The top 11 technology and safety features people want in a new car

We’re talking about all the top tech and safety features people are looking for when leasing a new car.

Looking at all the tech available in today’s cars, we’ve stopped wishing we were born in another era. The music might’ve been better, but not the cars.

Features that seemed like wild inventions 20 years ago are becoming standard in today’s cars.

But with all these bells and whistles we’re starting to feel as though we’ve seen it all.

Rainbow lights that change in time with your music are a nice touch, but we don’t think they’ll be a make-or-break feature for your car.

For most people, safety is always going to be a high priority when choosing a car—as it should be. And safety features have come a long way since the days of the Ford Model T, which had no seatbelts or airbags. 

(Every great invention has modest beginnings though).

Now, from driving assist features that keep you in check on the roads, to a 25-speaker sound system bringing a concert to life in your cabin, modern vehicles are packed with innovations.

And there are so many to choose from.

So, which features are in demand?

Join us as we take a peek at the top 11 tech and safety features todays drivers want—especially the ones that come readily available with a shiny new car lease.

Advanced safety features

Modern cars are packed with advanced safety features that make driving safer and smarter—no “health and safety gone mad” here, these innovations genuinely enhance road safety.

Take attention monitoring systems, for example; like your mum constantly reminding you to drive safely, they track yawning, prolonged eye movement, and facial expressions, prompting drivers to take a break when needed.

Automatic braking systems (AEB) go even further, using exterior sensors to detect obstacles, issuing alerts, and applying brakes if the driver doesn’t react.

Forward collision warning works alongside AEB, sounding an alert when you're getting too close to the vehicle ahead.

Then there are backup cameras and parking sensors, making reversing effortless—goodbye, awkward neck-twisting.

Lane departure warning (LDW) helps keep you in your lane, while pedestrian crash avoidance uses sensors to detect people and cyclists, intervening if necessary.

Blind spot detection saves drivers from the all-too-common near misses by alerting them when another vehicle is lurking out of view.

Think you’re reversing too close to a wall? Don’t worry—you’ll know. A loud 'BEEP BEEP BEEP' will alert you (not deafening at all, of course). Parking sensors can be a scratch saver.

Not anyone’s favourite noise but it comes in very handy for those tricky manoeuvres.

Rear cross-traffic alert adds another layer of protection when reversing, and smart seatbelt reminders ensure no passenger escapes the safety check. Some cars even refuse to move until everyone is buckled up—frustrating in a car park, but a lifesaver on the road.

With features like these, modern cars aren’t just about driving; they’re about arriving safely, every time.

Driving assistance features

In cars today, you’ll never feel alone when driving with all the driving assistance tech, with features like Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which maintains speed while adjusting to traffic, though it’s not quite self-driving.

A foggy day or night can still trip it up, so it’s not 100% reliable.

Backup and 360° cameras make parking a breeze, eliminating blind spots. Guidelines project your car’s trajectory in real time, helping you navigate tight spaces and avoid obstacles while parking.

Active Lane Keep Assist (ALKA) ensures you stay in your lane, even stepping in to correct your course if needed.

Hill Start Assist prevents rollback on inclines (saving manual drivers from heart-stopping moments), your car holds the brakes, getting you ready to pull off on a hill. Bob’s your uncle.

Intelligent Speed Assistance and Traffic Sign Recognition keep you within legal limits by detecting and displaying road signs. On motorways, Highway Driving Assist combines lane-keeping and cruise control to make long-distance driving smoother and safer.

With these features, your car isn’t just a vehicle—it’s a co-pilot.

Traffic jam assist works like highway driving assist but at lower speeds, using adaptive cruise control and lane keeping to maintain safe distances and prevent lane drifting—perfect for when traffic congestion tests your patience.

Parking assist is making tricky manoeuvres a thing of the past, with four types of assistance available: steering assisted, park and exit, fully automated, and remote control. 

Steering assisted parking guides you with dashboard prompts while automatically turning the wheel.

Park and exit takes it a step further, helping you get both in and out of tight spaces. Through dashboard control prompts and steering your wheel upon entry and exit of a parking space. 

Fully automated parking handles steering, acceleration, and braking—common in EVs and automatics—while remote control parking lets you guide your car into a space using a key fob or smartphone app, perfect for tight spots.

With these advanced features, modern cars are offering more assistance than ever—just like Carparison when finding you the perfect lease.

Navigational systems

Who remembers the last time they used a folded-up AA map to navigate in the car?

Yep, that’s what we thought.

That’s why we love navigational systems.

Navigational systems use a combination of GPS, map data, and traffic information to provide you with routes to your destination.

Built-in navigational devices are becoming very universal in cars, yet navigation apps on your phone, as well as standalone GPS devices, are still popular.

If using a navigation app, such as Waze or Google maps, combine it with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to reap the benefits.

Waze on the big infotainment screen is a game-changer. It provides alerts for mobile speed cameras and potholes, making your journey smoother.

Connectivity

Staying connected doesn’t stop when you’re in the car, with smart technology integrating internet and AI into vehicle systems for convenience and enhanced functionality.

Infotainment systems now support streaming services, Bluetooth, and multi-zone audio, while live navigation updates improve route planning.

Safety is bolstered through vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, sharing real-time data to prevent collisions and improve awareness.

The traditional car key is slowly being phased out—much to our sadness—and replaced by a simple card. We’ve seen this with Tesla and Polestar a lot in the last few years.

With the use of connectivity, some can be added to your phone wallet, right between your Tesco Clubcard and Sainsburys Nectar card, your car card allowing access to your car.

Telematics and diagnostics keep drivers informed on vehicle health, from oil levels to software updates, with alerts accessible via manufacturer apps.

Connected services streamline payments for fuel, tolls, and parking, while subscription-based features unlock premium options, making modern cars more convenient to look after your car than ever.

Premium sound system

Whether it’s the radio, your favourite playlist or a captivating podcast, no one wants to hear their speakers crackle at any point when turning the volume up.

With constant innovations in the audio world, why wouldn’t drivers want to benefit from the best sound system?

There are many features which go into a premium sound system.

Speakers (obviously), amplifiers, digital signal processors (DSPs), subwoofers (completely unrelated to dogs, apparently), active noise cancellation (ANC).

Combine all these together and you’ll end up with a studio quality system.

Top brands include Bose, Bang & Olufsen, JBL, Beats Audio, and Meridian, though Tesla, true to form, developed its own 14-speaker system.

These high-end setups are often reserved for premium models or available as add-ons.

What are car manufacturers using?

BMW, Aston Martin, McLaren, and Volvo: Bowers & Wilkins

Ford, Audi, Bentley, and Lamborghini: Bang & Olufsen

Jaguar, Land Rover and Kia: Meridian

Nissan, Honda, Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Mazda, Kia, MG, and Vauxhall: Bose

Toyota and Ferrari: JBL

Volkswagen – Polos in particular: Beats Audio

Automatic climate control

Our cars are getting smarter and smarter.

Spend less time fiddling with the temperature dial and more time focusing on the road ahead with automatic climate control.

With traditional air conditioning and heating, you turn the dial closer to the blue or red end, depending on how hot or cold you want your cabin to be.

A fair bit of guesswork is involved in this.

Enter: automatic climate control.

You simply set your preferred cabin temperature, and your car does the rest, using a temperature sensor and a computer system to monitor and adjust accordingly.

Depending on the chosen temperature, it will decide how much hot or cold air needs to be exerted out the vents to achieve said temperature. And it stays at that temperature.

No fuss—you can forget about it for the rest of the journey.

Once you get a feel for automatic climate control, you won’t want to go back.

Infotainment system

DAB radio is no longer the pinnacle of in-car tech—now, massive touchscreen displays dominate dashboards (Tesla really set the standard for that one).

It started off with a few buttons, then a little digital screen, which grew and grew as the years went on.

Infotainment systems have evolved from simple buttons to multifunctional hubs controlling audio, Bluetooth, and USB connectivity.

But manufacturers have cranked it up a gear in recent years. Most modern infotainment systems support smartphone integration, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. For music-lovers it’s never been easier to change the song or playlist from the touchscreen.

If you’re a Spotify warrior you won’t know how you lived without it.

A lot of in-cabin function controls are often streamlined to be used through the infotainment system too.

Apart from gear shifting, indicators, and windscreen wipers, most controls will be on your infotainment system in newer cars. But does this vary with each model and manufacturer.

A potential RIP to buttons forever in our cars, this will take some time to grieve.

Smart key system

Introduced in 1998 and widespread by the late 2000s, smart keys are now standard in most cars.

Unlock, lock, open your boot, or even start the ignition (only when the key is inside of the car).

They don’t work by magic, with antennas located somewhere in the car, and the key sending out radio waves to communicate to one another.

With the decrease in physical keys and increase in reliance on technology for the security of our cars, it raises a few questions.

How safe is it going keyless? Are manufacturers doing anything about keyless theft?

There are a few tips to prevent this, such as a signal blocking pouch to keep your keys in, turning off the fob’s wireless signal, or a good ol’ steering wheel lock—ideal for a smart key or a traditional key system.

Manufacturers still have a long way to come on solving these tech issues.

Adaptive headlights

Don’t worry, headlights aren’t missing out on the action.

Smart adaptive headlights improve your safety driving at night or low visibility.

Instead of just shining straight ahead like old-school headlights, they actually move with your steering, lighting up the road where you’re going—not just in the general direction of forwards.

Taking a sharp turn? No problem, they’ll swivel to show you what’s ahead.

Driving in bad weather? They’ll adjust to give you the best visibility without blinding other drivers.

It’s like having a torch that thinks for you—making night drives safer, and smoother.

With automatic levelling technology, you’ll be very popular on the road with other drivers.

Head-up display

A newer feature to the list, and from first-hand experience we love it.

Not only is it aesthetically pleasing, but it also massively declutters your dashboard.

It removes the need to glance down at your dashboard to check everything, preventing you from momentarily taking your eyes off the road.

So is this feature worth it?

Having all the information you need right in front of you while keeping your eyes on the road is a win-win and definitely worth it.

Voice control

You know Siri, Alexa, and Hey Google—what’s the harm in another voice-control assistant?

Using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto gives you the opportunity to use the built-in phone voice-control assistant, while driving, but newer cars have taken it a step further.

No need to piggyback off your mobile phone’s technology anymore. Many cars now have their own voice-control assistant.

“Hey Jaecoo” – is a perfect example of this. Without any buttons you can control many aspects of the Jaecoo 7 purely through voice control.

Tesla, on the other hand, uses a microphone button. Once pushed, it will activate voice control—so you can ask away.

Many manufacturers utilise Google Assistant for their voice control system, such as Volvo.

It reduces distractions, is easy to use, and is completely hands free. You can see why voice control is an in-demand tech feature for new cars.

Use it right and you make driving easier and more enjoyable. And who would say no to that?

With so much tech on offer, cherry picking the features you want in your new car lease can be overwhelming.

But with this list, you won’t be driving blind when you start your search.