A recent study conducted by automotive research firm AutoPacific set out to reveal what tech feature new car buyers most want included with their purchase. The answer won’t particularly surprise you, especially if you’re Canadian. And safe to say, it’s not unasked-for ads for Spiderman appearing on the infotainment system on startup! (Thank you BMW).
Warmed buns!
The survey questioned some 19,000 motorists licensed drivers planning to acquire a new vehicle within the next three years. AutoPacific published the top 15 features and technologies buyers value most in its results. The survey revealed that the most frequently cited desired feature is… heated seats.
47 per cent of respondents declared it a must-have option, placing it ahead of splashy items like giant infotainment screens, cutting-edge smartphone apps and semi-autonomous driving systems.
There may be room to ask questions regarding the methodology of the survey, for a couple of reasons:
1) In the same survey carried out last year, heated seats didn’t even make it into the Top 15. How it shot from nowhere to number-one this year is a bit of a mystery, especially since it’s been an accessible feature in even non-luxury vehicles for some time now.
2) This year’s survey also found that all-wheel drive – another item highly valued by motorists in colder climates – barely made the list at all, placing 15th and dead last on AutoPacific’s ranking, behind features like night vision, a dash camera and large animal detection.
Parking assistance another hot item
Everyday safety and parking convenience also stood out in the survey's upper ranks. Front and rear parking sensors claimed second place with 45 per cent of driver votes, followed closely by rearward automatic emergency braking in third, 360-degree camera systems in fourth, and head-up displays (HUD) rounding out the top five.
Technologies that minimize low-speed collisions during daily parking manoeuvres clearly resonate with buyers navigating increasingly complex modern vehicles.
Here’s the full Top 15 ranking features wanted by new vehicle shoppers, according to what AutoPacific studiously called the AutoPacific 2026 Future Attribute Demand Study:
- 1. Heated seats (47 percent of respondents)
- 2. Parking sensors (front and rear) (45 percent)
- 3. Rearward auto emergency braking (44 percent)
- 4. Power front driver’s seat (43 percent)
- 5. Lane change assist (43 percent)
- 6. Night vision system (43 percent)
- 7. Adaptive cruise control w/active lane centering and & stop & go (43 percent)
- 8. Blind spot cameras (43 percent)
- 9. Rear cross traffic alert w/auto emergency braking (42 percent)
- 10. Auto park (41 percent)
- 11. Wireless charging pad for devices (41 percent)
- 12. Power front passenger seat (40 percent)
- 13. Dash camera (40 percent)
- 14. Large animal detection (39 percent)
- 15. All-wheel drive (39 percent)
For automakers, the AutoPacific survey delivers a grounded message. While flashy high-tech features generate headlines, actual purchasing decisions remain driven by everyday cabin comfort and functional safety amenities. Brands that bundle these straightforward, comfort-focused features as standard equipment, rather than burying them in costly option packages, stand to gain a competitive edge with buyers over the coming model years.