Tesla Details That Look High Tech But Really Irritate Owners

Decades ago, we were told that self-driving cars were the future, and the idea sounded effortless and exciting. In reality, they are not as fun or relaxing as many owners expected. Tesla’s full-driving system has become a frequent source of frustration because it often makes unexpected decisions. The car may change lanes without a clear reason, hesitate at intersections, or choose routes that feel unnecessary. Instead of reducing stress, the system demands constant attention and quick intervention. Drivers quickly learn they cannot relax or look away. What was marketed as freedom ends up feeling like babysitting advanced software. For many owners, the technology looks impressive on paper but becomes tiring to live with day after day.

The touchscreen controls are mostly to blame for the overly-minimalist dashboard, but Tesla has also removed the cluster gauges and other visual features. The dash looks sleek and stylish, but it’s not practical at all. With almost nothing in front of you, it’s hard to keep track of basic information while driving, which stresses drivers out.

Tesla is known for touchscreen-only controls, but this high-tech feature is designed more for looks than usability. Almost every function, including AC, heating, lights, and wipers, is hidden behind a digital screen that drivers often find distracting to use while on the move. Many also struggle to find what they’re looking for amongst all the menus and sub-menus, further delaying things.

Automatic wipers should be one of the simplest tech features, yet most Tesla owners find them a battle. They use cameras to detect rain visually, but sometimes don’t switch on or come on aggressively in dry conditions. Drivers end up having to fiddle with the settings manually (again, so many menu buttons!) to make their so-called smart wipers work.

Door release buttons sound like a great idea, if you know where they are! Tesla’s minimalist design works against it here because the small buttons are tucked away, leading some people to panic and yank the emergency lever instead. This type of stress isn’t good for drivers or passengers.

Voice commands are taking over our phones, home devices, and now our cars. This high-tech addition to many Teslas should make driving easier, but it often mishears commands and doesn’t recognize common phrases. Trying to set the climate turns into a shouting match, with the driver eventually opting to do it themselves on the screen (gosh darn it!).

Even the most futuristic cars remain loyal to the traditional steering wheel shape, except Tesla! The yoke steering wheel, which resembles a video game controller, has turned some models into quasi-spaceships, and they’re very difficult to steer without a top section to grab. Drivers find simple parking manoeuvres and turns ten times more difficult with them.

You can unlock your Tesla with your phone or Apple Watch, if you choose, but luckily, there are still traditional key fobs. However, these need to be touched to a reader on the door to unlock it, and the readers often fail due to damage or software glitches. Drivers are left frustrated and locked out of their cars.

Tesla’s flush, motorized door handles look cool, but they’re proof that not everything needs to be automatic. The handles are supposed to pop out when they sense the key, but poor weather conditions or delayed timers often leave them stuck. There’s nothing quite as annoying as clawing at a smooth car door that won’t budge.

Sentry Mode springs into action whenever anything comes near your Tesla, which is great for security, but not so much for drivers. The app bombards them every time there’s a slight movement, which could just be a falling leaf or somebody getting into the car parked next to it. It’s hard to know when there’s a real threat.

Gone are the days when the driver was the one in complete control of the vehicle. Tesla is introducing rear climate controls that let passengers and kids adjust the settings, distracting the driver. Sometimes, they can’t even work the touchscreen, so the driver has to stop the car and unlock it for them, which is time-consuming and irritating.

Speaking of climate controls, Tesla has also hidden the vents that deliver heat and AC, putting them under the seats and behind the dashboard. This enhances the cabin's sophisticated look, but it’s difficult to adjust airflow on the move. Old-school manual vents are far easier to handle than touchscreen-controlled vents you can’t see.

Tesla is always watching, both inside and outside the car. The interior camera monitors drivers when they use the self-driving or autopilot modes, which is good for safety but unnerving. Some drivers get annoyed with being spied on, while others complain about getting unnecessary warnings. It reflects our biggest fears about new tech.

Aux cords look messy, so Tesla’s high-tech charging pads are a great, tidy alternative. The only downside is how tricky it is to keep the phone in position because it easily slides off when making a turn or driving at higher speeds. Inconsistent charging and having to adjust the phone constantly are both very annoying.

Most people who buy Teslas look forward to using the autopilot function, but they don’t realize that it needs to be supervised. Nagging messages regularly pop up if there isn’t enough torque being applied to the wheel, and even attentive drivers get told off. It’s a safety feature that often annoys drivers or stresses them out.

Teslas are more like iPads than cars, so they need regular software updates to keep them running. However, frequent overnight updates disrupt charging by taking the car offline, reducing its battery power in the morning, and leaving drivers scrambling to use new features. And God forbid the updates fail!

Tesla doesn’t do things by halves, so all of the cabin screens are big. They’re as high-tech as you could want, but they overwhelm the rest of the interior, and many drivers find them distracting because they’re always in their faces. It’s even worse when they reflect sunlight into drivers’ eyes.

Without traditional audio inputs like aux jacks, Teslas are Bluetooth-only for listening to music. When the tech works, it’s great, but if your connection drops or the software glitches, the car is plunged into silence. It’s annoying to have to pull over to fix a basic feature.

There are only certain times when your high beams should be on, so auto high beams are an accident waiting to happen. Tesla's use cameras to decide when to turn on the lights, causing other drivers to be randomly blinded. This annoys Tesla drivers who get honked at or yelled at by strangers for a feature they can’t control.

When you buy a Tesla, you don’t even need to open the glove compartment yourself! It’s electronic, which is neat until it pops open by itself while you’re driving, or until you need to navigate a touchscreen menu to get something. It’s yet another high-tech feature that distracts and frustrates drivers.