The remaining nine are either entirely new to the study or returning after an absence, reflecting both evolving consumer priorities and the roughly two dozen features AutoPacific added to its questionnaire for 2026. That upward trend tracks with a broader shift AutoPacific has documented in how comfortable consumers are becoming with autonomous driving technology generally. Ownership experience appears to be a stronger driver of future demand than exposure alone. Founded in 1986, AutoPacific has built its reputation on syndicated and proprietary research for automakers, distributors, marketers, and suppliers, including its long-running Future Attribute Demand Study. Headquartered in Long Beach, the firm maintains affiliate offices in Michigan, Wisconsin, and the Carolinas, and its Future Vehicle Planner has become an annual benchmark for how the industry gauges shifting consumer priorities heading into each new model year.