DRIVERS are only just realising their cars have a hidden bonus feature - and it could prevent costly accidents.
Hill starts can catch out even well-seasoned motorists - but this nifty system could help you manoeuvre them like a pro .
The aptly named feature, hill start assist, gives drivers time to move their foot from the brake to the accelerator and get the clutch in biting point before rolling back.
A motors expert demonstrated the technique in a helpful video.
He said: "With hill assist, you need to be in gear for it to work.
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"If I press my brake and I let go of my brake, the car doesn't roll back.
"But it doesn't hold it for that long, and it will start rolling back.
"It holds it for just over a second, but those few seconds give you time to go to the gas and bring the clutch to the biting point.
"So with the hill assist all I would have to do it come off the brake, bring my foot to the gas, get the clutch to biting point and then move forward without rolling back."
Hill assist is also a function in automatic vehicles - although starting on an incline is a lot easier due to no clutch.
Make sure the car is in Park, and when you want to pull forward, shift into Drive mode.
Usually an automatic will move on it's own without pressing on the gas, but if you are parked on a steep hill, you will need to apply some pressure to the accelerator.
It is important to note that hill assist only engages for a few seconds, and a vehicle will still roll backwards if the driver relies on it too heavily.
If you find yourself rolling back the best thing to do is stay calm and put on your handbrake again - this will always stop your car moving.
Experts at Buy A Car have helpfully put together a list of the best cars with hill assist.
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This comes as other motor experts shared other tips and tricks which left drivers amazed.
One whizz has revealed a vital motor part that should be changed regularly - and it's not what you might expect.
Meanwhile people were stunned to discover a secret button that could save their life on the road - here's where to find it.
In a video shared to TikTok, one woman revealed the little known "life changing" hack.
And, parents have been urged to remember a life-saving feature in cars to keep their children safe.
