The 2025 car with the best technology

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS (and S-Class) equipped with Drive Pilot stands out as the car with the best technology, chiefly because it offers the only consumer-available SAE Level 3 hands-off system approved for use on U.S. roads (in select states) alongside a deeply integrated, redundant hardware stack and robust over-the-air software. The answer also depends on what you value—charging speed, autonomy, infotainment, or energy efficiency—but for the widest span of real, road-legal capability in 2025, Mercedes’ Drive Pilot gives it the edge.

Why Mercedes’ 2025 EQS/S-Class takes the crown

Technology leadership isn’t just about screens and app stores; it’s about certified capability, safety redundancies, and software that meaningfully changes how you use the car. In 2025, Mercedes’ Drive Pilot is the only Level 3 system available to U.S. consumers (approved in select states, including California and Nevada) and one of only a handful globally. That regulatory milestone, paired with a lidar-equipped sensor suite, HD maps, and redundant steering, braking, and power systems, puts the EQS and S-Class ahead of rivals on the most consequential frontier: hands-off, eyes-off driving under defined conditions.

What Drive Pilot actually does—and where it works

Drive Pilot is designed for low-speed, congested freeway conditions on mapped roads. When traffic slows and environmental criteria are met, the system allows you to take your hands off the wheel and your eyes off the road up to roughly 40 mph (about 60 km/h), resuming conventional driving when conditions clear or the system requests it. Availability is currently limited to specific geographies: in the U.S., approvals include California and Nevada; in Europe, Germany is the lead market. As with all automated features, the operational design domain matters—speed, weather, visibility, and road type determine when it can be engaged.

The sensor and compute stack behind it

Unlike most consumer systems that rely primarily on cameras and radar, Drive Pilot adds lidar, microphones (to detect emergency vehicles), and a robust array of environmental and positioning sensors atop high-definition maps. Crucially, Mercedes integrates redundancies—independent steering and braking paths, backup power, and fallback strategies—so that if a component fails, the car can still maintain control and pull to a safe stop. The EQS/S-Class pairs this with MBUX infotainment (including the optional Hyperscreen on EQS), 5G connectivity where available, and frequent OTA updates that expand features over time.

Limitations and the fine print

Drive Pilot isn’t a blanket “self-driving” solution: it’s a Level 3 system for specific, mapped highways under defined conditions, mostly at lower speeds in traffic. It may be a paid option or subscription, and its functionality can vary by market and regulatory approval. In heavy rain, poor visibility, construction zones, or unlabeled segments, it will defer to the driver. Still, in the real world, this remains a step beyond widely available Level 2 “hands-on” assistants, and that’s the difference that matters in 2025.

Top contenders with standout tech in 2025

While Mercedes takes the overall technology lead for certified automated driving, several 2025 models excel in other dimensions—charging speed, efficiency, compute power, user interfaces, and safety sensors. The following models are the ones most frequently cited by engineers and testers for class-leading tech, each for different reasons.

• 2025 Porsche Taycan: Among the fastest-charging EVs on sale (800V architecture with peak DC rates around 300+ kW in ideal conditions), revised power electronics, sophisticated thermal preconditioning, and meticulous energy management.
• 2025 Lucid Air: Benchmark efficiency and long range, ultrahigh-voltage electrical system, advanced driver-assist suite with optional lidar, and powerful infotainment hardware with frequent OTA improvements.
• 2025 Rivian R1T/R1S (latest refresh): New autonomy hardware with more cameras and radar, powerful centralized compute, rich OTA roadmap, and a highly integrated software-defined approach spanning off-road aids, energy planning, and UI.
• 2025 Volvo EX90: Standard roof-mounted lidar in many markets, NVIDIA Orin-based safety computer, Google built-in infotainment with strong OTA cadence, and hardware readiness for bidirectional charging in supported regions.
• 2025 Tesla Model S/3/Y/X (HW4-era): Industry-leading software iteration pace, end-to-end neural network driver-assist approach (still Level 2 in practice), dense fast-charging network, and top-tier infotainment performance.
• 2025 BMW i7/7 Series: Highway Assistant with hands-off operation in defined conditions and gaze-activated lane changes, powerful in-car computing, rich rear-seat tech (including the Theater Screen) and polished HMI.
• 2025 Cadillac (Escalade IQ/Celestiq family): Super Cruise hands-free across a large and growing set of mapped roads, deep integration with GM’s software platform, and strong energy management on the latest Ultium vehicles.

These vehicles illustrate that “best technology” isn’t monolithic—some lead in energy and charging, others in driver-assist, UI/UX, or safety sensors. For many buyers, one of these category leaders may be a better fit than the overall winner.

How we judged “best technology”

To determine a 2025 tech leader, we weighed real-world capability, engineering depth, and consumer impact rather than spec-sheet novelty. The below criteria guided the verdict.

1. Regulatory-grade capability: Certified features (like Level 3) that change what drivers can legally do.
2. Safety redundancy: Independent backups for steering, braking, and power; mature fail-operational design.
3. Sensor fusion quality: Use of lidar/radar/cameras with HD mapping and robust environmental sensing.
4. Electrical architecture and charging: Voltage, peak DC rates, thermal strategies, and efficiency.
5. Software cadence and OTA: Frequency, scope, and reliability of feature and safety updates.
6. Infotainment and UX: Latency, clarity, voice assistants, app ecosystem, and accessibility.
7. Ecosystem and availability: Where features are actually enabled, supported, and legal to use.

On balance, the Mercedes EQS/S-Class with Drive Pilot leads where it matters most in 2025: legal autonomy, redundancy, and a cohesive software-hardware stack that’s already in customers’ hands.

The bottom line

If your definition of “best technology” prioritizes the most advanced, road-legal driver automation available to U.S. consumers, the 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS (and S-Class) with Drive Pilot is the leader. If you value charging speed, efficiency, or pure software velocity more highly, the Porsche Taycan, Lucid Air, Rivian R1, Volvo EX90, Tesla’s HW4 models, BMW i7/7 Series, and Cadillac’s Super Cruise platforms each set compelling benchmarks in their categories.

Summary

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS/S-Class with Drive Pilot delivers the most consequential tech package of the year thanks to its certified Level 3 capability in select U.S. states, comprehensive sensor suite with lidar, robust redundancies, and mature OTA ecosystem. Other models lead in charging, efficiency, or UX, but in terms of transformative, legally enabled capability, Mercedes edges the field in 2025.

What is the best tech in Motor Trend 2025?

Super Cruise connected by OnStar® * is the clear leader when it comes to technology, recently winning a 2025 MotorTrend Best Tech Award for Hands-Free Driver Assistance, which recognizes innovation, safety and intuitiveness. Here’s a closer look at the impressive tech that garnered recognition.

What cars have autopilot in 2025?

In 2025, you can’t buy a truly self-driving (SAE Level 5) car, but you can purchase vehicles with advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) like Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot, GM Super Cruise, and Ford BlueCruise that allow hands-free driving on highways. While public fleets like Waymo and those of Chinese companies are deploying “robotaxis” in limited areas, private ownership of fully autonomous vehicles remains a future goal. Many manufacturers are developing systems with automatic updates, but widespread Level 5 autonomy is still years away. 
What you can buy in 2025:

• Mercedes-Benz Drive Pilot: Opens in new tabThis is one of the few systems that meets the SAE Level 3 standard, allowing the driver to take their hands off the wheel and their eyes off the road in specific conditions. 
• GM Super Cruise and Ford BlueCruise: Opens in new tabThese systems offer extended hands-free highway driving, but require the driver’s eyes to remain on the road. 
• Other Advanced Driver-Assist Systems: Opens in new tabBMW and other manufacturers offer various packages that combine multiple driver-assistance technologies for hands-free highway driving. 

What you cannot buy in 2025:

• A truly self-driving (SAE Level 5) car: Opens in new tabWhile Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system is marketed for autonomy, it is not capable of self-driving and does not meet Level 3 standards. 
• Widespread private ownership of autonomous vehicles: Opens in new tabThe technology is still primarily being developed and deployed in public fleets and for specialized use cases. 

Key Players and Developments in 2025:

• Public Robotaxi Services: Opens in new tabCompanies like Waymo, Baidu’s Apollo Go, and others are expanding their robotaxi services in specific cities, though human safety drivers are often still used in testing phases. 
• European Focus on Public Transport: Opens in new tabIn Europe, the focus is on route-centric autonomous vehicles like roboshuttles and robobuses, often used in testing for short, low-usage trips. 
• Ongoing Regulatory and Safety Concerns: Opens in new tabDespite progress, there are still incidents, controversies, and concerns about safety and regulatory opposition to the expansion of driverless technology in some areas. 

Which car has the most advanced technology?

There is no single “most advanced” car, as different brands excel in different areas, though Tesla models are often highlighted for their leading software, over-the-air updates, and Full Self-Driving (FSD) capabilities. However, luxury brands like Genesis, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Rolls-Royce also offer advanced technologies, including facial and fingerprint recognition, advanced driver-assistance systems, and luxurious interior features like massaging seats and augmented reality, according to CarBuzz and U.S. News & World Report. 
Key areas of technological advancement include:

• Autonomous Driving: Opens in new tabTesla remains a leader with its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving systems, using advanced AI and sensor suites. 
• Over-the-Air (OTA) Software Updates: Opens in new tabTesla is known for its ability to download and implement new features and adjustments as they are developed, transforming the car into a “living tech platform,” according to bizzmarkblog.com and Reddit. 
• Facial and Fingerprint Recognition: Opens in new tabGenesis, with models like the GV60, incorporates biometric authentication for unlocking and personalizing settings. 
• Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS): Opens in new tabBrands like Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Genesis offer sophisticated features such as lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and active cross-traffic warnings. 
• Luxury and Comfort Technology: Opens in new tabHigh-end models like the Mercedes-Maybach GLS and Rolls-Royce Spectre provide features like massaging seats, cabin fragrance systems, and advanced sound systems with Dolby Atmos, notes CarBuzz and YouTube. 
• Suspension and Ride Control: Opens in new tabThe Rolls-Royce Spectre’s “Planar suspension” can decouple anti-roll bars, allowing each wheel to act independently for an exceptionally smooth ride. 

Top brands for technology:

• Tesla: Known for its software-driven approach, OTA updates, and leading autonomous driving tech. 
• Genesis: Recognized by J.D. Power for integrating advanced technology across convenience, automation, and infotainment. 
• Mercedes-Benz and BMW: Offer cutting-edge luxury tech, including advanced driver-assistance, sophisticated infotainment, and unique comfort features. 
• Rolls-Royce: Focuses on integrating advanced technology into its luxurious environment, including innovative suspension and digital features. 

Which technology is best for 2025?

The best tech of 2025 includes significant advancements in Artificial Intelligence, exemplified by Nvidia’s Cosmos AI model, which earned a “Best of CES” award. Other standout technologies include Nvidia Cosmos, Apple Watch Ultra 3 with improved battery and satellite features, the portable Shine 2.0 wind generator, and the Samsung Neo QLED TV. For gamers, the PS VR 3 and Nintendo Switch 2 are recommended, while content creators will appreciate the AI-powered Trexo Wheels Go. 
Key Technology Trends

• Artificial Intelligence: Opens in new tabAI continues to be a transformative force, with innovations like Nvidia Cosmos aiming to accelerate AI development and application across various fields. 
• Spatial Computing: Opens in new tabA trend focusing on combining virtual and physical reality, allowing for more integrated digital experiences. 
• Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR): Opens in new tabAdvancements are enhancing immersive experiences, especially in gaming and other applications. 
• Portable Power: Opens in new tabThe Shine 2.0 offers portable wind power with a built-in battery for on-the-go energy. 

Top Gadgets and Devices

• Nvidia Cosmos AI Model: Awarded “Best Overall” at CES 2025, it’s an underlying technology expected to boost AI capabilities for robots and smart glasses. 
• Apple Watch Ultra 3: Offers improved battery life, 5G, and crucial two-way satellite connectivity for emergency services. 
• Shine 2.0 Generator: A compact and portable wind generator that provides power for devices and stations. 
• Samsung Neo QLED 4K TVs: The 2025 lineup includes enormous 115-inch models for an impressive home viewing experience. 
• Trexo Wheels Go: An AI-powered motion control device for content creators, enabling smooth camera movements and presets. 
• Flick Smart Buttons: Small, adhesive buttons that provide simple, one-press control for smart home devices and phones. 

Gaming & Entertainment

• PS VR 3: Opens in new tabA must-have for gamers wanting to immerse themselves in virtual worlds and deeper VR experiences. 
• Nintendo Switch 2: Opens in new tabThe first major update to the popular hybrid console, it is a highly anticipated device for Nintendo fans.