If you thought British drivers were clamouring for self-driving wizardry and full-on robo-cars… think again. According to new research from eBay, what UK motorists really want are simple, stress-saving tech features – starting with good old-fashioned parking sensors.
The study, which looked at the habits and preferences of 2,000 drivers, found that parking sensors were voted the No 1 bit of tech UK motorists can’t live without – beating flashier options like lane assist or automatic emergency braking.
Other must-haves included USB charging (29%) and Bluetooth (29%), proving that in-car convenience trumps complexity. In fact, almost a quarter of drivers admitted they don’t even know how to use the fancy ADAS features (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) in their car. Oops.
eBay’s research also shines a light on the age of Britain’s cars – with over 11 million vehicles on the road more than 12 years old, a lot of people are still missing out on modern-day features. To prove just how easy it is to update an older motor, eBay kitted out a 2005 BMW 330Ci with all the gear: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, blind spot warnings, reversing cameras, dash cams – the works.
The full top 10 driver must-haves include:
Parking sensors (37%)
USB charging (29%)
Bluetooth connectivity (29%)
Reversing camera (27%)
Assisted steering (20%)
Heated seats (17%)
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (14%)
Dash cam (13%)
Blind spot assist (11%)
Upgraded stereo (10%)
“The UK car park is getting older, but that doesn’t mean drivers have to miss out,” says Abir Tewari, eBay’s UK director of commercial operations. “There’s a huge range of affordable, easy-to-install tech that can breathe new life into older cars.”
