Recently, at the 2026 World New Energy Vehicle Congress, Deng Chenghao, Vice President of Changan Automobile and Chairman of Deepal, presented a set of data: the actual usage rate of in-car fridges by users is only 5%; rear-seat entertainment screens and in-car KTV systems are used by users no more than ten times a year.
This set of data is like a bucket of cold water poured on the head of the NEV (New Energy Vehicle) industry, which is keen on "feature stacking". Over the past few years, large screens, fridges, LiDAR, and rear-seat entertainment screens have almost become standard at new car launch events. Automakers compete to see who has the larger screens, colder fridges, and more LiDARs.
However, Deng's words remind the entire industry: hardware stacking does not equal a real user experience.
Feature Stacking Arms Race
The feature stacking in NEVs began to accelerate around 2020.
For example, the NIO ET7 was launched with 11 cameras, 1 LiDAR, and 5 mmWave radars, achieving a computing power of 1016 TOPS. Almost simultaneously, the Zeekr 001 was released, equipped with frameless doors, air suspension, Yamaha audio, and more. This is just the tip of the iceberg in the automotive market's feature competition.
It was also from this stage that the feature lists at new car launch events became increasingly longer. When the Li Auto L9 was launched, "fridge, TV, and large sofa" became its iconic label. The AITO M9 is equipped with Huawei AR-HUD, projection headlights, rear-seat entertainment screens, and more. Almost every newly launched NEV tries to make a fuss on its feature list.
Fridges have become standard in mid-to-high-end NEVs. From Li Auto to AITO, and from Denza to Zeekr, almost all NEV models priced at CNY 200,000 and above are equipped with in-car fridges. Rear-seat entertainment screens have also become standard for "family flagship" models, with some models even featuring three rear screens.
The logic of automakers is simple: the higher the features, the more value consumers feel they are getting. Against the backdrop of a price war, adding features has become an important means for automakers to maintain their pricing systems. At the same price, more features make consumers more willing to pay.
However, Deng's data reveals an awkward reality: many features that consumers pay a high price for are actually rarely used.
Why Stacked Features Go Unused
Behind feature stacking is the automakers' misjudgment of user needs.
The in-car fridge is a typical example. When designing the fridge, automakers assumed users would use it to chill drinks and food during long trips. However, in reality, most users' daily travel is commuting, with distances usually within tens of kilometers, making an in-car fridge completely unnecessary. Even on long trips, users prefer to buy cold drinks at service areas rather than preparing them in the car in advance.
The situation with rear-seat entertainment screens is similar. Automakers assume rear-seat passengers will watch movies and play games during trips. In reality, most rear-seat passengers prefer to use their own smartphones or tablets rather than the in-car screens. The content ecosystem of in-car screens is far less rich than that of smartphones, and the operation is not as convenient.
The usage rate of in-car KTV is even lower. Singing in the car sounds great, but in reality, very few users actually sing in the car. On the one hand, the limited interior space results in a poor singing experience; on the other hand, most users prefer to listen to music or podcasts while driving rather than singing themselves.
Deng also mentioned a viewpoint at the congress: single-point innovation has failed. Many innovations in the previous round of the industry were single-point breakthroughs, but product success no longer relies on simple hardware stacking; systematic capability is the key to winning. This statement points out another problem with feature stacking: adding single-point features cannot bring about an overall improvement in the user experience.
For example, even if a fridge is provided, users still won't use it if the cooling effect is poor, the capacity is too small, or it is inconvenient to access. Similarly, even if a rear-seat entertainment screen is provided, users will still choose to use their smartphones if the content ecosystem is poor, the operation is laggy, or the sound quality is bad.
Returning to Real Needs
Deng's speech represents the industry's beginning to reflect on the phenomenon of feature stacking.
A truly user-friendly in-vehicle system doesn't require you to say, "Please lower the temperature by two degrees." Just saying "I'm a bit hot" is enough for it to understand you, just like an old friend who knows you well. This is the direction intelligence should take: not stacking more hardware, but making existing hardware more usable, smarter, and closer to users' real needs.
In fact, some automakers have already started to subtract features. Some newly launched models have canceled the low-usage rear-seat entertainment screens, instead focusing on improving the fluency and intelligence level of the in-vehicle system. Some models have canceled the in-car fridge, instead adding more storage space and charging ports.
Consumers are also voting with their feet. According to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), since 2026, the top-selling NEV models are not those with the most abundant features, but those with the best comprehensive experience. Models such as the BYD Qin PLUS, Geely Xingyuan, and Leapmotor A10 do not have flashy features, but have become market winners relying on stable quality, reasonable prices, and a good reputation.
Deng also mentioned at the congress that electrification is not just the first half, but runs through the entire match. Power battery performance is still iterating, and R&D around supercharging and longer range continues to advance. This shows that the competition in NEVs is shifting from a feature competition to a technology and experience competition.
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