New cars are actually rolling computers. Everything from the engine to the infotainment runs on a series of ones and zeros, and much of that technology requires input from the driver. So it’s no surprise that JD Power has a study specifically designed to determine which bits of tech riders love and which bits they hate.
“New technology remains a primary factor in a vehicle purchase decision,” said Kristin Kolodge of JD Power, executive director of research into the interaction between the driver and the human machine interface. “However, it is critical for carmakers to provide features that owners find intuitive and reliable. wasted.”
From the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) study found Volvo owners are happiest with the technology in their cars, followed by BMW and Cadillac, all brands JD Power classifies as premium. The most appreciated mainstream brand is Hyundai, followed by Subaru and Kia. As was the case with the organization’s Initial Quality and APEAL investigations, Tesla’s figures have not been officially included as they are the only automaker that has not approved JD Power to contact its owners in states that do this. require. Tesla’s expected score of 593 would have put it in second place, just behind Volvo’s score of 617.
The lowest brand in the TXI study is Mini, with Porsche behind it.
Diving a little deeper, JD Power’s findings suggest that the technologies that new car buyers care about most are related to helping them see their surroundings better. Camera systems, including rear-view and ground-view cameras, scored highest on five of the six satisfaction attributes measured in the study.
The technology owners can really live without? Gesture controls. Owners who answered JD Power’s survey say they don’t use much gesture control at all after trying them initially, and they don’t really care if their next vehicle has it. We have to wonder if those responses might not have kept BMW in the first place.
The TXI study also found that owners are divided between automated driving aids, such as lane assistance and automatic emergency braking. JD Power suggests that owners may need more training on those systems before learning to trust them.
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