It’s fun to see all the bells and whistles that make each manufacturer unique as cars become more technologically advanced. Features have always been a differentiator, and each automaker works hard to attract customers. However, we rarely use all of the unique capabilities that our vehicles provide because we often forget or are unaware that they exist. Here are some hidden car features you probably didn’t know about, as well as some you’ll want to use one day.
Amazing Car Features You Probably Didn’t Know Existed
1. Gas Tank Indicator
Many people are unaware that there is a gas can symbol with an arrow on one side of your dash that indicates which side of the car the gas tank is on! In case you forgot, or if you’re borrowing or renting a car for the first time.
1. Gas Tank Indicator
2. Hidden Storage System
Almost every midsize and larger car has its own unique storage compartments, whether they’re hidden beneath the seats, in the floors or trunk, or in the center consoles. It’s worth looking around to see if there are any areas you overlooked.
2. Hidden Storage System
3. Enhanced Noise-Cancelling
Soundproofing has advanced dramatically in the last decade, and we’re not just talking about audio. Outside noise from the roads and traffic is being canceled by automakers, resulting in a more peaceful journey. This is largely accomplished by incorporating noise-canceling technology throughout the vehicle.
3. Enhanced Noise Cancelling
4. Drowsiness Detector
The drowsiness detector, which monitors your erratic steering and head movements in the hopes of alerting you before you become too tired behind the wheel, is one of the most important breakthrough additions to newer cars. While this is currently a luxury, expect it to become standard in all vehicles soon.
4. Drowsiness Detector
5. Versatile Hooks
Hooks can be found in almost every car, including yours, but do you know what they’re for? They’re useful for a variety of things, including fastening things when the seats are down, holding up to-go bags, and hanging clothes, so they don’t wrinkle! Hooks are your friend!
5. Versatile Hooks
6. Fuel Cap Holder
Because few people pay attention to their gas tanks, this is one of those features that you simply overlook. The little slot on the back of the fuel door is for sliding the cap in so it doesn’t dangle or drip any gas residue onto your paint.
6. Fuel Cap Holder
7. Lane Assist
Lane assist has quickly become one of the most useful features in any vehicle, saving countless drivers from accidents and near-fatal collisions. Not only does it correct your car based on the lines of the road, but it also displays a visual representation on the dash.
7. Lane Assist
8. Signal Change Sensor
This is one of the most practical options on the list, and it should appear in more vehicles soon. This sensor on the back of your rearview mirror waits for the stoplight to turn green before alerting you if you’re distracted by your phone or something else while waiting for the light to turn green.
8. Signal Change Sensor
9. Road Condition Detector
If you live in a warm climate or where it doesn’t rain often, you may not notice road condition detectors, but they are extremely useful in wet, snowy, and frozen conditions. This way, you’ll know about dangerous roads before they catch you off guard.
9. Road Condition Detector
10. Hidden Compartment For Umbrellas
Everyone needs a place to put their umbrella in their car, but the more luxurious vehicles have an advantage over the competition. Some high-end brands include a complimentary umbrella in its own compartment, but we wouldn’t recommend storing it there while it’s still wet.
10. Hidden Compartment For Umbrellas
11. Stability Control
Stability control has been around for a while, but with advancements in electronic technology in the safety department, cars are now better equipped than ever to respond to spins, black ice, and other hazards that put the vehicle in a dangerous situation. It would make each tire brake separately.
11. Stability Control
12. Ambient Interior Lighting
The ambient interior lighting fad, which allows drivers to set their own colors in the backdrops and treat passengers to a custom glow, is one of the more modern but fun features in the car world. This is obviously the icing on the cake for high-end vehicles such as Mercedes, Jaguar, and Rolls Royce.
12. Ambient Interior Lighting
13. Color-Coded Engines
Did you know that your engine’s wiring and hardware are color-coded to help identify which parts it requires when maintenance is needed? That’s how mechanics always know how to fix your car without having to order parts because they’re likely to have the same type.
13. Color Coded Engines
14. Hands-Free Trunk
This is a relatively new trend, spearheaded by minivans and SUVs of various types. Because you frequently carry the heaviest items to the trunk, why not include a trunk that opens when a sensor under the bumper is activated? This allows you to pack your belongings without having to place them on the ground.
14. Hands Free Trunk
15. Adaptive Cruise Control
Cruise control is fantastic until you’re driving at different elevations, in traffic, or in general congested areas. Adaptive cruise control, on the other hand, allows cars to detect and adapt to traffic in front of them and become more fuel-efficient when traveling up or down elevated roads.
15. Adaptive Cruise Control
16. Grab Handles
You probably remember the grab handles in your car from when you were a kid and used to play with them. Did you know, however, that they were originally installed to assist handicapped and less mobile individuals in getting into automobiles? This secondary stabilization makes it easier for them to get in.
16. Grab Handles
17. Anti-Lock Brakes
Anti-lock braking systems have been around for a while, but they are improving all the time, particularly in more dangerous situations. They are now activated when you apply a lot of force to the brakes, but they are more effective in combating water, road material, and vehicle shape.
17. Anti Lock Brakes
18. Built-In Vacuum
We all know how quickly a freshly cleaned car can go from spotless to a disaster in a matter of days, so adding mini vacuum cleaners to larger SUVs that typically transport more people made perfect sense. More large vehicles have recently followed suit.
18. Built In Vacuum
19. Computer-Assisted Driving
The auto-parallel parking feature found in many new cars is the best example of computer driving assistance today. This is controlled by small sensors installed throughout the vehicle, and the way they read their surroundings has only improved. This technology will be used on autopilot in the future.
19. Computer Assisted Driving
20. Auto-Dim Rearview
Although rearview mirrors are reliable, lighting can reduce their effectiveness, especially when the sun is behind us. Auto-dimming mirrors, on the other hand, have become the norm in recent years, and they’ve done a fantastic job considering most people aren’t even aware it’s a feature.
20. Auto Dim Rearview
21. Automatic Hazards
When cars break down on the side of the road, it can be dangerous if you can’t activate your hazard lights because of an underlying electrical issue. Fortunately, more cars now have auto hazards built-in, which activate when the car detects a problem and is unable to drive safely.
21. Automatic Hazards
22. Conversation Mirrors
It is much more difficult to keep track of everyone in larger vehicles, especially for parents with small children in the back. However, there are times when you just want to look people in the eyes, which is why conversation mirrors were added to make larger cars more visually accessible.
22. Conversation Mirrors
23. Aluminum Substitute Body
Most people still believe that cars are mostly made of steel, but you’d be surprised how much of the body is now made of aluminum. It’s not only less expensive, but it’s also lighter and more malleable, giving cars more room for technology and safety features, ultimately making them safer.
23. Aluminum Substitute Body
24. Pressure Monitor
At the very least, everyone has noticed this one. When your air pressure is low, the exclamation mark in the yellow triangle appears, and it can be very useful if you find a nail or other debris that is affecting your tire. Surprisingly, some people have no idea what it refers to!
24. Pressure Monitor
25. Internal Trunk Release
Unfortunately, this is not a standard safety feature in every car, but it is becoming increasingly popular as a requirement for any vehicle with a trunk. If someone is trapped inside for any reason, the internal release allows the trunk to be opened from the inside.
25. Internal Trunk Release
26. Using Your Keys To Lower The Windows
The majority of modern cars have a mind-blowing feature that is one of the least known but coolest of all. Hold down the unlock button for 5 seconds, and your windows will roll down! This is ideal for cars that need to be aired out in hot environments, especially if you’re in a hurry.
26. Using Your Keys To Lower The Windows
27. Magic Seats
Honda was the first to popularize Magic Seats, and many other manufacturers followed suit for their smaller, more compact vehicles to allow for more customization of space. For maximum versatility, this usually includes the ability to fold up, down, forward, and back.
27. Magic Seats
28. Retractable Hood Ornaments
When you get to the luxury vehicles, the extra features become more impressive, and you wouldn’t expect anything less for the price. If someone tries to steal the “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament from your Rolls-Royce, it will retract in a matter of milliseconds.
28. Retractable Hood Ornaments
29. Volkswagen’s Blumenvase
The Blumenvase, which first appeared in the Volkswagen Beetle, is by far one of the coolest original features. We’ve never fully supported something more because it’s specifically designed to hold a bouquet of flowers so the driver can brighten up their ride. It’s just difficult to keep them hydrated.
29. Volkswagen’s Blumenvase
30. Tesla’s Holiday Show
The Tesla “Holiday Show” feature is a quirky modern addition that serves no other purpose than to entertain. When activated, all of your car’s automatic doors and lights go through a routine, creating a fun robotics display for no reason other than you wanted it to.
30. Tesla’s Holiday Show
31. Convertible Neck Warmers
You might wonder why you’d need neck warmers, but do you drive a convertible? These nicer car companies definitely didn’t forget about those times when you might be cold, so they built heaters into the headrests, which is next-level accessibility. Pretty convenient, right?
31. Convertible Neck Warmers
32. Mini Openometer
Have you ever wondered how long it’s been since you lowered your mini cooper’s roof? We haven’t either, but Mini Coopers do, thanks to their “openometer,” which keeps track of how long it’s been since they’ve stopped using their roof.
32. Mini Openometer
33. Skoda’s Ice Scraper
Cars in Europe are required to deal with a variety of conditions, including some particularly harsh winters. Fortunately, Skoda thought ahead and included an ice scraper in every vehicle’s gas tank. For the environment that this car is in, this is no doubt a very convenient tool!
33. Skoda’s Ice Scraper
34. Built-In Bike Rack
The Opel Corsa was clearly designed to appeal to bike enthusiasts, as it included a retractable bike rack that protruded from the car’s rear bumper. This was not only a unique feature of the Corsa, but it also made better use of a space that is usually wasted in most vehicles.
34. Built In Bike Rack
35. McLaren’s Logo Headlights
If you’re McLaren, it almost makes sense to make your headlights in the shape of your logo since most of their cars already have that shape. Unfortunately, most manufacturers are unlikely to achieve this, so it’s a bonus for those who are already fortunate enough to own one.
35. McLaren’s Logo Headlights
36. Rolls-Royce’s Champagne Chiller
These champagne-chilling compartments, another ridiculous feature of the Rolls-Royce fleet, are as opulent as they come. It’s bold of them to assume you need to chill champagne wherever you go, but it’s a great talking point, and if we’re being honest, bragging rights.
36. Rolls Royce’s Champagne Chiller
37. Mercedes Pre-Safe Sound System
Mercedes has improved their technology significantly in recent years, and one of the most groundbreaking features is its pre-safe sound system. When a car detects that it is about to be involved in an accident, it emits a type of white noise to help prevent hearing loss caused by the impact.
37. Mercedes Pre Safe Sound System
38. Citroen Picasso Cart
The Citroen Picasso, another foreign car that makes excellent use of bumper space, included one of the most bizarre features. This storable shopping cart could be used for trips to the farmer’s market or grocery store. It’s one of those things that are just good to have around.
38. Citroen Picasso Cart
39. BMW’s Drying Brakes
BMW has a long history of being at the forefront of technological advancements in the auto industry. One of their most recent breakthroughs was the development of self-drying brakes, which are critical for the hardware’s longevity, including pads and rotors.
39. BMW’s Drying Brakes
40. Tesla’s Autopilot Function
Tesla’s autopilot is far and away the most advanced in its class, thanks in large part to the ability to download updates via the internet. Every year, it improves, and eventually, even today’s cars will be able to upgrade to the inevitable 100 percent self-driving software.
40. Tesla’s Autopilot Function
41. Rolls-Royce Picnic
When it comes to flexing on passers-by, Rolls-Royce doesn’t mess around, and that includes when picnicking in the park. They’ve long included a full-sized picnic set with luxury dishware in their top SUVs and family cars, valued at a whopping $50k in today’s models.
41. Rolls Royce Picnic