Hands-off, semi-autonomous highway driving and rearward automatic emergency braking are the top two most wanted driver assistance features according to a new AutoPacific study. Overall, AutoPacific says its 2025 Future Vehicle Planner's preliminary data show a higher demand for autonomous driving and Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) features compared to its 2024 study.
The Future Vehicle Planner, a respected source widely used by automotive product planners, marketers and technology development teams, contains both the Future Attribute Demand Study (FADS) and the EV Consumer Insights Study Now in its 4th year, the study surveys licensed drivers ages 18 and older in the U.S. who intend to acquire a new, not used, vehicle within the next 3 years. This year's research is based on responses from nearly 18,000 new vehicle intenders, which AutoPacific says is its largest sample to date for this study. The study covers a multitude of new vehicle characteristics, as well as extensive psychographics and demographics, to help automakers and suppliers make informed vehicle and product decisions.
Top Wanted Features Include Autonomy, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
The most wanted feature for 2025, with demand from 43% of new vehicle intenders, is hands-off semi-autonomous driving for highway use only with driver attention required. Think GM’s Super Cruise and Ford’s BlueCruise. While there are levels of autonomy higher than this, demand for the feature increased 20% points over 2024.
Tied for first, also with demand from 43% of consumers, is a more common ADAS feature, rear automatic emergency braking. This Driver Assistance category feature is defined in the survey as, “when approaching an obstacle while reversing, the system will alert the driver while braking the vehicle to prevent moving further rearward and colliding with the obstacle.” Researchers say drivers have had a chance to experience the real safety benefits of this feature as it's become more commonplace in both mainstream and luxury vehicles.
Six other autonomous driving and driver assistance features make the top 15 most wanted features in 2025, including: adaptive cruise control with active lane centering AND stop and go, lane change assist, hands-off, fully-autonomous driving for all speeds to a pre-specified destination with no steering wheel and NO option to manually drive the vehicle, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic emergency braking, emergency evasive steering assist, and hands-off, fully-autonomous highway and city driving to a pre-specified destination with option to still drive the vehicle when desired, driver attention NOT required.
You can check out the Top 15 list below:
For more on this in-depth study, visit AutoPacific here.