We live in an era where cars are smarter than ever. They can park themselves, assist in lane keeping, and even alert you before you drift off the road. Yet somehow — in 2025 — many OEM infotainment systems still feel clunky, confusing, and outdated.
For something drivers use every day, automakers keep getting it almost right but not quite there. So why is it that infotainment, the digital heart of modern vehicles, still misses the mark? Let’s dig in.
1. Too Many Features, Too Little Focus
Modern infotainment systems try to do it all — navigation, music, apps, climate control, driver settings, voice commands, and more. The result? Feature overload.
Instead of a simple interface, drivers get endless menus and submenus. You shouldn’t have to tap through five screens just to turn on the heated seats or change your music source.
The best systems — like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — get this right: they simplify. OEMs, on the other hand, often try to reinvent the wheel (literally and digitally).
2. Poor User Experience (UX) Design
A great infotainment system should feel as natural as using your smartphone. Unfortunately, many car brands treat UX design as an afterthought.
Common issues include:
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Tiny touch targets that are hard to press while driving.
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Low-contrast fonts that vanish in sunlight.
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Overly animated menus that look cool but slow down interaction.
It’s ironic — car companies spend billions perfecting suspension tuning and engine mapping, yet some overlook the basic usability of their most visible feature.
3. Laggy Performance and Slow Boot Times
Let’s be honest — no one wants to wait 30 seconds for their music to load.
Still, many OEM systems take forever to start up after you press the ignition.
Why? Because they run on low-end processors and outdated operating systems. Some cars even rely on chipsets that were old when your current smartphone launched.
Meanwhile, plug in your phone with CarPlay or Android Auto, and the interface loads instantly. It’s the digital equivalent of comparing dial-up to fiber optic.
4. CarPlay and Android Auto Have Set the Bar
When Apple and Google entered the car space, they exposed just how far behind many automakers were.
Drivers now expect fast, intuitive, and familiar interfaces that sync seamlessly with their phones. OEMs who resist integrating these systems often frustrate customers — especially younger buyers who live inside their smartphones.
Even when manufacturers do offer CarPlay or Android Auto, some make it a subscription feature or limit it to higher trims — which feels outdated and greedy in 2025.
5. Voice Assistants That Don’t Listen
Voice control could be a game-changer for safety, but most OEM systems still struggle with accuracy.
Say “Call Mom,” and your infotainment might reply, “Navigating to Mongolia.”
These assistants often fail to understand natural language or work inconsistently depending on connectivity.
By contrast, Apple’s Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa already have years of machine learning and cloud support behind them — which most carmakers can’t match.
6. Software Updates Come Too Slowly
Modern infotainment should evolve with your car. Instead, many systems are locked in time.
While Tesla and Rivian deliver over-the-air (OTA) updates regularly, improving features and fixing bugs, traditional automakers often require you to visit a dealer for even minor updates — or worse, never release them at all.
That means infotainment systems can feel outdated long before the rest of the car does.
7. Touchscreens Replacing Physical Buttons (Too Soon)
In the race toward minimalism, automakers have removed nearly every physical button from dashboards.
While it looks sleek in photos, it’s terrible in real-world driving.
Tactile controls — knobs, switches, and dials — allow you to adjust settings by feel, without taking your eyes off the road. Replacing them with flat glass panels forces drivers to look down constantly, which isn’t just annoying — it’s unsafe.
Final Thoughts from Arsh’s Garage
Infotainment systems should enhance the driving experience, not distract from it.
But too often, automakers chase style over usability, and innovation over practicality.
The truth is, the best car tech feels invisible — it just works.
Until OEMs start prioritizing simplicity, speed, and reliability, drivers will keep plugging in their phones and ignoring the fancy built-in systems.
Maybe by 2026, automakers will finally get the message:
You can have 500 horsepower and adaptive suspension — but if the touchscreen lags, the experience still falls flat.
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