Six in 10 motorists say the fun is being sucked out of driving by modern tech

A survey of 2,000 drivers aged 18 and over has revealed that six out of ten motorists believe modern technology is taking the enjoyment out of driving. They fear they will miss features such as spare wheels, handbrakes, and manual gears when they become obsolete.

The study found that two-thirds of respondents struggle to understand all the features on modern cars, with just over half believing that driving skills are deteriorating due to these advancements.

According to the research, a third of drivers will be disappointed when spare wheels are completely phased out. Other features set to be missed include handbrake levers (31%), manual gears (28%), clutch pedals (28%), engine noise (26%), and key ignition (24%).

The research was commissioned by car shopping site CarGurus, which has on popular retro car features and which models still feature them.

This comes after the study revealed the features drivers are most nostalgic about – including tape decks (19%), door mirrors as opposed to cameras (17%), and dashboard buttons (14%).

Chris Knapman, CarGurus UK editorial director, said: “As new models continue to be released with the latest technology, there is clearly plenty of appetite from consumers to hold onto some traditional features.

“A mixture of nostalgia and user-friendliness has drivers wishing to have more analogue elements to their cars, while, at the same time, appreciating the added safety and convenience offered by today’s modern features.”          

It also emerged 44% don’t tend to use new tech-driven features such as lane assist because they find them distracting or don’t trust them.     

And with touchscreens increasingly becoming the norm in modern cars, 49% yearn for ‘old fashioned’ knobs and buttons. But perhaps surprisingly, more than any other age group, its 18 to 24 year olds who would feel the loss of such controls the most.

Those aged 65 and over are most likely to miss the spare wheel and manual gearboxes. But drivers aged 18 to 24 will long for pop up headlights and manual sunroofs.

More than half of everyone polled think new drivers will miss out on the joys of driving due to the phasing out of traditional features. And 52% agree the end of manual controls like handbrake levers and clutch pedals will make hitting the road less enjoyable.

Despite this, the study found that 45% of respondents believe roads are becoming safer thanks to increased car technology, with 53% asserting that technological advancements are making vehicles easier to drive. When it comes to autonomous cars, 29% express caution, while 24% admit to feeling worried.

Among the modern features most appreciated by drivers are parking sensors, reverse cameras, and heated seats. The most frequently used tech features during a typical drive include rain-sensing windscreen wipers and reverse cameras.

A recent survey revealed that 57% of drivers consider technology a moderate or high priority when purchasing their latest vehicle. However, almost half (49%) of young drivers aged 18 to 24 have opted for cars with more traditional features, compared to just 8% of those aged 65 and over.

Chris Knapman commented: “Some of the modern technology within new cars is desirable and valued, but there are various elements that drivers would prefer to avoid – and this balance is unique to each person.

“The good news for drivers looking to hold onto their favourite aspects of analogue driving is that the used-car market offers a selection of models with a great mix of both new and older features.”