New car design with reverse/tail lights that stay on after parking.
 

I was in the parking lot last night and two cars in line had their reverse lights on.
I stopped and waited for them to back out.

I waited. And waited.
But the cars did not move.
Hmmmm.....
There was nobody inside.

Then a third car almost backed into me.

It’s called “change for change’s sake” and it’s driven (no pun) by sales execs desperate to force a “new and improved” product out there every year whether there’s demand for it or not. Usually these things aren’t all that new and almost certainly aren’t improved. It’s seen all the time with software updates and electronics / computers too. The iPhone is probably a good example (iPhone X excepted - that really is new, and pretty awesome even though it’s ultimately a remake of a now 15-year-old device...)

The rear lights illuminate the area around the car when walking up to or leaving. It isn't much different than side lights out from under the car.

My wife's Macan turns on the tail lights and daytime running lights if the door is opened. I guess if you parked in a dark area in would be helpful. It is just a waste of electricity in our garage. I have never bothered to see it the reverse lights come on as well.

Hate that kind of crap. If we leave key in ignition but off on my wife's car, battery goes dead. Happens way to often.

It is probably a setting that controls it somewhere.

+1 on that. Read the owner's manual.

Cars have done the interior lights and headlights forever and with LED lights they can put more out there without running the battery down.

I can see some areas it would be handy to illuminate the area in front of and behind the car such as dark parking lots.

Yep... stopped to let an SUV back out at the drugstore recently. Then I see a women come around and open the tailgate. WTF? Why were the reverse lights on if it's not going to go backwards???

I hate that feature, it just confuses the intention of the reverse lights.

Other fun "improvements" that made me scream on my wife's volvo.

1.Cruise control that adjusted speed in increments of 5mph instead of 1mph.
2.Rear view mirrors that pointed down at the curb when backing up. Nice if you want to see the curb in a city, but in a parking lot in ruralville they haven't invented curbs yet. I just want to see straight back.
3.Warning bells and klaxtons that screached at every little thing at full blast. Too much sensory overload. Unable to concentrate.

2 of the 3 were fixable with a day spent at the onboard computer controls/owners manual. One had to be fixed with a software update.

Speaking of curmudgeon, my favorite local gas station just installed "gas station TV...." I need to remember to carry a piece of paper and duct tape with me next time I fill up to cover it. Perhaps the gas station TV is to keep me blissfully unaware if the person gassing up in front of me is about to back into me, or if their lights just come on for novelty sake.
Grrrrrrrr......

To add to your list I hate the engine noises piped into the cabin over the sound system.

The 5mph CC bump would be a deal breaker I think.

Hate it when I have to turn the radio down to find the address I am looking for.

GM has done the reverse lights thing for almost two decades now on nearly all or all models. I cannot believe it's legal and DOT allows it. So many times I think someone is backing up in a parking lot then I realize it's a Chevy using the reverse lights as perimeter lighting.

Once of the stations I went to started that crap. I went in to the manager and told him as long as they have that noisy source of advertisements I will not be back. There are way too many other gas stations around to put up that that crap.

Been that way for decades on most cars.

Pull the key out about 1/4" and it won't happen.

Hertz does that, their keys are always in the ignition when on-site.

..until the rest of them start doing it. I hate those things with a passion; the worst part is not only the s5it they're blasting not worth the electrons wasted to pipe it to you, it's a mindless loop that goes on forever. I was at a station filling up both of my Unimog tanks - by the time I was done, I was about shove the fuel nozzel into the screen.

That is just crazy talk.


You shove the nozzle through the screen prior to filling up.

Some cars like my Thunderbird backfeed current from the stereo that is enough to activate replacement LED backup lights. Thought it strange at first but... who cares.

There are two local filling stations that went to this blitz advertising that I now avoid like the plague. Don't we already have enough of the fast talking sales people in OCD commercials on TV, let alone the motion activated TV moniters trying to sell us even more crap while walking through Walmart.