We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›
Cars have come a long way in making motoring more convenient and comfortable. They can now park themselves, heat their own windshield wipers, and even keep our drinks hot or cold. That said, many of these creature comforts are often locked away behind paywalls manufacturers like to call “trim packages” or “optional equipment.”
That got us thinking. If you magically gained the power to require one automotive feature as necessary equipment by law, what would you choose? Just like how backup cameras are now mandated on all new cars sold in the U.S. as of May 2018, what do you think the Department of Transport should obligate automakers to put in all of their cars next?
Of course, the responsible and altruistic answer would be some kind of fatality-reducing safety feature like Acura’s new catcher’s mitt airbag, lane departure warning, or, y’know, amber turn signals. As a selfish purist, however, you might be tempted to require every new car produced to come exclusively with a manual transmission—a societal gamechanger that would probably cause a non-insignificant exodus to public transport among the filthy casuals who view driving with three pedals as some sort of impenetrable dark art.
As someone who lives in Canada, though, the first thing that came to mind when I thought about this was the heated steering wheel. Call me coddled but after daily-driving a car in the winter that was equipped with it, I absolutely cannot go back to a car that does not. Wrap the thing in soft-enough leather and driving almost feels like holding onto a human hand. Not like that’s creepy or anything.
Another good answer? Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, because most OEM systems still suck in comparison.
What say you?
Got a tip? Send us a note: tips@thedrive.com
