something else! And I hate any kind of fish anyway.

I ordered an Advanced, but I haven't got it yet...

I would pay good money for your automatic visor!

 

Refrigerated steering wheel is really a good idea specially hear when temp reaches 40's in the summer .When driving a car parked under the sun , you literally can't touch the wheel.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

ah 40 C = 104 F

 

This comment is funny because I'm thinking Fahrenheit and you're thinking Celsius. . First reaction, this guy must be an Eskimo, where 40 Fahrenheit is relatively warm!! What can I say, I'm twisted!! Har, har

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gps system that disable various features when moving.
gps that doesn't update at least every 6 months

 

What about something that could polarize the windshield in sections for driving into sunlight or dealing with night driving....!! If you have polarized headlights, and windshields with a slightly "twisted" angle of polarization...hmmm!

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Cell phones that disable texting when the car is moving...

 

a reverse beep that's inside the car.

 

I've got that; don't you mean, OUTSIDE the car??

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turning off cruise control when you turn the wipers on high.

 

hmmm, strange, I was driving in the pouring rain and had CC on, following a semi, the wipers were screaming and the CC was keeping me a safe distance from the semi

 

Displaying mpg when there was electricity from outside sources helping push the car.

 

That would be even better than an automatic visor!

The cell phone makers could build that into the OS, they already know if they are moving, so just disable texting when going over a certain speed.

 

Sorry, but everyone was giving both useless and useful, I'm just looking at the half full glass!, har

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That would stink. It's incredibly common for my wife to be texting people at our destination while I'm driving. Having to stop to do that would make me blow the phone up with explosives.

 

For some it would, I agree, but there really is too many accidents caused by texting. Anyway, I don't see it ever happening.