AUTONEWS

Modern cars feature expensive equipment that few drivers use or appreciate

From safety systems designed to protect occupants during crashes to solutions aimed at preventing accidents—such as those protecting pedestrians and cyclists approaching from the front or rear, or preventing collisions with a car ahead that brakes suddenly while the driver is distracted—modern vehicles are packed with features that enhance comfort or save lives by reducing both the frequency and severity of accidents. However, many drivers choose not to use these systems to avoid being annoyed.

A study conducted by Censuswide surveyed 1,350 British drivers in the summer of 2026 to determine which safety and driver-assistance features they used regularly and which ones they disabled to avoid the discomfort of constant audible warnings, steering wheel vibrations, or visual alerts. Many drivers opt to turn off these warnings—even those with unquestionable utility, such as alerts for signs of drowsiness—thereby endangering both their passengers and oncoming traffic.

The study was commissioned by the Dick Lovett Group, one of the UK's largest automotive retail groups. It found that, despite driving vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control, 25.9% of users prefer to switch it off. Furthermore, as many as 7% do not even know how to activate the system should they need it.

Highly useful systems—such as lane-centering technology that prevents accidents caused by inattention, or emergency braking that stops the car to avoid collisions when the driver is distracted—are not properly appreciated. This lack of appreciation explains why 18% of drivers disable the former and 21.3% deactivate the latter. Regarding systems like voice assistants—which are becoming increasingly functional and efficient—17.8% of users do not use them; meanwhile, 17.1% shun augmented reality head-up displays, and 7% do not know how they work or how to activate them. Even a clear comfort feature like massage seats—which are not standard equipment in 67.3% of vehicles—is used in only 22.4% of the cars actually equipped with them.

Among the most popular features, some of the simplest and least expensive solutions stand out: Bluetooth (for connecting mobile phones to the car) is considered essential by 58.3% of users, and 45.7% admit to regularly using rearview cameras. While 44.5% of respondents state they rely on navigation systems to reach their destinations, only 27.3% use driving modes—settings that can make the vehicle more comfortable and fuel-efficient in one mode, or sportier, faster, and more fuel-hungry in another.

The study concludes, therefore, that most drivers actually pay for features they neither appreciate nor use—sometimes because they do not understand how the systems work or how to turn them on. Furthermore, safety and driver-assistance systems are not valued by those behind the wheel, even though their lives—and the lives of their loved ones—might one day depend on them.