From the pet-peeve dept.: Audi A4 radio

A stereo with Radio Data System (RDS) can provide useful information, like song titles, artists, or station information. But here in Connecticut, many stations don't utilize that capability. They either leave the display blank or, far more annoying, use it to scroll an advertisement for their station in your car.

Normally this isn't a big deal; the radio display in the center stack scrolls away and it's out of eyesight. But some cars, like the Audi A4 we're testing, have a radio information display right in front of you between the gauges. It's really distracting to be driving and see the constant flickering of "Today's … Best … Music … Variety …" Happily, the A4 has a big "RDS" button on the stereo head unit that ends this unwanted advertisement – but it still makes you pine for satellite radio, which almost always displays the artist and song (although at a price).

--Tom Mutchler