#smart car 2026

It’s 2026, let’s establish the bare minimums for in-car tech with five features that should be standard. So, to help you navigate the fun-filled world of automotive tech, I’ve assembled a list of 5 tech features cars should have in 2026. Of course, various settings and vehicle modes are more often than not behind several menus in the infotainment screen, but their usefulness only lasts a moment before you click “home.” There’s nothing worse than a car that has a 12-plus-inch touch screen infotainment system with no smartphone pairing functions whatsoever. [gallery ids="214851,214850" size="medium"] Map data, media playback, media controls, notifications, and voice assistants are only some of the features that these smartphone pairing functions offer, and what’s cool about them is that they almost eliminate the need for a phone mount in the car. Of course, you can argue that a 360-degree camera system is better, and that’s the tech that we want to see in every car in 2026. Either that or it’s a key card, more advanced still, can take the form of a small smartphone, as is the case with BMW and its extremely expensive option with a touch screen. Keyless entry is pretty much standard with most cars released in 2026. Read more in our articles including "5 Tech Features Cars Should Have in 2026" and "ASUS ROG launches 2026 Strix G, Strix SCAR gaming laptops".