A survey conducted by market research company Censuswide with 1,350 drivers in the UK in the summer of 2026 showed that the actual use of many car equipment is significantly lower than their popularity on new models.
In the driver assistance technology group, 25.9% of car owners with adaptive cruise control systems said they have never used it. About another 7% admitted not knowing how to operate this feature.
With the lane keeping support system, nearly 18% of respondents said they did not use it. Notably, 21.3% of drivers said they had completely turned off the automatic emergency braking system.
One reason is said to be that support systems sometimes issue warnings or interventions that are too sensitive, making drivers feel uncomfortable. Therefore, instead of maintaining operation, a part of drivers choose to turn off these features after buying a car.
Not only safety technology, many convenient equipment have not been effectively exploited. About 17.8% of surveyed drivers said they never use voice assistants. With the information display screen on the windshield, 17.1% do not use it and another 7% do not know how to operate it.
Massage seats are also not a popular feature in car use habits. Only about 22% of car owners equipped with this device said they use it regularly. The remote car start function is also only used by 24.5% of respondents.
In contrast to complex technologies, familiar and easy-to-operate features are used more often by drivers.
Bluetooth connection is in the most used group, with 58.3% of respondents saying they use it regularly. Rearview cameras are used by 45.7% of drivers, while navigation systems reach 44.5%. About 41% of respondents regularly use the windshield heating function.
Driving modes have also not been exploited much. Only 27.3% of drivers said they regularly use or change driving modes. This rate increased to 38.3% in the 25-34 age group.
Age also makes a difference in the approach to technology in cars. Bluetooth is used regularly by 68.5% of people aged 25-34 and 68.8% of the 35-44 age group, while this rate in the 55-year-old age group is only 49.7%.
With wireless charging, the rate of regular use reached 44.4% in the 35-44 age group but only 20.7% in the group over 55 years old. The remote car start function is also used more by young people, while only 5.1% of drivers over 55 years old said they use it regularly.
Survey results show that a car model possessing many technologies does not necessarily mean that they are all exploited by users. Easy-to-useness, level of suitability to actual needs and adequate guidance can determine whether a feature is truly effective or not.
