Fully self-driving vehicles and extended-range electric engines posted the strongest year-over-year gains in consumer interest among 40 emerging automotive technologies studied by The Harris Poll.
The findings come from the 2026 AutoTECHCAST study, which surveyed more than 10,000 U.S. vehicle owners from April 8 through May 11 and weighted results by demographics and vehicle segment to reflect people in the vehicle-buying market.
Autonomy and EV range gain momentum
The study's momentum measure tracks how interest in each technology changed from the prior year. The Harris Poll said fully self-driving vehicles gained more ground than any other feature, with interest particularly strong among younger buyers.
Extended-range electric engines ranked second. The poll said the technology directly addresses range anxiety, which it identified as the leading concern among electric-vehicle buyers.
In-car payment systems placed third as consumers increasingly expect vehicles to offer connected-device functions, including payments made through a dashboard. Panoramic displays ranked fourth as buyers showed greater interest in larger and richer screens.
Smart-home ecosystem integration completed the five technologies in the study's strongest momentum group. The feature allows a vehicle to communicate with other connected devices in a consumer's home and daily life.
Navigation and dashcams lose ground
Built-in media and navigation systems recorded the steepest decline in interest. The Harris Poll suggested smartphone-connected services such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto may already meet that need for many drivers.
Factory-installed dashcams had the next-largest decline, which the poll said could reflect buyer preference for less expensive or more flexible aftermarket and phone-based options. Full digital-display rearview mirrors also lost interest, though by less than the other two declining technologies.
The Harris Poll cautioned that rising momentum does not guarantee a technology will become successful. It said the measure is intended to show product teams where buyer expectations may be developing and where pricing, packaging or investment may need reconsideration.
The broader AutoTECHCAST report also examines which consumers want each feature, how much they are willing to pay and whether a technology affects vehicle purchase and brand loyalty. The published article did not provide individual momentum scores for the eight highlighted technologies.
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