Summary of Key Points
Recently, the once-popular "internet-famous" features in the automotive industry, such as small blue lights, zero-gravity seats, single-pedal driving modes, in-car showers, and B-pillar-free designs, have been gradually regulated or banned by authorities. These features were often introduced by car manufacturers to attract attention and create buzz, but they either lack practicality (for example, the in-car shower only lasts for one minute) or pose safety risks (for example, B-pillar-free designs reduce side collision protection). In contrast, truly valuable intelligent features are actually quite simple and practical—such as 360-degree panoramic cameras, HUD (Heads-Up Display) systems, and DMS (Driver Monitoring Systems) technologies, which can significantly enhance safety and convenience. This reflects the confusion within the automotive industry during its electrification transition: manufacturers have equated "intelligence" with the mere accumulation of functions, but both regulators and consumers are pushing the industry to return to what truly matters—safety, practicality, and a good user experience.
Why Are Internet-Famous Features So Popular?
A few years ago, the electrification of vehicles eliminated the traditional advantages of traditional car manufacturers in terms of engines and transmissions, forcing new players to find new competitive advantages. However, breakthroughs in core technologies (such as powertrains and advanced driving algorithms) are difficult, costly, and take time to achieve. On the other hand, creative and seemingly innovative features (like in-car hot pots and showers) are low-cost and can easily generate millions of views on short-video platforms. It's like saying, "If we can't compete on technical quality, let's compete on creativity." Car manufacturers have realized that highlighting features like the ability to cook hot pot during a press conference is more eye-catching than boasting a 5% increase in battery energy density. As a result, a race to add flashy gimmicks has begun, with questions like whether cars should have spaces for playing mahjong or receiving SPA treatments becoming the highlights of press conferences, deviating from the essential role of a vehicle as a means of transportation.
The Problems with Internet-Famous Features
These features are often flashy but come with numerous issues:
- Ineffective and Useless: For instance, an in-car shower with a 10-liter water tank can only provide a 1-minute shower, and the safety risks and inconvenience of using electricity while the car is parked are often overlooked. The same goes for in-car kitchens, which pose issues with wastewater disposal, smoke emission, and vehicle stability during driving.
- Safety Concerns: B-pillar-free designs are touted as futuristic, but B-pillars are crucial for withstanding side collisions, and even with reinforced high-strength steel, they cannot match the safety standards of traditional structures. Storage spaces for knives and forks in the car can also be dangerous, as sharp utensils can become weapons during sudden braking.
- Distractions That Affect Driving: Small blue lights, intended to provide driving assistance, can be distracting due to inconsistent brightness. Single-pedal driving modes that stop the car as soon as the pedal is released can cause sudden decelerations, giving the vehicle behind insufficient time to react in emergencies.
Practical and Useful Intelligent Features
Beyond the gimmicks, truly intelligent features are practical and essential in daily use. The simple test for their value is: "Will you use them every day? Do they make your driving safer and more convenient?"
- 360-Degree Panoramic Cameras and Transparent Undercarriage: Cameras around the car provide a bird's-eye view, helping to avoid collisions and potholes, especially in narrow roads.
- HUD (Heads-Up Display): Projects speed and navigation information on the windshield, allowing drivers to avoid looking down at the dashboard, making driving safer on highways and in complex traffic.
- Streaming Rearview Mirrors: Cameras in the rear of the car provide a three-times wider field of view than traditional mirrors, clear even in rain or at night, and are not obstructed by rear seat headrests.
- DMS (Driver Monitoring Systems): Cameras on the steering wheel monitor the driver's face and alert them to signs of fatigue or distraction, preventing accidents caused by reliance on assisted driving systems.
- External Power Output (V2L): Converts car battery power into 220V AC, useful for camping, emergency power, or powering tools at construction sites. It's more flexible than an in-car kitchen and doesn't take up space or cause hygiene issues.
Regulatory Actions
The continuous regulatory measures in 2026 (banning small blue lights, regulating zero-gravity seats, and restricting single-pedal driving modes) indicate a shift from unregulated growth to more standardized development in the industry:
- Safety First: Innovations must not compromise safety. For example, zero-gravity seats must be designed to limit their angle during driving to prevent seatbelt failures, and single-pedal modes must not stop the car completely to avoid rear-end collisions.
- Costs Should Not Be Passed On to Consumers: The development costs of these features are ultimately reflected in the car price. Consumers pay a high price for features they may use only a few times a year, which also increase the car's weight and reduce its range.
- Marketing Should Not Overrule Product Quality: In the age of social media, popularity does not equate to quality. Just as high camera resolutions on early smartphones did not necessarily improve the user experience, so too do flashy features.
The Future of Intelligent Cars
The rationality of regulators and consumers is guiding the industry in three key directions:
1. From Focusing on Features to Focusing on Experience: Consumers are no longer interested in grand claims about "full-scenario autonomous driving"; they care more about practical aspects like the reliability of assisted driving during daily commutes and its performance in rainy or dark conditions.
2. From Overemphasis on Hardware to Focus on Core Technologies: Visible features like the number of lidars and screen size will eventually reach their limits. The real competition will lie in algorithms (such as AI models), data (from extensive road testing), and computing power (ability to handle complex driving scenarios).
3. From Broad Claims to Focused Development in Specific Scenarios: High-speed autonomous driving is already mature, and urban navigation is becoming more widespread, but autonomous driving in complex urban areas still needs improvement. The focus should be on optimizing mature technologies (such as automatic following in traffic jams) rather than making broad claims.
In Conclusion
The essence of intelligent cars is not about having a bathroom in the trunk or a fish tank in the front compartment, but about making every journey easier and safer. The decline of internet-famous features is a necessary step for the industry to move from conceptual hype to practical, user-centric development. After all, true intelligence is about solving real problems, not creating unnecessary distractions.