Heated seats rank as the most desired car feature in new survey

A new survey of more than 19,000 drivers found heated seats remain the most wanted vehicle feature, while demand for parking technology and advanced safety systems continues to grow.

Heated seats are the most desired car feature among drivers planning to buy a new vehicle, according to a new survey of more than 19,000 licensed drivers. The research found that comfort, parking assistance and advanced safety technologies are becoming increasingly important purchase priorities.

The survey asked drivers who intend to buy a new vehicle within the next three years to identify the features they value most. Heated seats ranked first, followed by front and rear parking sensors and rear automatic emergency braking.

Heated seats remain the most desired feature among drivers planning to buy a new vehicle.

Safety and parking technology continue gaining popularity

Parking-related technology showed particularly strong growth in consumer demand. Automatic parking entered the top 15 most-wanted features for the first time, reflecting the wider availability of parking-assistance systems across new vehicles.

Advanced safety features also gained significant momentum. Drivers increasingly expressed interest in technologies such as lane change assist, adaptive smart headlights, safe exit alerts and systems designed to stop the vehicle if the driver becomes unresponsive.

The survey suggests that buyers are placing greater value on features that improve convenience and help reduce the risk of accidents.

Parking assistance and advanced safety systems are becoming more important to new-vehicle buyers.

Drivers are becoming more comfortable with automation

The research also found growing confidence in driver-assistance technology, particularly among younger buyers. Trust in systems that can automatically help prevent accidents increased compared with previous survey results.

Drivers who already own vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance systems are significantly more likely to want similar technology in their next vehicle. Satisfaction levels among users of these systems were also notably high, with strong ratings for ease of use, reliability and perceived value.

Consumers increasingly want advanced driver-assistance and automated driving features in their next vehicle.

For electric vehicle shoppers, extended battery range and ultra-fast DC charging capability ranked among the most important priorities. Pickup buyers placed particularly high importance on all-wheel drive, reinforcing that different vehicle segments continue to have distinct feature preferences.

The survey shows that heated seats remain the most desired car feature, but it also highlights a broader trend toward comfort, convenience and advanced safety technology becoming central factors in new-vehicle purchasing decisions.