Drivers of Ford cars have a tendency to get a little smug around this time of year, due to the presence of one wonderful little button on the dash – Quickclear.

The system, Ford’s brand name for the heated front windscreen technology, has been around on the manufacturers vehicles for twenty or so years now, and yet the novelty has not yet worn off.

I’ve never had a car without Quickclear, so it’s a relief that my first winter in a test car is in a Ford. Leaving the family driveway while the other two cars are still demisting may feel a little mean, but is often appreciated in the cold mornings.

Once the exclusive preserve of Ford group manufacturers, including Jaguar Land Rover and Volvo (both of whom still use the system), now, the tech is slowly starting to appear on cars from other manufacturers, including Nissan’s new Qashqai, high-spec Skodas, and Vauxhall’s facelifted Corsa.

It looks like Ford drivers may not have that smug feeling to themselves for much longer.