Driver assist technologies make new vehicles more appealing to their owners, according to the J.D. Power 2016 U.S. Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study.

The study is based on responses gathered from February 2016 through May 2016 from more than 80,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2016 model-year cars and light-duty trucks who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership.

Vehicles with safety features such as blind spot monitoring and low speed collision avoidance have overall APEAL scores substantially higher than similar vehicles without the technologies. Overall APEAL scores are higher among the 41% of owners whose vehicles have blind spot monitoring than among those whose vehicles do not have this technology (821 vs. 787, respectively).

Similarly, APEAL scores are higher among the 30% of owners whose vehicles have collision avoidance technology than among those whose vehicles do not have this technology (828 vs. 790, respectively), according to the findings of the study.

“Technology-enabled safety features help drivers feel more comfortable and confident while driving their vehicles,” said Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive quality at J.D. Power. “These features are also ‘gateway technologies’ to autonomous driving capabilities, so the continued level of consumer interest in them will be a critical metric to watch as the industry evolves toward including more automation in new vehicles.”