Power-adjustable pedals are the new in thing

With this feature, drivers can pull the pedals front, or push them back, while the steering and the seat can remain in their positions.

Some new cars in the USA offer power adjustable pedals.

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With this feature, drivers can pull the pedals front, or push them back, while the steering and the seat can remain in their positions.

Why is this feature offered?

For shorter people, pulling the seats forward would result in getting too close to the airbag on the steering wheel, which is dangerous. To prevent this, shorter drivers can stay a sufficient distance from the steering wheel, and pull the pedals to find their perfect driving position. In some cars, power adjustable pedals come with a memory function allowing you to easily find the perfect driving position. This feature is especially useful in large full-size SUVs and pickup trucks.

However, not everyone thinks they are useful. More than a decade back, Lexus removed the feature from the ES350. It could be because of adjustments to the airbags, increased seat travel, and with telescopic steering adjust offering various steering wheel positions. From 2021, its only Ford, Lincoln and Ram cars that offer this feature.

I believe it may not be possible to add this feature to manual cars as well.

How does it work?

Here are a few videos showing how the system works (1, 2).

Cars that have offered it

Here's a list of cars that have offered adjustable pedals:

• Ford F150
• Ram 2500-3500
• Chevrolet Tahoe
• Chevrolet Suburban
• GMC Yukon
• Ford Expedition
• Lincoln Navigator
• Cadillac Escalade
• Nissan Titan
• Ford Flex
• Ford Explorer
• Lincoln MKT
• Nissan Armada
• Dodge Durango
• Nissan Pathfinder

Can this feature be added to existing cars?

I am not sure. This article says that it is a simple swap with regular pedals in many cars, but various discussions on other forums give an inconclusive answer.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.