Preferred Enhancements in Vehicles: Top Demand Includes Wireless Charging, Ventilated/Cooled Seats, Smart Wipers, and Sunroof
The AutoPacific Future Attribute Demand Study (FADS) for 2024 has been released, shedding light on the most desired features in new vehicles. This year's study, based on responses from over 14,900 licensed drivers in the U.S. who plan to buy a new vehicle within the next three years, highlights a clear surge in interest for semi-autonomous and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technologies.
Leading the pack is the demand for hands-off, semi-autonomous highway driving, a significant increase from last year. This feature, similar to GM's Super Cruise or Ford's BlueCruise, has seen a 20 percentage point increase in demand, with 43% of new vehicle intenders expressing interest[2].
Rearward automatic emergency braking remains a highly wanted driver assistance feature, though its specific ranking compared to 2024 is less explicitly stated. However, it remains a top priority alongside semi-autonomous driving[2].
Other features making a strong showing in the 2024 study include rain-sensing windshield wipers, which have re-entered the top 10 most-wanted features list, desired by 36% of new vehicle shoppers. Wireless charging pads for portable electronic devices also continue to be popular, with a move higher up the ladder from the 2023 study[2].
Driver profile settings, which offer a get-in-and-go experience by automatically setting seat, mirrors, steering wheel, audio presets, and many other personal settings to the driver's preferences, have moved up from the 10th rank in 2023 and 19th in 2022 to the sixth most-wanted feature in this year's study.
Unresponsive driver stop assist, measured separately this year to account for two types of assist (stop in lane and redirect to shoulder), has earned a top 10 honorable mention, with a combined demand of 45% from consumers, nearly equally split between the two options[2].
Rear cross-traffic alert with automatic emergency braking is another safety-related feature in the top 10 of the 2024 study, desired by 32% of new vehicle intenders. Robby DeGraff, AutoPacific Manager of Product and Consumer Insights, believes consumer demand for this feature will continue to be strong in the future, due to its critical benefits for safeguarding those inside and outside the vehicle[2].
Interestingly, despite being available for decades, rain-sensing windshield wipers are still not a standard feature on most non-luxury models. The study measures demand for 163 features, including autonomous driving and safety tech, infotainment technologies, connected features, exterior appearance packages, and hands-off towing aids[2].
In summary, the trend from the FADS data indicates a clear surge in importance for semi-autonomous and ADAS technologies in new vehicles, with hands-off highway driving autonomy especially gaining prominence and outpacing prior years’ demand significantly[2].
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