Years ago it seemed pure science fiction to see a vehicle driving itself, those were things from movies, but more and more drivers are looking for this feature in a new car. Musk and company have done their job well, of course, and autonomous driving has gone from generating distrust to sparking real interest among consumers. Now, a new study confirms that in 2025 it has become the most desired option for buyers. Tesla, GM, Ford and Mercedes-Benz have made a lot of noise with their systems, and the constant exposure in media and networks has ended up normalizing the idea.
That said, we cannot get ahead of ourselves, full autonomy is still to come, all current systems require the driver to keep paying attention to the road, please!!
A change of mindset
The Future Attribute Demand Study (FADS) 2025 report by AutoPacific makes clear the shift in customer priorities, they no longer just want a pretty car, 43% show interest in semi-autonomous driving on highways, and nearly 40% even in fully autonomous driving!
Nothing to do with previous years, when these functions hardly entered preference lists because really no one trusted that this could actually happen!
The strength of media visibility
The interest in ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) is directly linked to how much they are talked about, and it is in headlines, in ads, on social media, in blogs… Everything is repeated continuously. In fact, even Tesla’s legal problems have played very much in favor of keeping it discussed, the more controversy, the more gossip, and the more gossip the more people waiting for a car that can drive itself. We understand how the dynamic has gone, right?
What brands offer in 2025
Mercedes-Benz is still the only brand with a level 3 autonomy system. Its Drive Pilot allows, under certain conditions, the driver to disengage from the road for a stretch. The rest (Tesla, GM, Ford, Nissan) remain at level 2, with options like Super Cruise, BlueCruise or ProPilot Assist 2.0, all designed for highways and with the condition that the driver remains attentive.
Levels 4 and 5, where the car would handle itself completely without human intervention in any scenario, are still empty promises…
Who wants them?
Let’s see, drivers under 40 are the ones who know these technologies the most, the curious thing is that those over 40 show more interest in using them. For many, functions like lane change assist, cross-traffic detection or fatigue control are a relief in daily driving!
Are there limits in autonomous driving?
Of course, nothing should hide the reality, no car in 2025 can drive without supervision! Remember all the Tesla Cybertrucks crashed in FSD mode… It is technology but there is still much to improve, the driver must remain alert.
The future
Brands continue to invest heavily in improving safety and gaining trust. The ADAS systems market grows year after year and is already emerging as one of the key drivers of the automotive industry, who knows, maybe we won’t even need a driver’s license in the future because our cars will take us alone.
Going from an experiment to becoming a purchase requirement is something completely impressive. We are still far from seeing cars where the driver’s seat is also a passenger seat! With confidence, with technology… But the future, we already tell you, drives itself!