Which modern/luxury gadgets are really useful on a daily basis?
Posted by VitoXzX@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 359 comments
[removed]
Posted by VitoXzX@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 359 comments
[removed]
Irumaz_Dead@reddit
As someone new to leather seats in the Texas heat, cooled seats would be awesome! I would use them just as much as I use the heated seats
t-poke@reddit
I bought my EV6, my first car with a heated steering wheel, on a cold December night. I barely made it off the dealership lot before deciding I will never own a car without a heated steering wheel ever again.
I finally got to use my ventilated seats for the first time a few days ago and came to the same conclusion.
Maybe one day, ventilated steering wheels will be a thing.
tiempo90@reddit
how's your ev6?
MangoAtrocity@reddit
Yup. The heated steering wheel in my wife’s BMW X3 has spoiled me. I cant go back.
Ran4@reddit
You have a 2018 car that doesn't have a heated steering wheel?
It's been a core feature of economy cars since the 00s..
MangoAtrocity@reddit
Maybe where you live, but the vast majority of cars in my part of the USA don’t have heated steering wheels.
woswoissdenniii@reddit
NFC triggered HomeKit automation when i approach the coffee machine. Kicks of the Wabesto heat pump in my car. Given that the temperature matches my „Here’s Overlook Hotel“ protocol. 😅No coincidences on this side of the fence.
slvrsmth@reddit
If you live in a climate where heated wheel is a must have, here's something for your consideration: heated windshield. Imagine never scraping the windshield, ever.
jontss@reddit
Went from a 2007 X3 with heated wheel to 2019 i3s without one (none came with that). I regret it more than I expected.
rugbyj@reddit
It's not 1:1 but you can at least aim a vent at wherever you typically rest your hand(s).
throwawayhash43@reddit
Same here. I just picked up a '21 RDX replacing my 2009 Vibe. First week of having it temperatures dropped to -40C here in the Canadian prairies and it felt like such a luxury having heated seats and heated steering wheel.
Direct-Welder4732@reddit
HUD - Keeps your eyes on the road while still showing speed/nav. Super handy.
boiledsweetpotatoe@reddit
Front bumper Lift. My AMG GT has a button you can press to raise the front of the car to clear speed bumps or steep driveways.
Fragrant_Hour987@reddit
Cooled/heated seats
Chippy569@reddit
One of those things where you think it's silly until you have it, and then you never want to go without it.
Ditto heated steering wheel etc.
LanceFree@reddit
My mom lives somewhere with long and cold winters and that’s what she has said. I have her old vehicle and live in a more temperate area and don’t think I would pay for it. I’ve used the heated seats quite a few times this month. The cooled seats have a white noise sound I do not enjoy, but on really hot (and sweaty) days, the cooling feature is awesome. Yet, still would not pay extra for it.
Bebealex@reddit
A problem created by zoning out good cloth seats..
whohasideasanyway@reddit
Cloth seats are fine without heat, but leather needs it imo. My Honda preheats the steering wheel when remote started so that it’s already nice and warm to hold when I get in. It’s the best thing ever
kevindlv@reddit
I actually really liked my old cloth seats in my 2014 Mazda. Those old cloth seats from like 90s cars were nasty but modern cloth is really nice and durable. Main issue is just spilling liquids. Cloth is inherently good for hot/cold weather.
whohasideasanyway@reddit
I agree 100%. I’ve actually been in a car with heated cloth seats and it was nice but not at all necessary. I don’t know if I’d want to drive a car with leather seats that weren’t heated though. If there was a car with cloth seats and a heated steering wheel that would be perfect lol
Hour_Perspective_884@reddit
Not me.
When I bought my last truck I specifically didn't want this feature.
I hate heated seats and steering wheels. My previous vehicle had it and it would automatically come on when the temp was low and I had to fish through the screen to turn them off (another feature I hate).
Cooled seats Ive never had and might be nice but I also prefer cloth over leather seats because they don't burn you in summer or freeze you in winter.
ZZ9ZA@reddit
One handy use is to turn your passenger seat heater on to keep your takeout warm.
Short-Ad8417@reddit
Never thought about keeping my food warm like this, will try next time
Lezzles@reddit
Is this a heated seats issue, or an automatic heated seats issue?
Hour_Perspective_884@reddit
both.
I don't like heated seats. I like them even less when I didn't ask them to turn on.
generalright@reddit
Cooled seats aren’t that useful once the cabin gets to the right temperature IMO, just gives me a stiff back
agray20938@reddit
It depends on where you're at though. Here in Texas I can have the cabin set at 68 the entire time, and your back still ends up being a bit sweaty just based on heat from the sun.
Ran4@reddit
I doubt your cabin allows you to set a 68 degrees temp...
That's like a light sauna setting.
gargoyle30@reddit
I've had heated and it's alright, but I feel like cooled would be amazing, ac only works on the front and the seat can get very hot and sweaty
Ran4@reddit
It doesn't work very well, AC is all you need.
spotdishotdish@reddit
If we're calling heated seats modern, I'll add air conditioning
guy-anderson@reddit
I'm the one guy who finds heated seats very uncomfortable, apparently. I just get a deep sensation that feels like I'm sitting in a puddle of warm pee.
But ventilated seats are legit amazing.
slvrsmth@reddit
High five. Heated seat is alright for 10 - 20 seconds, but then it becomes uncomfortable. Wife will happily have that frying pan on maximum for hours tho.
PolarBlitzer@reddit
Sometimes I think the cooled seats works better than the air conditioning since it's like direct cooling
8P69SYKUAGeGjgq@reddit
Cooled seats are just blowing the ambient air through the seat, they'll only work as well as the AC does. It drove me crazy having to explain this when I worked at a dealership.
mushy-shart-walk@reddit
My Genesis has ventilated seats which is awesome, and when I turn on the AC they definitely turn icy cool. Love it.
PolarBlitzer@reddit
If I recall some brands, do I offer air condition seats?. Specifically, I think I've tried it on a raptor and a couple other Fords
Hokie23aa@reddit
My Mustang has cooled seats.
Doctor_Juris@reddit
Don’t overlook the heated steering wheel too. It’s amazing on a cold morning.
MembershipNo2077@reddit
Hell, I'll take the heated steering wheel over the seats, though I love heated seats. I'm usually pretty well-clothed in the winter so the seat being warm is nice, but not critical. But I still have to hold onto the slab of ice that is the steering wheel. Heated steering wheel is so nice for that.
N0Name117@reddit
I know I'm weird but I refuse to use these things. I honestly find them uncomfortable and don't trust the idea of sticking a giant resistor under my ass.
LittlePup_C@reddit
It’s a PTC resistor. Specifically made to not hurt you. It physically is unable to cook you as the resistance increases exponentially at a set temperature
The “cooled” seats pull air through the seat via a fan, causing a low pressure area in the seat, thus dropping the temp.
Nothing to be afraid of
N0Name117@reddit
Still don't care for them
LittlePup_C@reddit
Each their own. Just didn’t want you to be afraid of a nonexistent boogeyman.
N0Name117@reddit
Not trusting something and being afraid are two different things.
RyanOfTheVille@reddit
Most ventilated seats work this way but I do want to say there are a few caveats. There are some cars that pump conditioned air up/into the seat. I know my parents F150/Navigator did this. You could feel the blowing out by hovering your hand over the seat and it actually cooled you through denim/canvas in a way that ventilated seats never have
mr_bots@reddit
GM used a peltier effect cooler for several years too. Now it seems almost everyone has just gone the cheaper route and used straight butt fans. Still nice though.
Fragrant_Hour987@reddit
https://youtu.be/HnMuNCl7tZ8?si=-fAoYJjZvt9B2E7k
This video shows the safety features most heaters have (sans the fan, and the tipping safety features)
N0Name117@reddit
Cool. Still wont use them.
fightclubdevil@reddit
That's what people without heated/ cooled seats say to make themselves feel better
N0Name117@reddit
I've actually had them in a fuck ton of rentals back when I was traveling for work a lot. Always hated them and ended up turning it off in every vehicle.
iluvyouze@reddit
hundo cuz i say this without heated/cooled seats and steering wheel 😭
Vecuronium_god@reddit
You have a battery in your pocket and two on each ears. Additionally you seem to be a recreational shooter.
It is very odd to be paranoid about seat heaters when there are far more cases of phones/batteries exploding than a seat heater catching fire.
Also this doesn't even address all the potential issues that can come with shooting. How do you worry about a cars seat heater but not an out of battery detonation?
N0Name117@reddit
Because I'm the one that builds my guns and loads my own ammo. Not some hungover union worker running for the door on a Friday afternoon. Guns are far safer than cars and most are designed in such a way that even an out of battery detonation redirects gas away from the shooter.
Not sure how these are in any way related. Still hate seat heaters.
D4ng3rd4n@reddit
Can we back up a sec? They're concerned about a seat heater while driving a several ton object at speeds that can kill you in a split second. Haha
Conscious_Stop6037@reddit
That's what I was thinking lol. Heated seats are too much but no problem with operating a multi-ton subsonic missle hauling a tank of volatile fuel while aslo surrounded by dozens, if not hundreds, of people doing the same thing.
Vecuronium_god@reddit
With hear aids and a cell phone. All of which have batteries that probably fail way more than seat heaters.
brolix@reddit
Says man with radiating battery bomb in pocket
N0Name117@reddit
I've grown increasingly distrustful of those too.
random352486@reddit
Only need that with leather seats, currently got high quality cloth and it's very nice both in summer and winter, never too hot or too cold.
andrewjaekim@reddit
360 camera
Capri280@reddit
Love cameras. Other than them, material science improvements and better than ever safety cells & bags are the only relatively modern features I care for over older cars
ZZ9ZA@reddit
Adaptive cruise
dreadnought_81@reddit
I want to like the adaptive cruise in mine, and I cannot fault it, but my problem lies in the minds of other motorists.
It works great when the vehicles ahead are doing a constant speed or going quicker than I am because then it's left to its own devices, but if it's some muppet who doesn't believe in cruise control and keeps fluctuating their speed, then my car has to tap the rear brakes in order to keep its distance. Then when you go for the overtake, they'll often put the pedal to the metal, but that's a rant for another day.
Obviously, this isn't the fault of the adaptive cruise control system or its logic, but it's very frustrating. As such, I don't really think it's a must-have feature for me. Maybe it'd be different if my car was a DSG-equipped model though, where it could more effectively put itself to use when off the highways.
ode_to_glorious@reddit
I don’t trust my car to do the right thing with adaptive cruise control. How people can sit in the front seat of a Tesla and read a book or play games is beyond me.
ZZ9ZA@reddit
Adaptive cruise != self driving. It's just radar cruise that keeps a set distance from the car in front. There is no steering.
ode_to_glorious@reddit
I get fully understand, I still don’t trust it with my life.
EvilDan69@reddit
Add to that rear view camera or 360, heated seats and heated steering wheel. It gets COLD where I live. oh and remote start via an app that can also schedule the remote starts.
XenomindAskal@reddit
What do you mean? Materials in modern cars are crap, cheap plastic everywhere (not talking about S class Luxury segment)
omegaalphard2@reddit
He's talking about the steel and aluminum for crash safety
XenomindAskal@reddit
Makes sense, thanks
PresidentSuperDog@reddit
Bluetooth audio
spacefret@reddit
Not really a modern or luxury thing nowadays. Most base model cars have had it for 10 if not 15 years.
PresidentSuperDog@reddit
Heated seats are over 50 years old and heated steering wheels are over 100. But people are talking about them all over post. So why don’t you get pedantic with those people.
Also, in what world is 15 years not modern?
Jarrud1979@reddit
With how bad my neck is this is the only thing that allows me to parallel park anymore. I guess I could go even fancier and just get a car that can park for me.
Ran4@reddit
Huh? If you can't look around your shoulder, you shouldn't be driving a car. That's a massive safety hazard. Your driving can kill people.
Jarrud1979@reddit
What do you think mirrors are for. I can turn enough to see what’s on my sides.
You think your average 70 year old driver has the same physical capabilities of a 25 year old.
MembershipNo2077@reddit
Maybe it's due to generally owning smaller cars, but I've never felt the need for it. Yes, I've driven and even rented cars with it. It was fine.
I guess I'm an outlier here.
Ran4@reddit
I have a small car (less than 4 meters long and 175 cm wide) and even then the 360 cam is nice when parking in tight spots.
uberdosage@reddit
Also depends on where you live. Parking in tiny parking structures in downtown big cities? Extremely useful. Suburbia? Not as useful
ZZ9ZA@reddit
I find it even more important with small cars as I’m often backing out of parking spots with massive blacked out SUV’s on both sides. Rear camera + side traffic alert has saved my ass several times.
MembershipNo2077@reddit
Oh, the rear camera is well warranted, even outside of that it's nice for parallel parking and for seeing things like animals/children behind you when reversing.
But a 360 camera is a bit different, I assume that's meant as the "top down" 360° cameras, and I've used them and didn't particularly need them. Maybe if I drove something like an F150 more often I would find it a lot more useful.
ZZ9ZA@reddit
For my purposes a 360 would be even better, but my car doesn’t have one, so…
walmarttshirt@reddit
The first car I owned with one I told my wife we would never need it.
I used it all of the time.
Same with the ventilated seats.
Mimical@reddit
Ventilated seats are in a solid greatest invention top 10 ever list. Ventilated seats save millions of people from summertime swamp ass every single day twice every commute.
My car doesn't have them and I cannot stress how much I think about that every single time I peel myself off the seat.
Ran4@reddit
You could... just turn on the air conditioning.
I had ventilated seats in my Lexus IS 250 and it was just pointless. Felt like I had peed myself.
agray20938@reddit
Yup -- My car is basically 25 years old now and has heated seats, which has always been mindblowing to me. But I'd give anything to swap them out for ventilated seats...
velociraptorfarmer@reddit
Even in the midwest winters on long drive they're helpful. No matter how cold, after a certain amount of time, you're going to develop swamp ass.
t-poke@reddit
I just got my car a couple months ago but live in the midwest where summer humidity reaches levels usually only seen in the ninth circle of hell. I cannot wait to use my ventilated seats once we reach peak swamp-ass season.
Pinecone@reddit
It benefits everybody all the time. It provides information you cannot get unless you get out of the car and walk all the way around.
seeyousoon2@reddit
The first time I saw a 360 camera. The owner of the car told me it was a satellite view and he was convinced it was because there was no camera on top of his car. Without ever seeing the feature before I had to explain to him how it must work, by stitching together the camera views from around his car. He insisted it was satellite.
Subiemobiler@reddit
Heh heh, I wonder if the stitches images around the stock photo of his car's roof in the centre, actually showed the proper car color on the roof?
Point that out to really freak him out! 😭
ZannX@reddit
Just... go inside a garage and ask him how the satelite sees him.
EvilDan69@reddit
Put a single finger over one of the lenses......... :D
Facts_pls@reddit
Lack of critical thinking is a big thing.
jianh1989@reddit
One can always learn. But stubbornness and stupid ego are bigger things here.
MumpsyDaisy@reddit
that's why cars are so expensive these days, you aren't just buying a car but a dedicated satellite in space to follow it around
Misery27TD@reddit
That's so nice of the satellite to follow me into the shop each time I bring a car with that feature in.....
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
Regardless of anyone’s thoughts on driving aids, it’s probably good that guy has as many as possible.
VinshinTee@reddit
I used to think this was a overkill of tech until I went to China where everyone can navigate within an inch of the next car. Made me want one.
ode_to_glorious@reddit
My only gripe is that they don’t use these cameras that are already in the car as some sort of you know dash cam.
w0nderbrad@reddit
My 2015 Nissan Murano had a 360 camera. It should be standard on every car. Kind of ridiculous how “luxury” brands force you to get the highest trim for a fucking feature a Nissan had 10 years ago.
wtfthisisntreddit@reddit
Bro the fucking Nissan Versa Note had a 360 camera. Yes the camera resolution was shit but it didn't really matter, the screen it was displayed on was small so resolution didn't matter as much. At the very least it was functional and I like that Nissan offered the 360 cam in most of their cheaper cars
College_Prestige@reddit
With how big vehicles are now, probably a necessity
hannahranga@reddit
Less the size and more the massive pillars so you survive a rollover.
Mimical@reddit
The real trick is if the cameras still show a top down view once you roll over.
MooselookManiac@reddit
The way Tesla handles locking/unlocking their cars.
Your phone is the key. You always have your phone, so why not just use it as the key? It's perfect.
You never need to lock the car. It just auto-locks when you walk away. So intuitive. I find that I forget to lock my other cars now when I park somewhere.
The real icing on the cake is that you can set it not to auto-lock when you're at home. I park in a garage, so I don't need it locked. It uses geo-location to know when I'm home and not lock itself.
Overall it's just super intuitive and every carmaker should be doing these things.
Tasty_Writer_1123@reddit
I loved the phone as a key until it stopped being reliable for me. It's always pouring rain and the car won't unlock and I'm getting soaked while I restart my Bluetooth and pray it connects or fumble through my wallet for the card
MooselookManiac@reddit
Problem with your phone or the car?
I've barely ever had an issue with it using a several-years-old Pixel 7.
Tasty_Writer_1123@reddit
I think it was with the car. I also had a pixel 7 until recently and it would happen like once a week. Upgraded to a pixel 9 and it kept happening up until I got rid of the car.
slvrsmth@reddit
My phone battery lasts about a day. Car key lasts a year or more on a charge, and includes a physical fallback device that does not need a battery (AKA a key).
I remember hiking in the mountains couple years ago. Sudden freezing winds on one the slope we came down on. Battery charge went from half full to zero in about half an hour. I'd be pissed if I came down from that mountain, frozen to the core, in the middle of nowhere, no communications, no way of accessing the car.
MooselookManiac@reddit
That's why there's a physical key card that you can keep in your wallet. I always have it on me as well, but I've never had to use it.
kuri-kuma@reddit
It is so great...when it works! It uses a Bluetooth connection, which can be famously finnicky. When I had my Tesla, the doors would often not auto-unlock for maybe 5-10 seconds. Sometimes, they wouldn't unlock at all, and I would have to pull out my phone, open the Tesla app, and hit the unlock button there.
Most of the time, that was just a minor nuisance. However, there was one incident where a group of men tried to assault/rob me in a parking lot late at night, and I ran to my car to try and get away. Fortunately, there was no software bug at that moment, and I was able to get myself to safety. But that was the definitive moment I decided to sell my Tesla (there were other things I didn't like but this was the culmination for me) and go back to cars with physical keys...because what if the connection bugged at that moment?
MooselookManiac@reddit
Well that's fucking wild. I have only had small delays unlocking with my phone probably two times in 18 months, and they've both been less than 10 seconds. I have a Pixel 7, fwiw.
I don't live in a place with any significant number of random assaults or muggings, but if I did I'd carry a gun or some pepper spray and still drive a Tesla.
kuri-kuma@reddit
Believe it or not, I was in Irvine! Totally unexpected place for something like to happen.
But yeah, my experience was an edge case when it comes to typical software behavior, but it was still enough for me to retreat to the safety of reliable physical devices.
ymjcmfvaeykwxscaai@reddit
I do wish we had more competition, feels like companies try to avoid doing the things tesla does poorly, they also avoid doing the things Tesla does well.
The automation is very well implemented. Good software should be something you don't have to think about at all. Has nothing to do with deletion of physical controls or selling subscriptions. Those things can still be bad while good software is important.
Pinecone@reddit
I've seen many many models have phone as key but it's part of a subscription. Tesla has it as part of the car forever.
Disastrous-Egg8923@reddit
360 cameras.
BMWs feature that remembers the last 50 metres you have driven; 1 tap and the car reverses hands-free for the entire 50 metres.
Head up Displays..great safety invention
Sounders1@reddit
A heads up display has been a game changer for me. Once you memorize the buttons on the steering wheel you rarely need to look down.
CAPSLOCKCHAMP@reddit
Ya as a tall guy who recently tested cars that I can’t see the speed behind the steering wheel and then tested a BMw i5 M60 with a HUD, this is essential
masterventris@reddit
I do wonder how much people actually observe while looking at the HUD. Just because you can see through it doesn't mean your brain processes any of that while focused on the HUD.
People walking down the street on their phones still have peripheral vision, yet walk into stuff regardless.
For stuff like speed, the glance at the HUD or at the dash is negligible difference. For changing music I reckon it is just as distracting as looking away completely.
I have seen studies that suggest they are better, but in the studies the participant is told to expect hazards, which automatically biases them into paying more attention, and the tests are a few minutes long. The studies are not done by throwing a swerving Altima in your way after 2 hours of boring freeway driving!
No-Alfalfa1894@reddit
It's the main way I check my speed in my Mazda 3. I rarely look down at the gauges.
It's nice to always have in your line of sight. In fact, I miss it when I drive cars without it.
Kashtin@reddit
Literally same. It's the one reason I haven't gotten and photoradar tickets since I got the car
omegaalphard2@reddit
Have you even used HUD?
masterventris@reddit
Yep, had one in an ID.3 for the last 3 years. Even paid extra for it as I was excited to try the augmented reality nav. Only just sold that car actually.
The hud was there, it just wasn't impactful on my driving, and the nav icons didn't work with android auto.
The hud also disappears if you wear polarised sunglasses, so half the time I couldn't see it even if I wanted to!
Nyxlo@reddit
I think you can rotate the HUD a bit to make it visible with polarized sunglasses, although it would be dimmer than normal.
chlronald@reddit
One main advantage of HUD that you haven't accounted for is the focal distance, a proper design hud overlay should have a far focal distance so your eye doesn't need to adjust when checking the speed (or whatever information your HUD projected) and back to the road.
funnyfarm299@reddit
Fighter jets have been utilizing HUDs for decades and they've recently made their way into commercial aviation. I doubt the FAA would allow it unless they determined it was as safe or safer than traditional gauges.
srcorvettez06@reddit
HUD has been a thing since the late 90s/early 2000s
Spyzilla@reddit
They are still pretty uncommon though
cannedrex2406@reddit
In 2025? Barely, almost every modern car has one.
Mazda3, VW Golf, a basic Honda Accord. It's one of those things that are slowly becoming mainstream
SophistXIII@reddit
I don't think it's correct to say "almost every modern car has one".
HUDs are usually locked behind an upper trim level or an optional extra.
cannedrex2406@reddit
Still doesn't make it a luxury item if it can be specced on a hatchback though
PM_ME_happy-selfies@reddit
Nah his point still stands imo, having to get a top trim in order to have it makes it a luxury item in my eyes. Sure cheaper cars have it but cheaper cars even have ventilated seats, but again only on the top trims normally.
godisoursavior@reddit
They had huds on pontiacs lol
PM_ME_happy-selfies@reddit
I’m aware, my friend has one. It also only came on the GTP and GXP versions which were… higher trims.
Chippy569@reddit
GM was doing them in the grand prix in like... 93?
srcorvettez06@reddit
I was think back to my uncle’s 97 GTP
Sounders1@reddit
Maybe so... but the amount of custom information that can be displayed is certainly more than 30 years ago. From cruise control settings, changing radio stations, and making phone calls, it's not just your speed anymore.
Hellbanez@reddit
Also bonus points if the HUD displays blind spot monitoring. I still do shoulder checks when changing lanes but it’s nice to know if someone is in your blind spot without having to look left or right.
New_Inside3001@reddit
Used to love it on 2010’s bmw but the 2020+ design is just too damn big and distracting
Switched off permanently, never use it
NjGTSilver@reddit
Has this become more popular or is it limited to GM and super high end models? Always thought this was a no brainer for cars, I even use an old iPhone for the “cell phone reflecting on windshield” app for long trips.
BlazinAzn38@reddit
I think all Mazdas come with it
HaruMistborn@reddit
Except the miata.
Cadet_Broomstick@reddit
just make it in green, mazda
cream-of-cow@reddit
that's got a different kind of heads up display
SwiftCEO@reddit
They’re available, but not standard on lower trims.
badpuffthaikitty@reddit
Heated seats and steering wheels.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
Are these really "modern"?
An electric steering wheel heater is made which conforms to the shape of the steering wheel and may be installed with out difficulty. The consumption of cur rent is 4 amperes on a 6-volt system. Price $5.–Konsry Electric Co., 2041 E. Third St., Cleveland
- January 17, 1917 issue of Motor World magazine
ad895@reddit
Yes because they weren't common or even available in the vast majority of cars until recently.
Ran4@reddit
I mean they've been a feature of most cars since the early 10s.
FlamingoImpressive92@reddit
$124.09 in todays money
benmarvin@reddit
Definitely still a luxury item.
xone2three@reddit
Love heated steering wheels. So helpful in the winter if you live in a cold area. I actually don't use my heated seats much but turn on the heated wheel almost everyday in the cold months.
MaybeAlice1@reddit
Wireless CarPlay is wonderful.
A lot of the modern safety stuff is helpful. Things like rear cross traffic warnings make parking lots safer, especially since everyone is driving big cars these days.
Automated parking is kinda terrible though. I’ve used it a few times on my car and it’s slow and cumbersome. With the 360 camera, I’d usually just rather park myself.
Mouse_Card@reddit
I would love wireless CarPlay….if it wasn’t for the time between hitting the skip button and when it actually skips.
When I need to skip all the ads in a podcast, I need to skip…wait to see if “purple mattress” or some other garbage is being talked about, then skip again and repeat.
With wired…nice and snappy. Plus it charges better anyway. For me at least.
Ran4@reddit
I can take a second of delay when switching tracks. What I really don't like is the 10+ second delay on the map display.
It feels completely broken.
Nikiaf@reddit
Agreed, there’s a weirdly high latency when skipping tracks that isn’t at all present when using wired CarPlay. Whenever I’m in the car for more than a short trip, I just plug in my phone.
slvrsmth@reddit
Eh. I use automated parallel parking very often with my renault. It will definately squeeze in a tighter spot than I would be comfortable attempting. No 360 camera tho.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
I love wireless CarPlay
You will also be able to locate every out of regs broadcaster or cop shop in the city. That is annoying.
MaybeAlice1@reddit
The dropped connection thing has gotten better for me recently. There used to be a couple places on my commute that would consistently drop the connection but it hasn’t happened in weeks (and now that I’ve cursed myself, it’ll start happening again, I’m sure). I’m trying to remember if it was new phone or software update that fixed it. Nothing changed with the car side of the equation though.
Mojave_Idiot@reddit
Yeah, you might have jinxed it.
Mines intermittent but corroborated by the city’s subreddit.
No fault of wireless CarPlay. Just an annoying side effect of flagrant fcc regulations
MrKuub@reddit
Anything that happens after setting it once.
Walk up to my closed bmw, unlocks by having the key with me in my pocket, sit down in my preconditioned cabin, with preheated steering wheel and seats.
Press the start button, my phone is automatically connected. Ask to play a playlist or podcast. Ask to navigate to “work”. GPS makes a route based on congestion, accidents or closures.
All that happens in less than 2 minutes - without fail. I can’t imagine getting a daily that doesn’t do any of the above anymore. I love driving, doesn’t matter the car. But when leaving for work at 6am? Perfection.
Time-Maintenance2165@reddit
2 minutes? That sounds like it should take 15 seconds.
MrKuub@reddit
It probably does, never timed it. It was just to underline the fact it goes so seamless
Barbecue-Ribs@reddit
Awesome feature in bmws.
Except when you’re doing some work near your garage and you car locks/unlocks 100 times.
DocAtDuq@reddit
Couldn’t agree more, it’s just one less inconvenience to deal with. It’s extremely nice to walk outside in the freezing cold and immediately get into a warm car that you don’t have to scrape.
I’ve had the auto navigation save me commute time before when highways were shut down for traffic.
Zestyclose_Fact_4429@reddit
I've had a number of cars that the seats move back after you shut off the engine for easy exit. Then when getting back into the car they move back to the saved setting for the key fob you have with you.
Time-Maintenance2165@reddit
I hate that feature. It's so slow. I'm not fat, I don't need that extra space.
It's worse when getting back in and I have to wait before I can buckle and start the car.
michaeldeng18@reddit
This feature always destroys my rear passenger's legs LOL
uberdosage@reddit
The look of panic as the seat continues to squish towards them hehe
Brucenotsomighty@reddit
When i was in high school I looked at an early 2000s Lincoln that had that and was amazed. I was even more amazed when I didn't see another car with it until the late 2010s. I can't believe it wasn't more common considering powered seats were common for a long time now.
apoctank@reddit
that's been around for at least 20 years, probably longer
D4ng3rd4n@reddit
Yes, and OP asked for modern or luxury gadgets. This falls into luxury IMHO...
apoctank@reddit
I figured he meant features that are modern and luxurious, not features that are either modern or luxurious
D4ng3rd4n@reddit
Fair, we just interpreted it differently
Zestyclose_Fact_4429@reddit
Yes it has, but not on Hyundai models. Previously limited to luxury cars, that's why I mentioned it.
apoctank@reddit
If you count a Ford explorer as luxury I guess
ZZ9ZA@reddit
My parents cars both have that and I freakin hate it. I’m 5 11.
1HateReddit11@reddit
How tall are you? My last car had this and after a few days I turned the feature off. I'm 6'2", I'm curious if I'm in the minority of not liking this.
Zestyclose_Fact_4429@reddit
6'0" and loved it.
1HateReddit11@reddit
Hmmm, I guess it's just me, lol
MembershipNo2077@reddit
I'm 6' 2", I turned the feature off. The real shit was one of my cars had "memory" of seat position dependent on which key it detects. It seemed neat, until I grabbed my wifes keys and I thought the car was attempting to squish me into paste.
Sindri-Myr@reddit
I think it's more of a short people/legs thing since they push the seat closer to the dash. If you already have the seat farther back normally you won't notice much difference.
Zestyclose_Fact_4429@reddit
Not at all. My wifes XT5 has it, but she leaves it off.
NWbySW@reddit
Smart cruise with full start/stop.
I have pretty brutal commute on a very congested slice of freeway. It's a god send not having to constantly meter my speed between 0-20mph for an hour. I feel less drained by the time I get to work.
SunnySTX@reddit
Massage chairs!
Big-Energy-3363@reddit
Vibrators
BC999R@reddit
I bought my first car in 1975. I love adaptive cruise and CarPlay, also the backup camera and rear cross-traffic warning, mostly for pedestrians in parking lots. But I’ve never owned a car with power seats (despite currently owning 3 cars 10 years old or younger) and the one car we have with auto climate control, I never use it.
lumaco@reddit
Not a luxury gadget perhaps, but keyless go.
I had it in my old Subaru Impreza and never really thought about it, but now when I got a couple of years newer Honda that doesn’t have it I miss it dearly. It’s so nice to never have to hunt for the keys in the pockets
PotatoGamerXxXx@reddit
Even better with the touch to unlock thingy, just put your hand on the handle naturally and it unlocks.
NoFingersMonkeyPaw@reddit
Even even better when it's got walk away auto locking.
I basically forget to lock my wife's car every time I drive it because I'm so used to my Honda where I just get out, close the door, and walk away knowing the car will lock itself when I get more than 10 feet away.
whohasideasanyway@reddit
I turned that off on mine. I love the touch unlock but the walk away lock is one thing I’m kind of curmudgeonly about. I don’t think it’s so hard to just push the damn button on the door handle and I know if I had it on I would forget to lock any other car I drove
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
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bruh-iunno@reddit
might be able to enable it with a diagnostic computer, my car didn't lock itself by default but with the diagnostic software I could turn that option on and now it does along with a beep
t-poke@reddit
That's the biggest thing I miss going from a Model 3 to an EV6.
I've gotten better about remembering to lock now. But it seems like something every car should have now.
kevindlv@reddit
Yeah, I will never go back to a car without this function anymore either. You don't realize how nice is it to not fish your key out of your pocket until you never have to do it anymore.
Turbulent-Throat9962@reddit
I think most “modern conveniences” in cars are ridiculous, but I’d love this feature. I feel like I spend 20 minutes a day looking for my keys.
kevindlv@reddit
I drove an old Tacoma with manual locks and windows, manual key, etc for forever so I didn't think I'd ever needed any conveniences.
The 'touch to open' doors are absolutely a must-have for any future daily drivers I have. It's so so nice to just throw your key in your bag or pocket then not mess with it.
hannahranga@reddit
I too spend far too much time looking for mine but I feel like a keyless ignition would just let me do a better job of losing them.
AwesomeBantha@reddit
might be a hot take, but I don’t think I would want this or most of the other newish key tech… I wear sweatpants without zippers (stuff falls out whenever you sit down) so I need to have a dedicated place to store the key while I’m driving
my keys are on a lanyard so I’m never hunting for them in the pockets… I guess I could just put the touchless key on a lanyard as well, but it seems like fewer and fewer keys actually go on keyrings these days
Cod_rules@reddit
For real. I just throw my keys in my office bag on weekdays and never have to think again. Unlocking the car, starting it, locking it, no need to fish around for keys. Just walk in and walk away, so convenient
jasonmoyer@reddit
It's only been a few years and I think owning a car that requires a key would feel weird now. It's nice locking/unlocking by touching the door handles and just having to push the clutch in and press the ignition button to start the engine.
Problem_what_problem@reddit
Although I live in a city, I never lock my boring white SUV.
I also enjoy never having to fumble for my fob / key.
L-Capitan1@reddit
Features I’ve had that I’d have a hard time living without now are: - Heated seats - Heated steering wheel - 360 cameras - Proximity key that means you don’t need to take key or phone out of your pocket/purse - Radar cruise control you set the speed to cruise and it speeds up and slows based on traffic - Auto braking to stop car if you don’t stop in time - Proximity sensors that let you know how close you are to objects, they can also be annoying, but you get to know them and it’s useful
Those are features I’d have a hard time doing without or would think twice if a car didn’t have them. radar cruise control
BetterSite2844@reddit
Huge fan of lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and all the driving assists, especially for driving in gridlock.
corndoggy67@reddit
No shade meant, and this could not be you, but I feel like the people who love these features are people who like to text and drive. Lol
Everyone I know who drives seems to HATE lane assist and a lot of those features.
funnyfarm299@reddit
I love driving as much as the next guy, but when I cover 1,000 miles a week keeping my car between the lines on interstates gets really boring. I'll happily let a car take the lead.
corndoggy67@reddit
This makes more sense. For long hauls and heavy mileage I bet it's a godsend! But for grocery getters in town it seems like more of a confidence booster to encourage not paying attention.
PorkedPatriot@reddit
In my experience it isn't reliable in those situations anyways.
If I'm on a long-haul drive on the highway, it's a plus. Driving around town where you might have to cross the fog line? I don't want to fight the computer thank you. IMO feature should be in the same interface as cruise control, I'm never gonna turn it on cruise.
corndoggy67@reddit
I totally agree. And linking it to the cruise control would be amazing honestly, I never even thought of that.
CG_Ops@reddit
My wife's car has Lane Keep Assist (LKA) and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). I'm also a 20+ year motorcycle rider (racer and instructor) so it is ingrained in me to watch every car around me, where they're looking, and how they're driving/behaving so that I can anticipate when/how they're going to potentially inadvertently kill me...
I like LKA only for when I have people in the car and a distraction that would've otherwise had me close/on the line is automatically corrected. My constant vigilance of the cars around me makes it a non-issue when there's nearby cars, but I'm a little more blasé when no one's around me... so when it misreads the lines or I'm making an unexpected lane change for whatever reason, I hate that it fights me.
ACC is a gamechanger for SF Bay commuting. Again, since I'm always watching the cars surrounding me, my eyes are often darting to the rearview and side mirrors and/or shoulder checks. ACC doesn't replace my forward attention but it massively supports it. For example, if I'm doing my final shoulder check to change lanes and the car in front of me brakes hard, it's good to have the system there to alert me or to apply the brakes for me.
corndoggy67@reddit
CHP isn't doing shit about it here in San Diego either. I'm a 10+ year licensed rider.
This makes sense though. I think there are reasonable applications but I fear and have seen that people use them as an excuse not to pay attention/actively drive.
I think I've got much less concern with ACC and more concerned with lane assist. I just don't like it. But to each their own and I'm sure there are tons of people who use it responsibly. Unfortunately I feel like I encounter the opposite more frequently.
IStillLikeBeers@reddit
I really don't understand how so many cars here are going around with no plates whatsoever - clearly CHP, SDPD and SDCS aren't enforcing that at all, otherwise so many people wouldn't be doing it.
CG_Ops@reddit
I just turn LKA off when I get in, keeps my aggravation levels to the minimum possible when on the road, where 25-50% of drivers have no reasonable business being, given their skills/behaviors.
corndoggy67@reddit
Preach brother. 😂
BetterSite2844@reddit
I want to emphasize that these features take the edge off of the aggravating and fatiguing things about driving, and they're definitely not an excuse for tuning out.
GaylrdFocker@reddit
I love using it on my commute to work, but I know better than to trust it explicitly. If the lanes are marked well then it works wonderfully.
strongmanass@reddit
I appreciate them all and don't like to text and drive. I like any feature that makes a monotonous drive more relaxing. I will admit that bad implementations of ADAS have the opposite effect. The lane keep system in Kias ~5 years ago is really annoying as it drifts the car back and forth in the lane. But good ADAS is really helpful on a long, boring drive.
BetterSite2844@reddit
I fucking hate driving but I definitely don't text and drive.
corndoggy67@reddit
Hahaha like I said no shade meant at you directly! But you're a good person, texting and driving is awful.
tekniklee@reddit
I am not a huge fan of lane keep. Almost killed me a few times in a rental landrover
8P69SYKUAGeGjgq@reddit
Trusting the electronics in a Land Rover was your first mistake.
Facts_pls@reddit
Are there cars that do lane centering very well? Cause a few cars I have driven were not good.
Nyxlo@reddit
Haven't had any complaints in my Genesis.
RedTosim@reddit
Bmw and merc are excellent because they use gps + camera + and the car in front as referance. Especially for MY 2017+
ohhh_blackbetty@reddit
Renting a Santa Fe right now and it’s pretty consistent. So maybe Hyundai brands?
thisismychair@reddit
My ‘21 TLX does it pretty reliably, so plus 1 for Honda. Makes my 40 mile commute much less stressful.
Scrios@reddit
I have a '22 Civic and it seems to work well. It's great for long highway drives. I don't have anything to compare it to, though
AndrewIsntCool@reddit
Lane departure warning, fantastic. Automatic lane cenetering, noooo thank you
-Never-Enough-@reddit
I am a huge fan of those features lowered my insurance when I bought a newer vehicle.
mr_bots@reddit
Huge stress relief for gridlock and great for the exact opposite of eating up long highway runs.
Relax_Dude_@reddit
Now that I have a luxury car I feel like I can actually comment legitimately, got the '25 X5 fully loaded. For a daily user the most practical feature is auto unlock and lock when you walk to and away from the car. Especially with kids when your hands are full. Thats probably the most necessary feature to me. The adaptive cruise control / lane assist is really nice on long trips but not for a daily commute. Daily commutes are going to be in commuter traffic with tons of crazy drivers swerving all over the place going all kinds of speeds so it's safest to just manually drive the car. The seat heater and massage are really nice features, when you're driving home and its a warm seat with the massage on it's relaxing. I always have problems with my back tensing up and being uncomfortable in many positions so this helps alot. The heated steering wheel is nice but I can live without it, I'm in california so within a few minutes it'll feel okay. I also love the auto-reverse/park feature whatever it's called. Our driveway is long and narrow and the garage is on the side of the house. So if you're getting out you literally just do the auto-reverse thing and it backs out exactly how you came in, don't have to worry about hitting a tree or bushes or whatever lines the driveway. And obviously the 360 view is super clutch. I pretty much always turn it on when parking, whether it's on a curb or a parking lot, it gets my parking perfect every time.
Sharp-Hotel-2117@reddit
Modern active suspension/ABS, saved my bacon on the interstate. Hydroplaned at speed, car began to rotate. No way in hell I had/have the skills to recover, electronics kicked in and straightened the path. I'd guess a 30-45 degree angle towards the guard rail at the most, 70mph. The transition from grooved to smooth road surface caught me along with wide tires and a lightweight car.
I got new tires a few days later, splashed out on the "best" and have had no issues since.
Bonerchill@reddit
That sounds like stability control, not active suspension.
TheGT1030MasterRace@reddit
Toyota had a predictive stability control system (vehicle dynamics integrated management) in 2004 on the Japanese Crown Majesta that is now standard across pretty much their entire lineup.
admiraltarkin@reddit
Front axle lift. I regret not getting it in my car
dodrugzwitthugz@reddit
This is sports car specific but really should be standard on all sports cars.
Bonerchill@reddit
Just buy an older sports car that has actual ground clearance because the designers understood real world usage, not prissy pants track usage.
IStillLikeBeers@reddit
Pray for me for my incoming CGTS with SPASM.
CG_Ops@reddit
I wish the inverse were (more readily) available on trucks. I love my 4x4 for transporting my motorcycles, however, now that my dog is 13 y/o, it's hard for him to get in/out, even with the ramp I got for him. If my truck could drop 3-5", it'd be MUCH easier for him to get in/out... same for my mom, who's hitting 80 this year, but at least I can just put a little step stool out for her, the dog is much more difficult to deal with.
AwesomeBantha@reddit
my LX 470 has hydraulic suspension that I can both raise and lower by 2-3 inches from the cabin itself
I believe the LX 570 (which came out in 2008) has a feature that will automatically lower the vehicle when it’s shifted into park for easier entry/exit
admiraltarkin@reddit
My wife's Defender has air ride so it can be lowered a few inches. Not exactly what you're advocating for, but close-ish
leo9173@reddit
AC. I don't care about anything else, my only requirement is an AC
220V_50Hz@reddit
Just a rear camera and hill assist. The rest are fine to have but are just unnecessary.
The_SHUN@reddit
Reverse camera, it’s a godsend
WhiskeyWatchesWine@reddit
Heads up display. Have had it since 2014. Parking sensors and 360 camera but BMW has overdone it with the colored obstacle indicators. Keyless entry and ignition. Have had that since 2007.
Business_Glove3192@reddit
Once you get a car with keyless entry and push button start, you ain’t never going back.
zneave@reddit
Heated steering wheel.
Energy4Days@reddit
It's wild to me how backup cameras are mandatory and dashcams aren't
They should be standard by now
candylandmine@reddit
I use my 360 camera all the time in the city.
dcryan@reddit
Hydraulic front axle lift makes a huge difference.
Ok_Thought_314@reddit
Heated and cooled seats.
symposium22@reddit
I cannot imagine having to use the key to unlock the car like in the old days. Every car has it, but still a luxury
dharder9475@reddit
Smartwatch.
EasternChallenge9452@reddit
Self driving. It’s great on long road trips.
MooselookManiac@reddit
Yep. It's amazing how much less fatigued you are just by offloading 50% of the driving effort. Hard to explain it to someone who hasn't tried it. I can drive for like 10 hours straight now with self-driving. Previously I would be pretty worn out after half that time.
KarmaticEvolution@reddit
I mean, I see how much less fatigue I have with regular cruise control, adaptive would be amazing, self-driving life changing (if I did long commutes often).
mr_bots@reddit
Especially on interstates with people merging and passing. Just let the adaptive cruise control do its thing.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
At least for me, luxury features that I actually care about plateaued in about 2014. In 2014 you could get a car with:
Adaptive cruise, CarPlay, 360 Camera, HUD, heated steering wheel, power liftgate, and keyless go.
The only feature since then that has come out since then that I actually want is SuperCruise.
Its kinda wild that in the past 10 years only one new car feature is something I really want in a daily driver.
mr_bots@reddit
Adaptive cruise control isn’t new but it has improved a lot over the years. The refinement in modern systems is in a different league than the cars that had it in 2016. A huge leap was when brake boosters started being electric. Now the car can have full, stepped control of the brakes and the associated brake hold that comes along with it is super convenient in drive throughs.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
My 2014 has servo controlled power brake assist and brake hold.
mr_bots@reddit
They generally had vacuum assist brakes like most cars have had for decades then relied on the ABS module to do most of the work for ACC.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
I think you are confused. The brake servo is specifically used for ACC/Collision avoidance (and brake hold in cars without ACC). They are still vacuum assisted for the most part, the servo just actuates a vacuum boosted brake cylinder.
The ABS module is seperate, its its own pressure actuation module.
gdnws@reddit
If you moved your target year up by one, you could probably get all of those in one car. CarPlay was only launched in 2014 and, if the wiki is correct, only was available in one car that year; the Ferrari ff. And even then only towards the end of the year. I can't tell if it made it for the 2014 model year or not. It is a feature that I have toyed with the idea of adding to my own car as a retrofit. None of the kits I have seen so far have been sufficiently integrated or of good enough quality for me to spring for them but that they are available means that some of the groundwork is already taken care of at least.
ymjcmfvaeykwxscaai@reddit
I used to feel like the only thing I really wanted was carplay. Tech in general was never something I would upgrade for. But after living with it it's kind of hard to go back.
MattWolf96@reddit
Heated Seats (I've never been able to try a cooled one), backup cameras, blind spot monitoring, Android Auto/Apple Carplay.
Mytre-@reddit
HUD and the side mirrors camera , hell multi cameras. My hyundai has cameras all around including 2 angles on each side mirror. Each time I use a turn signal in my cluster I get a camera view of my blindspot which is really nice and its in an angle where I still have field of view of the rest of the front of the car. Also all the cameras, a few times I had to park in places where I can abrely see the ground or around my car (think of off road parking) and with a simple button being able to see a view from the side mirrors to the floor in front and rear of the car plus the 360 camera has made those parking jobs super easy.
The HUD is just extra, I think I never see my gauge cluster since the HUD has all the info I really need most of the time.
yf22jet@reddit
360 camera, adaptive cruise control (won’t buy a car without either), heated/cooled seats, heated steering wheel
supern8ural@reddit
I got spoiled when I had a rental with Android auto.
I would like a car that pushes the driver's seat back when you open the door, because it's hard to fold my legs out without kicking the kick panels. Unfortunately none of my vehicles do that.
Iforgotmybrain@reddit
Adaptive cruise control without a doubt. It makes long highway drives so, so much better. VW's travel assist system thingy (dunno what other brands call it) is also really nice, but realistically I could live without it.
ymjcmfvaeykwxscaai@reddit
There are so many and I would really like to see them on more brands.
UWB Phone key/ apple watch key Settings profiles/easy entry. Built in dashcam/sentry mode equivalent auto heated/ vented seats Move car out of stall with key, like a dumb summon. Active driver assist can be useful when properly implemented. More one pedal/no start button/auto shift stuff for EVS specifically.
PM_ME_happy-selfies@reddit
My garage is kind of narrow so I use the key parking button for pulling it in and out of the garage lol
jesusrambo@reddit
How do you use the key for that?
t-poke@reddit
Hyundai, Kia and Genesis cars have buttons on the fob to move the car backwards and forwards.
It's a neat party trick, but I haven't personally had a need for it. Yet. I'm sure one day I'll come out to my car to find some jackoff parked next to me and gave me 5 inches of room.
ubercruise@reddit
Yeah I’ve properly used it once on my BMW when someone parked way too close to get in. I can also see it being helpful for getting my kids car seat in; back it up a couple feet so the rear door can get clear when someone is a bit close. Otherwise mostly a party trick.
MooselookManiac@reddit
I can tell you own a Tesla because those are all just standard Tesla features, lol.
ymjcmfvaeykwxscaai@reddit
Maybe someday I'll be able to experience rain sensing wipers that work.
MooselookManiac@reddit
Lol, yeah they are a joke. Honestly that's one of my only complaints about the cars. Just add the $10 normal rain sensor like every other car brand!
randopop21@reddit
I feel that's a gimmick. I know 2 people who have the same height but very different torso to leg length ratios. There is no way a single measurement such as height would set the seats to an optimal setting.
I have monkey-length arms. Off-the-rack shirts don't fit. I need my seat reclined a bit more than most people so that I can more comfortably hold the steering wheel.
I'd rather have easy-to-adjust controls for the seat in multiple directions rather than have a pseudo-intelligent system like the one on that Mercedes.
What_is_rich@reddit
Auto exit seat and steering wheel retraction is missed when you no longer have it. Especially if you're short.
randopop21@reddit
I don't have this so I can only imagine that radar cruise control, where they it keeps pace with the car in front of you, would be great. I hate the normal "dumb" cruise control in heavier traffic.
marksocials97@reddit
Auto hold(don’t have to keep foot on brake at a red light, drive thrus, etc.) I don’t think I can get another car without that feature
HomelessbabyRL@reddit
not new but a feature I use daily on my 2012 IS F is when I put my car in reverse the side mirrors auto pan down so I can see the ground by my rear tires. then they go back to the original spot when I place it back in park/drive.
extremely helpful for backing into tight spots specifically against curbs
AwesomeBantha@reddit
it’s been around for a while, my 99 LX has that as well and I love it
it4rz4n@reddit
I have a rear camera washer which I absolutely love, especially in winter up in Canada.
ZZ9ZA@reddit
VW is clever, they put it under the logo. Stays clean as the lens is only exposed for the 10 seconds you’re actually in reverse.
goaelephant@reddit
Reverse camera. I don't rely on it for the entire process of backing up, but it's very useful for "fine tuning" the last few inches of whatever you're trying to back up against.
WatchingyouNyouNyou@reddit
Ventilated seats are the best
Honest-Committee6141@reddit
I only need two things: Italien leather and an Italian engine 😜
bruh-iunno@reddit
keylessss entry and go
keys just live in my pocket permanently, bliss
5prcnt@reddit
Heads up display.
BastianHill@reddit
Electric heated front wind shield in my Focus. It's just brilliant after a frosty night to touch a button and drive off in 30 seconds. The heated seats and steering wheel are a nice bonus too.
Yhrite@reddit
Active bolstering :)
Carnegiejy@reddit
As someone that lives where it gets cold, heated mirrors and wiper bays are awesome.
TheLordLongshaft@reddit
Hill hold, Bluetooth, satnav and parking sensors, heated wing mirrors
Could take or leave the rest
Srnkanator@reddit
Parking sensors.
360° cameras.
Auto high beam.
Rain sensing wipers.
Weakness4Fleekness@reddit
Adaptive cruise, one of the only modern car features i dont hate. Just give me that and carplay and im good.
baked-chicken@reddit
Heated Steering wheel. Nothing else matters.
AlfaPorsche@reddit
Blind spot warning, 360 camera and adaptive cruise control, as others have mentioned. And auto high beams; that and the adaptive cruise makes highway driving at night less tiring.
Averageinternetdoge@reddit
Probably not that modern anymore, but they are to me since I grew up driving old rustbuckets: Heated seats, heated steering wheel and heated mirrors. So useful if you actually have freezing winters. In fact, I'd rather have those 3 instead of integrated navigation, audio, drive modes and any of that fancy tech fluff.
SqueezyCheez85@reddit
Using your phone as a key. I really hate keys, and love the convenience of not needing them.
Link_inbio@reddit
I love the rear camera
LandscapeJust5897@reddit
For households with more than one driver, memory seats are a godsend.
maybach320@reddit
Wireless carplay, and all the extra cameras are what I find useful day in and day out.
yvery@reddit
The radar sensors in the taillight that warn you of a car coming from the side when you reverse or a cyclist coming when you open the door.
Reduxalicious@reddit
Cameras.
I don't know the term for them but..Radar?.
basically when off roading or in a parking lot or in general it's a Sensor that pops up and shows where an Object is getting close to the vehicle in a full 360 degree window (If it's directly in front it pops on the front Camera)
That's really cool and useful even on the daily.
Memory seats are nice.
Android Auto/Carplay is great
None of these are probably "Luxury" anymore I think,
It's funny how many "Luxury' options are now almost main stays.
PM_ME_happy-selfies@reddit
It’s probably LiDAR, not 100% sure but I know what’s what most vehicles that have it use for lane keeping, self driving, and likely what you’re describing.
narwhal_breeder@reddit
Lane keeping is camera based. The parking sensors OP is describing are ultrasonic proximity sensors.
PM_ME_happy-selfies@reddit
I was getting it confused with the autonomous driving, level 3 autonomous driving is the one that uses LiDAR.
briancaos@reddit
Individial driver profiles. My Polestar 2 remembers not only seat and mirror positions but also heated seats and heated steering wheel settings, AND all apps and their settings.
Great when you share the car with your spouse. When I enter the car, the seat is where I need it, Spotify remembers my playlist, and the Radio remembers my favorites.
Not necessary but very practical.
yll33@reddit
if you let other people drive your car, a spouse, kids, etc, then yes
spacetimebear@reddit
Pre-heating is the next gadget I need in a car.
noremac2414@reddit
This was my first winter with a heated steering wheel and I’ll never go back
Stone_The_Rock@reddit
Cooled seats. I am a sweaty guy, leather is popular in the states, and leather is not the most breathable.
Heads-up display: key info only, I don’t need an entire map and a novel up there. But mine does speed, speed limit, cruise control info, turn info, and pops up simple notifications for incoming call (accept/decline) and media control (next/previous). This has become mandatory for a daily for me.
orange150@reddit
I failed to realize this was r/cars and not askreddit and was thoroughly confused at the responses
Comfortable-Cow-8702@reddit
Head up displays for me are useful. Helps keep your eyes on the road while maintaining a certain speed
Spectre_STnR@reddit
Well today alone I used heated steering wheel, heated seat. Wireless android, Adaptive cruise, and 360 camera. In a 15 minute commute. Do I would say those are pretty useful.
Benweavdog@reddit
Adaptive cruise x1000000
Lawineer@reddit
heads up display with navigation. Game changer, imo.
Shomegrown@reddit
Built in garage door opener. The range is much further than the standard remotes and it works every time. Plus when I get within about 200' of my house the nav screen automatically prompts if I want to open the garage and I just tap it.
MethedUpEngineer@reddit
Heated mirrors depending on your definition of modern.
dodrugzwitthugz@reddit
This isn't a gadget but ceramic window tint is a godsend for anyone who lives in a warm climate. You can even put it on your windshield. It really does make a night and day difference.
snatch1e@reddit
Adjusting the seats according to the driver's height may seem cool at first glance, but in practice they not so practical. But adaptive cruise control and wireless communication are cool things.
Significant_Bet_6002@reddit
Hands free Bluetooth is a huge safety advance.
RedditWhileIWerk@reddit
reverse camera
AdSpiritual2594@reddit
Remote start is the one we use the most.
jasonmoyer@reddit
Android Auto/CarPlay
Kavani18@reddit
Ventilated seats. I test drove a WK2 Gran Cherokee with ventilated seats and I’d honestly rather have that than heated seats if it were a choice between the two
KARMAWHORING_SHITBAY@reddit
I was amazed that my car automatically adjusted the time for daylight savings, have never seen another car do that before, so I guess thats a luxury feature to me
markeydarkey2@reddit
I love my heads up display, it's the primary way I check speed & ADAS info.
unatleticodemadrid@reddit
Self closing doors and massaging seats.
MisterEmanOG@reddit
Autonomous cruise control! With lane keep assist/control
Trades46@reddit
The obvious ones are keyless starter, heated seats/steering wheel, wireless CarPlay/Android Auto.
One thing my Q4 has is an automatic distance monitor. Think adaptive cruise but it is always on and a little less intrusive - when it detects car slowing or stopping up front, the regen brakes will slowly engage to remind you to slow and you can get some battery back, the added bonus reminding you not to tailgate and reducing risk rear ending someone.
Thankfully it is a toggled feature, but I had it on for a year now and never found it intrusive but a great little add on.
achenx75@reddit
I miss having a heated steering wheel.
pfcgos@reddit
Maybe not what most people think of these days since they seem to be standard on most cars now, but remote start and seat warmers. If you've never had them before, it's really easy to discount them and tell yourself "I'll never use those!", but come that first REALLY cold morning and you don't want to go out and scrape your windows or sit in a frigid car, it makes a BIG difference to have remote start. Same with seat warmers. You might think you won't use it, but the first time you're driving in the cold and turn it on while you wait for the air to start blowing warmer, you'll realize how nice it can be.
When I bought my truck (2008 Ram 1500) I had never had anything new enough to really come with either option, and I laughed because I never needed either, why would I need to use them now. Then one morning, I had to go to work and it was below zero and I didn't even want to walk to my truck let alone scrape the windshield or wait for it to warm up. So, I used the auto start, and it was amazing climbing into an already warm truck. A few weeks later, I ended up using the seat warmers because I'd been in a hurry and the air wasn't fully warmed up yet and it was so nice.
NopeNotEvenOnce@reddit
Apple CarPlay. Radar cruise control.
1HateReddit11@reddit
Doors unlocking when you grab the handle and locking when you touch it. My new car has a physical button on the handle I have to press to lock/unlock. Seems like a minor difference but it's driving me nuts. My last car you just touched it.
braincovey32@reddit
360 camera and driver massaging feature.
Owned a 2024 Kia Telluride Prestige SX X Line and the massaging feature is the thing I loved and missed the most. Every 30 minutes of driving it would massage/roll therapy my lower back. Major game changer for long drives.
killerfrenchy@reddit
My new car has back-up warning chimes and they're such a godsend every time I'm in a parking lot. It saved my car twice in a parking lot when two huge SUVs parked next to me while I was in the grocery store and I had to slowly creep out of the spot before I could see. 2 dumbasses came screaming by in the parking lot and the car saw them before I could, so I stopped creeping back in time when the chimes went off.
PM_ME_happy-selfies@reddit
Something many cars seem to lack that I really love are doors that automatically unlock when you walk up to the car. Not a huge deal but there have been many times I thought the door was unlocked and yank on the handle or press the button on the handle and yank too soon before it unlocked, again not a huge deal but it’s a super nice convenience!
GMFPs_sweat_towel@reddit
The blind spot warning is a great system. I still double check my mirrors, but I like having that as a warning.
maduste@reddit
Remote start
Recent_Permit2653@reddit
I’m racking my brain, but can’t think of anything truly modern I find useful. I’d go heated seats or MPG displays, but those are hardly novel things.
Due_Percentage_1929@reddit
Android Auto
kegsbdry@reddit
Bluetooth slim folding keyboard for my phone (with a kickstand phone case).
It has helped me with typing out anything of length with ease. Changed how I travel now. Rarely take my laptop from my docking station now.
Toads_Mania@reddit
Auto wipers Heated/cooled seats and heated steering wheel My steering wheel tilts up when I open to driver’s door. It helps a bit getting in and out.
R_V_Z@reddit
Blind spot monitoring (first implemented in 2003, modern enough).
IknowwhatIhave@reddit
Automatic parking brake release. It’s standard on hybrids and I think most cars now but having it in a 1970’s Rolls-Royce was really cool. You put the car into D or R or N with your foot in the brake and the parking brake pops off with a loud click.
So much better than reaching down and pulling a lever.
StuckInNYForever@reddit
My Tesla has windshield wiper defrosters. Unfortunately I just learned that now that winter came to an end, so I will reserve judgement until next winter. But seems like that will be helpful on the days that they are ice glued to the windshield or have chuncka of ice on them.
alfonseexists@reddit
Backup camera.
onyoursidee@reddit
Not really a luxury anymore but a modernq properly configured auto-braking/collision avoidance system is all I really appreciate nowadays. Properly configured and it could save your skin on an off day and it's nice peace of mind; not properly configured and it'll pass you right the hell off.
spankmydingo@reddit
Japanese toilet. Clean as a whistle every day and a warm bum too.
8rings_86k@reddit
Xenon/LED bulbs. I’ve never used LEDs but the jump from halogen to xenon was MASSIVE for me. There isn’t much light where I drive.
N0Name117@reddit
Carplay and a single backup cam is about all I can think of that I have added to my truck unless you count things like AC or an auto transmission as a modern luxury.
Past that, I don't have auto climate, don't have auto headlights, no fancy cruise control or excessive cameras. No heated/cooled seats. Don't even have carpet and tbh, I don't feel like I need any of these things.
strangr_legnd_martyr@reddit
Seat memory. Maybe no longer "modern/luxury" but my wife likes to drive in a very different position than I do even though we're almost the same height.
Being able to have my seat/mirrors adjust with a button press or even when I get into the car with my fob vs hers is very useful.
Proof-Surprise-964@reddit
The phone connectivity/Bluetooth. I couldn't go without it anymore. The old vehicles are getting modern head units now.
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