Feeling nostalgic? 5 popular features in older model cars we hardly see on the road anymore

Relebogile Mabotja speaks with Technical Expert Nicol Louw.

Listen below:

The modern car looks very different from the cars of the past, and technology is constantly changing.

Some features that were standard ten or twenty years ago are becoming increasingly less common.

Louw has a 1973 VW Beetle and compares some of the new model's features with those of the old.

“When I am using this car, it really is a pallet cleanser for all the modern tech we have in vehicles.”

- Nicol Louw, Technical Expert

These are some of the popular features that are slowly fading out of use in modern cars:

Cassette and CD Players

In previous decades, these were must-haves in any car.

Bluetooth, USB ports, and infotainment systems have since replaced them.

Physical keys

Smart key fobs and push-button starts have pushed aside the physical key.

With modern cars you no longer have to put your key in the ignition to get the car going, it just needs to be in the vehicle with you.

Cigarette lighters and ashtrays

Personal health habits have changed, and smoking in your car is not as socially acceptable as it once was.

Most cars have eliminated the built-in ashtrays and cigarette lighters that were so popular a few decades ago.

Analog Instrument Clusters

Digital displays and customizable dashboards are now replacing traditional needle-based gauges.

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Manual Transmissions

The manual gearbox used to be the standard in all cars.

However, these are becoming rarer in new models as automatics and CVTs (Continuously Variable Transmissions) are taking over.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.