[axe_deo]

Originally Posted by s.sriram1989@gm

I fail to understand the utility of this feature, normally it is used in countries with extreme winters to warm up the vehicle beforehand. What purpose does it hold in India? ..

In summers you may use this feature to cool the car cabin beforehand.

[Ram22693]

Originally Posted by s.sriram1989@gm

I fail to understand the utility of this feature, normally it is used in countries with extreme winters to warm up the vehicle beforehand. What purpose does it hold in India? Ola scooter is having an app based unlock system, customers faced issues with password, network etc and thought what was wrong with a simple lock and key system.

Just to have the car and AC switched in a few minutes before I reach the vehicle so it's not horribly hot inside. I am from Chennai and it's hot for about 9 of the 12 months here. Having said that, I recently moved into a gated community with 24/7 security so I am comfortable doing this where I stay now but previously I have been in Apartments with no security and I am not going to use such features in that case where anyone can access my vehicle while it is on.

These features are a bit gimmicky and I understand the apprehension towards them, however, I still believe these gimmicky features are the ones that are here to stay and will be common in almost all cars in the near future.

[baarish84]

Originally Posted by AKSarkar1

I find it extremely hilarious that sunroofs (perceived to be a premium feature) has found its way into various mainstream segments of the Indian market but Ventilated seats that are almost an essential for the Indian weather is yet being implemented slowly and steadily!

I completely agree.

If someone wants ventilated seats, and actively wants to avoid sunroof... only car remaining to buy is XL6.

I am in market for an AT crossover with ventilated seats (primary feature). I am a sedate driver, want a low maintenance car. So trying to actively avoid hassels of turbo petrol and DCT.

Only such crossover AT (NA engine with CVT/ TC ) with ventilated seats is Creta SX O IVT !


To summarise, ventilated seats are currently offered only in top variants, so we have to shell out more money for premium features like sunroof/ turbo engine/ DCT gearbox etc.

[jinojohnt]

Adding some features that were premium long back, but now too common to be even called a feature:
1. Cielo had one of the first MPFI engines in India. Also one of the first cars to have side-impact beams inside the doors. This used to be advertised as a feature.
2. AC was so rare that cars used to have a sticker on rear wind shield that said "AC - no hand signal".
3. Rear parking sensors/cameras - once a feature of premium cars, now fairly common.
4. Power steering - we could boast to friends "my car has power steering".
5. "Comfortable and adjustable bucket seats in front" - first introduced in the Maruti 800. Now we call it a captain's seat.
6. Central locking with remote - this feature screamed premium around 3 decades back.

Some features that may become too common in 20 years:
1. Keyless entry
2. Keyless engine start / stop
3. Auto headlamps
4. Rain sensing wiper
5. Internal adjustable ORVM
6. Collision detection and avoidance tech (probably)
7. Gun holder in place of an umbrella holder - to quickly shoot someone trying to overtake. (Drivers would be grow to be so impatient by then.)

[TheNormalOne]

The features I hope will be common in all the cars in near future are

1. Auto dimming IRVM
2. Front parking sensors/360 degree camera
3. TPMS
4. Ventilated seats

One thing I wish to have soon is to have auto hiding ORVMs in traffic stops when the impatient and always in a hurry bikers/autos like to have a feel of it.

[haribalram]

Formula 1 cars are seen as the pinnacle of the automobile engineering curve. Many of the proven technologies from there have trickled down to passenger cars (atleast the high end ones).

As cars become more connected and provide more visibility through data, there will be a day in future, a service center is able to diagnose an issue on the car remotely on the run and even fix it. Full telemetry !!

[AnandB]

Originally Posted by haribalram

As cars become more connected and provide more visibility through data, there will be a day in future, a service center is able to diagnose an issue on the car remotely on the run and even fix it. Full telemetry !!

We already have HCVs with this feature already here in India, well not fixing it but reading the error codes and diagnosing the issue.

[darkgamer]

I wish there’s some rational thinking about the screen down to basic cars from premium ones. I see a lot of cars <30L offering wireless charging but wired android auto/CarPlay, and vice versa.

[yashg]

Originally Posted by Vkap257

The true "Luxury features" in my opinion are those which take the basic and mundane features available in low-cost cars and add quality-of-life improvements to them to reduce human effort.
...
Powered seats with memory function
...
Auto Hold and hill Hold assist

True. Luxury is all about reducing human effort. Power steering, auto folding ORVM, powered seat adjustments, one touch window up/down, tail gate opening with wave of leg, button for rear seat passenger to move the front seat, rain sensing vipers. It's all about that.

The seat memory function is such an underrated feature. You adjust the seat to your precise liking and then you give it to a valet or a friend and when it comes back, you struggle to get it back to your preferred position. I always have to fiddle around even during the drive sometimes to find my original position back.

Originally Posted by Tucker48

Blind spot monitoring.
1 touch memory adjustment for seat, side and rear view mirror, and/or steering.

This would be so cool! Not just the seat but everything else associated with the driving position would go back to your saved settings.

Originally Posted by jinojohnt

2. AC was so rare that cars used to have a sticker on rear wind shield that said "AC - no hand signal".
3. Rear parking sensors/cameras - once a feature of premium cars, now fairly common.
4. Power steering - we could boast to friends "my car has power steering".

I remember that AC sign. Few people had ACs in home back then. Having one in a car was must have been a true luxury.

I saw the rear parking camera for the first time in a friend's Ertiga. It was an aftermarket install. It started appearing as a standard accessory in 2015 when I bought Ford Aspire. Even though it didn't have it as standard, since competitors were offering it, dealer offered it complimentary. Last year I scrapped my car on a pillar while parking, and since then I have decided my next car is going to have a 360 degree camera.

I remember my first experience with the power steering. After driving M800 for a year, I got Chevy Spark and it had power steering and it was like magic. I would show it off to friends - see I can move the car with a finger.

Originally Posted by jinojohnt

7. Gun holder in place of an umbrella holder - to quickly shoot someone trying to overtake. (Drivers would be grow to be so impatient by then.)

Is this being offered on cars in the US? The land of guns? Not offering a gun holder would be infringing on their second amendment rights!

Originally Posted by haribalram

there will be a day in future, a service center is able to diagnose an issue on the car remotely on the run and even fix it. Full telemetry !!

This reminds of a scene from Die Hard 4 (awful movie BTW) where the protagonist gets a lady on phone to start a car remotely. I would definitely not like to have a corporation or government be able to start or stop my car remotely.

[darthvader001]

All these features which everyone's speaking about will easily be available in sub 20 and sub 10 lac cars.
Like panoramic roof, ventilated seats, powered seats/tailgate, memory seat, powered tilt/telescopic steering, digital cluster, bigger infotainment screen, wireless AA/CP, head up display and whatnot. Even the safety features to have come to premium and regular like ABS, ESP, 6 airbags, all disc brakes, BA etc

However what will truly differentiate luxury (50+), premium (20-40) and regular will be the mechanicals and ergonomic materials. In the luxury cars you will get the V6 engine, excellent suspension, tires etc and excellent soft touch, wood or leather panels etc on dashboard, ceiling and doors, one touch up/down for all windows, rear handrest display/controls for a/c and infotainment. These may never propagate down.

What I see is that, OEMs have prioritized the features which are visible to end customer easily than mechanical.

[JoshMachine]

Speaking of Connected Tech features, came across some snazzy pictures on LinkedIn from Mercedes Benz India, wishing Happy Diwali to its customers:-







Source

Not sure if this a premium feature or not, but I do believe this will become common in the not-so-distant future.

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by JoshMachine

Speaking of Connected Tech features, came across some snazzy pictures on LinkedIn from Mercedes Benz India, wishing Happy Diwali to its customers:-....Not sure if this a premium feature or not, but I do believe this will become common in the not-so-distant future.

Cute. Reminds me of the old electronic diaries that would wish us on our birthday (fed by us)

But for the cynic in me, harbinger of worse things to come.
A-D-V-E-R-T-I-S-M-E-N-T-S. How about subscribing to a premium level to avoid advertisements showing up in the screen of the car that you bought.