As technology and features have gotten even better over the years there are many features we want to see in our cars and don’t want to live without them.  Some features do help you drive the car such as the active driver assistance features of adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, pre-collision warnings and many more.  These features should soon come as standard offerings on nearly every vehicle on the market, but there are others that are not quite as necessary that we don’t want to live without.  Here are some of those features we could live without, but don’t want to.

Bluetooth – The ability to connect your phone to your vehicle has become a necessary feature for most of us.  On the market today many brands have started to do away with the auxiliary port because a car with Bluetooth can do everything you need it to without the cable.  When paired with steering wheel controls you are able to make phone calls and use voice commands without the need to take your hands off the wheel.  This makes a much safer driving that even the Bluetooth headsets that many still enjoy using.

Active Bolsters – When you get into a car do you even think about the seats?  Many of us might look to see if they are powered seats or have a lumbar control, but most of us don’t think about the bolsters until we need them.  In many sports cars the active bolsters help to keep you in place when you take a corner at speeds so that you can focus more on the drive and the experience.  When you try and make a ride in a car without the active bolsters you certainly will notice a difference in your seating position after a turn.

Android Auto/Apple CarPlay – This feature uses your smartphone to handle the navigation, music, messages and phone calls.  The benefit is your smartphone is connected and programmed for you and typically works much better than the systems put in place by the automaker.  This also allows you to remain hands free while performing these functions to make it much easier for you to complete the desired tasks and stay safe on the road.  Because these systems are made for the main operating systems used on smart phones today your driving experience is one that will be custom to you.

Satellite Radio – This is a huge win in cars of today.  Having Satellite radio does require a subscription to be able to enjoy the listening, but this system offers more stations and options that your normal radio.  The reach is much greater too.  You might lose normal AM/FM channels in some locations that you will be able to pick up the Satellite Radio. It is also akin to cable TV where you can listen to something that is completely different than what is offered by the local stations including various genres of music, comedy, sports, stories and much more.

Good Backup Cameras – When you see a bad backup camera system you typically turn it off or don’t pay any attention to it at all.  A good system does a lot for you that a bad one won’t.  Good backup camera systems will have sightlines for you along with warning signals and give you a clear picture of a wide area around the rear of your vehicle.  This helps you when you need to be able to back up and have a vehicle that has a small rear window.  The systems that work the best allow manufactures the flexibility to have smaller rear visibility because their system works so well.

Lumbar Support – This is perfect for long road trips to relieve some of the strain on your lower back.  You might not think sitting would be difficult or tiring but it certainly can be.  With the right lumbar support for your back you will be able to feel more refreshed when you reach your destination.  A vehicle that does not offer any lumbar support is one you need to rethink if you are considering the car as your commuter model or one you will take on long road trips anytime in the future.

Panoramic Sunroof – There is absolutely no need for a sunroof in any vehicle, but it sure can enhance the driving and riding experience.  A bring sunny day with great temperatures is the right time to let the sun in and see what is going on in the sky while also letting a bit of the air into the vehicle to be enjoyed. Buying a convertible might not be the right choice for you, but a vehicle with a panoramic sunroof, which is much larger than a typical sunroof, can give everyone the enjoyment of seeing the sky around the vehicle.

Heated Steering Wheel – In cold climates one of the worst parts of getting into a cold car is touching the steering wheel which has been frozen overnight.  Most of us who drove cars that did not have this feature had to drive with gloves on in order to keep our hands warm.  This certainly lost some of the feel of the wheel with the gloves on and can create a more dangerous drive.  Having a heated steering wheel makes this a safer situation and gives you a warm place to put your hands on those cold morning drives to work.

Remote Start – Another cold or even hot climate benefit to a vehicle is the ability to start it remotely and have it cooled or warmed by the time you get to the car to leave for the day.  Some systems do not actually run the air conditioner, but all of them will operate the heat as needed.  You can finish your coffee in your warm house while your car thaws out the snow and ice to give you a clean and clear windshield to use on your way before you ever head out the door.  This makes the morning commute much more enjoyable.

Navigation System – Many of us make use of the navigation system on our phones when the vehicle doesn’t have a navigation system in place.  The problem with this is when cell service is lost or the phone battery is low.  Many times the smartphone navigation system will run the battery down in a hurry making it necessary to continually charge the phone while travelling.  An onboard navigation system avoids this problem and lets you have a great trip without the need to run your cell phone battery down or worry about the cell service dead zones.

Heated and Cooled Seats – Heated seats are amazing on cold days to get things warm, but the cooled seats are just as awesome for those extra hot days or after a hard workout.  When you are wearing shorts a leather or vinyl seat can burn your legs, which certainly doesn’t feel good.  A cooled seat will avoid this problem and help you cool your body down.  By the same token a heated seat often can get so hot you start to sweat and don’t need your coat on even on the coldest days of the year.  These seats are awesome to help you experience a much better overall comfort level.