Most Desired Car Features: Wireless Charging, Air-Cooled Seats, Smart Windshield Wipers, and Sunroof
The latest edition of AutoPacific's Future Attribute Demand Study (FADS) has been released, revealing the most sought-after features in new vehicles for 2024.
In this year's study, the most-wanted feature is a wireless charging pad for portable electronic devices for front passengers, a convenience that has become increasingly important to today's new vehicle shoppers.
Following closely behind is a safety-enhancing automated feature, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic emergency braking, demanded by 32% of new vehicle intenders. This feature is critical to safeguarding those both inside and outside the vehicle, whether backing up in a busy parking lot or out of your driveway into the street. Robby DeGraff, AutoPacific Manager of Product and Consumer Insights, believes consumer demand for this feature will continue to be strong in the future.
The benefits of this feature are evident, as it alerts the driver to cross-traffic and applies the brakes automatically if necessary, reducing the risk of accidents. DeGraff notes, "We've seen countless automakers demonstrate how rear cross-traffic alert with automatic emergency braking works via catchy television ads."
Another safety-related feature in the top 10 in this year's study is unresponsive driver stop assist, with a demand of 45%. This feature, which earns a top 10 honorable mention, is designed to detect an unresponsive driver and either apply the brakes to stop the vehicle in its lane or redirect it to the shoulder.
Interestingly, the feature of rain-sensing windshield wipers, although available to consumers for decades, is still not a standard feature on most non-luxury models. However, in the 2024 study, rain-sensing windshield wipers climbed into the top 10 most-wanted features list, with 36% of new vehicle intenders wanting this feature in their next new vehicle.
Personalization has also become very important to today's new vehicle shoppers, with driver profile settings ranked 10th in 2023 and 19th in 2022, but elevated to the sixth most-wanted feature in this year's study, with 35% of new vehicle intenders wanting this feature.
The study measures demand for 163 features including autonomous driving and safety tech, necessities for families, infotainment technologies, connected features, exterior appearance packages, and hands-off towing aids. It contains responses from over 14,900 licensed drivers in the U.S. who intend to acquire a new vehicle within the next three years.
For 2024, there is no public information indicating that any automobile brands offer an independent braking system specifically designed for unconscious drivers. However, the demand for such a feature is evident, with the demand for unresponsive driver stop assist being nearly equal between consumers wanting stop in lane and those wanting redirect to shoulder.
The study also measures interest in unique powertrain-specific features, like varying degrees of bi-directional charging for EVs. The 2023 study saw both front and rear wireless charging pads ranked in the top 10 most-wanted list but moved higher up the ladder this year, with both ranking in the top 5.
In conclusion, the 2024 AutoPacific FADS provides valuable insights into the features that new vehicle intenders are most interested in. From wireless charging pads and safety features to personalization options and rain-sensing windshield wipers, understanding these trends can help automakers better meet the needs of their customers.
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