In-car technology is meant to make driving more convenient and safer, but sometimes these advanced systems can be annoying. Modern cars can feature dozens of advanced driver assist systems which range from blind-spot monitoring to road sign recognition. For example, a car like the Omoda C7 CSH features up to 21 advanced driver-assistance systems.
Seatbelt reminders most annoying A recent survey by UK-based Scrap Car Comparison, seatbelt reminders topped the list for the most annoying car tech. It was followed by lane keeping assist, automatic stop-start systems, lane departure warning alerts and voice control. Men generally reported higher levels of frustration with most types of in-car technology than women, while just over quarter of drivers don’t find any in-car tech to be irritating.
Matt Clamp, car scrappage expert at Scrap Car Comparison, cautions against disabling any of the systems, a common practice by drivers at the end of their tether. There for a reason “Even if a feature feels irritating, it’s often there for a reason. Therefore, we would never recommend disabling any of the features.
Instead, we urge drivers to learn how systems work and adjust settings where possible,” says Clamp. The survey among 2 000 car owners was conducted in March 2026 in reaction to the news of the possible introduction of the UK’s new Road Safety Strategy. It will require new vehicles to be equipped with 18 mandatory new safety features such as intelligent speed assistance and advanced distraction warnings.
At the other end of the scale, the most useful in-car technology is parking sensors. Women were more likely to value parking sensors than men, with appreciation for the feature increasing steadily with age. Also ranking high on the list of most useful features are built-in nat nav and Bluetooth connectivity.
Not a popularity contest “Drivers clearly value technology that makes everyday tasks easier, such as parking or navigation, but features that interrupt the driving experience (such as unexpected safety warnings) or that feel overly sensitive can quickly become frustrating,” adds Clamp. “Some of these technologies are designed to improve safety. But if they activate too frequently or without notice, drivers can see them as annoying rather than helpful.
“While some features may divide opinion, many are designed with safety in mind. Systems such as lane keeping assist and forward collision warning aim to reduce accidents. Even if they are not universally popular.”