12 Unexpected Features You'll Find in Today's Most Innovative Cars

5. In-Car Voice Assistants That Actually Work

Voice commands used to be clunky and rarely understood what you said. Modern cars, by contrast, are loaded with artificial intelligence assistants such as “Hey Mercedes,” Google Built-In, Amazon Alexa, and even Apple’s Siri through CarPlay. These systems can recognize natural speech (no robotic commands required), follow context, and handle everything from navigation and climate to sending texts or finding a coffee stop. Need to adjust the temperature? Just ask. Want a quick route detour without fiddling with the screen? Your digital copilot is ready. These assistants make it possible to drive hands-free and focus on the road, and their learning algorithms mean they just keep getting smarter over time. The best part? Friends and family will be just as entertained as you are.

6. Over-the-Air (OTA) Software Updates

The days of “your car is how it left the factory” are over. Thanks to over-the-air (OTA) updates, your vehicle can receive new features, improvements, and even bug fixes while parked in your driveway. Tesla pioneered the approach, but tons of new models—Ford Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai Ioniq 5, and Volkswagen ID.4, to name a few—now support wireless upgrades. This means your car can actually get “better” over time. You might wake up to find your infotainment system has new apps or smarter navigation, or that a braking assist feature got a performance boost. No trips to the dealership needed—just a notification and improved driving ahead. Welcome to a future where your next favorite feature could arrive long after you’ve signed the paperwork.