Technology

25.9 percent of owners whose cars have adaptive cruise control never switch it on

I know someone with adaptive cruise control who technically turns it on, but only when there's no car in front of them...

Nearly 18 percent steer clear of lane-keeping assist

I suspect these are also people who don't like to use turn signals. They don't like the car fighting their ill-advised lane change.

21.3 percent disable automatic emergency braking

I've never experienced actual automatic braking, though I did have a car that had a fairly high false positive rate on the collision alert that could have inspired someone to turn it off, and could easily imagine it if the car actually did brake. There's also people that are afraid it might have a false positive and turn it off pre-emptively.

Voice assistants go unused by 17.8 percent.

I'm shocked that number is so low. I have so little interest in what my car's voice assistant can do for me. In a family car I gave it a spin because it purported to be "fancier" but I didn't like it and it was also pretty useless. I don't see this as a big "meant to save their lives" thing, it's just a gimmick.

Augmented reality head-up displays fare no better: 17.1 percent of drivers who have one refuse to turn it on

I know someone in this boat, they don't like their view being obstructed, and the car model they wanted had this as base equipment. I would also say this is more gimmick than life saving. A glance to a speedometer or nav screen isn't going to be a super risk thing so long as those displays are appropriately located, they don't need to be right on the windshield.

massaging seats, just 22 percent say they use them regularly

Ok, really off the topic of the headline now. I have sat in a "massaging seat" in a car and am not surprised. It vaguely vibrates a bit, hardly worth anything.

only 22.4 percent use AR head-up displays when fitted

But they said AR HUD was rejected only by 17.1 percent of drivers? Guess the question would be what the definition of 'used' is if they have it on but somehow don't "use" it?

24.5 percent use remote start functions

In many cases, this is of pretty limited utility. If it's a keyfob-only capability, you have to be close enough to the car that, by that point, well you might as well get in and start it instead of digging out your keyfob. If it's got a gas engine, then it's not something you probably want to do out of sight. I will say for an electric car with internet controllable remote 'start', it's nice to get it going while you are getting ready to leave at the end of a workday or when you are paying the check at a restaurant.

45.7 percent of respondents say they regularly use reversing cameras

I actually saw someone this week who spent years ignoring his backup camera finally decide that his back up camera was handy. He's also the worst at parking I know, so here's hoping he starts backing up with his camera and gets better...

41 percent use heated windshields.

So what do the rest do when their window fogs up otherwise? This seems... hard to believe.