Features We Can't Live Without Now That We Have Them

Every few years we look at the tech available in our cars and think 'how it could get better than this.' Then automakers come out with something new that sets us back in our place and makes us realize how good it can be. The creature comforts that we're treated to while we're behind the wheel keep getting better and better as time goes on, and become more widespread as new technologies force luxury options into base models. Here are the features we just can’t go back to not having.

Heated Seats

This is something our more northern readers will appreciate. There’s nothing worse than getting ready to head to work on a winter’s morning, only to have your buns frozen to the seat for the first twenty minutes of your drive. Now that seat warmers are becoming more common in lower end cars; even us plebs can enjoy the experience of driving without tearing a glute muscle every time we move our foot from one pedal to the other. When this feature hit the market in 1966 on the Cadillac de Ville, it seemed like total excess for the luxury class. Now, fifty years later, my bum can’t thank Cadillac enough for bringing us this technology.

Our next innovation should cool you off if you left your warmer on high for too long.

Cooled Seats

There’s nothing worse than taking a long drive and getting out only to find your back and butt look like you’ve been sitting in a puddle the whole way. Luckily, someone decided to stick an air conditioner under the seat and voila! No more sweat-soaked bums. As someone who loves their heated seat, this next level in comfort is the perfect compliment for a toasty tush. On hot summer days, you can get in and not have your legs melted off by your leather seats, or just ride in the cold comfort of a cool behind. Once you’ve felt the air blowing through the hair of your derriere, you'll never look back.

If you think that’s cool, our next feature makes your car just as connected to your home and office.

Vehicular WiFi

With our homes, offices and everything else now connected to the internet at almost all times, it’s no surprise that our cars can now support full LTE/4G high-speed internet on the go. This means professionals can stay productive while stuck in traffic, or the kids can keep themselves entertained on long car trips. Opponents will point out that the last thing we need behind the wheel is the world of distraction that lives on the internet, but with the growing push of autonomous vehicles that won’t require driver attention, it makes sense to open up the realm of vehicular offices.

Maybe we are jumping the gun by bringing the internet on the road with us just yet, but it just seems like the next logical step after our next feature we can’t live without anymore.

BlueTooth

Now that we carry our lives in our pocket, the era of near total interconnectivity has arrived. Bluetooth has managed to infiltrate every aspect of our driving lives and its presence continues to grow. Originally a means of hands-free calling, Bluetooth is now stock on almost all new vehicles and can do far more than just relay calls. Cell phones are beginning to take over for your key FOB. Some automakers have begun implementing keyless entry and remote starter features that use Bluetooth technology to tell when your phone - and presumably you - are near. One of the biggest concerns for this technology is the potential for a stolen cell phone turning into a stolen vehicle, or a dead phone battery leaving a driver stranded at the office.

If it weren’t for Bluetooth, however, we never would have got our hands on the next feature.