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Back in 2008, when Tesla Motors released its first vehicle, the all-electric Roadster, the vehicle was celebrated for the speed and power created by its clean, battery-powered motor.
Flash forward more than a decade, and Tesla has three vehicles for sale — the Model S, Model X, and Model 3 — with more in the works. Electric vehicles have also generally become more common.
Today, Teslas are hardly unique for being electric cars. Rather, these vehicles stand out for all the special features available. From an autopilot function to a HEPA air filtration system to the Falcon Wing doors of the Model X and Ludicrous Mode acceleration option, Teslas have features that no other vehicles offer.
On the other hand, there are a few features many cars have but that Teslas are missing.
Here are seven of the most notable features that many other cars have, but Teslas surprisingly do not.
Head-up displays
Head-up displays, usually called HUDs, beam critical information onto the windshield so a driver can monitor speed, directions, and other details without moving their eyes off the road.
Many higher-end vehicles today have a HUD standard, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been consistently opposed to them, finding HUDs “annoying” and saying that as Tesla cars move toward autonomous driving, they aren’t going to be needed anyway.
Heated steering wheels
A heated steering wheel might seem frivolous to those living in warm climates, but its absence in cars costing anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 (or more) is a regular source of frustration for customers who deal with cold winters.
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Cooled seats
Tesla vehicles allow you to cool down the seats (or warm them up) remotely via app, but if you forget to do so, chances are you’ll be sitting on an uncomfortably hot seat when you’re driving in the summer. And while cooled seats have been common in many cars for many years, they are nowhere to be seen in Teslas.
360-degree bird’s-eye view for parking
Even a number of moderately priced vehicles now feature an array of downward-facing cameras and sensors that, when in reverse, create a digital 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the vehicle and its immediate surroundings. This makes parallel parking much easier.
Windshield wipers with sensors that detect rain
The lack of responsive windshield wipers, those that turn on when sensors detect rain, is a frequent complaint among Tesla ownerswho live in rainy climates. Granted, switching on the wipers is easy, but many have grown accustomed to this function in other vehicles.
Self-closing trunks
You can open and close the trunk on a Tesla Model 3 using an app, but unlike what you’ll find in so many vehicles these days, you cannot close it using a button found in the cabin. You’ll have to get out of the car to close it manually.
Blind-spot assist lights on side-view mirrors
Those little orange lights that light up on side-view mirrors when a vehicle is in the blind spot are so ubiquitous these days that their absence in Teslas vehicles is not only a surprise, it’s almost unsafe.
Tesla cars do have other blind-spot features, including an option to activate an audible chime that sounds when someone is in your blind spot, but not the lights that give quick reference as you check your mirrors.