It turns out that more technology in cars isn’t necessarily something customers want, and it’s not really improving their driving experience. We know my thoughts on the matter, but I’ll do my best to stay impartial on this latest survey from JD Power that shows most customers don’t appreciate technology in cars unless they can see a clear benefit to them.
JD Power’s 2024 U.S. Tech Experience Index Study evaluated over 81,000 drivers’ experience with “advanced vehicle technologies” in 2024 model year vehicles after 90 days of ownership, It turned out to be a pretty mixed bag when it came to what people liked using. There are a number of tech features that customers like using because they feels that it answers their needs, but at the same time there is a whole lot that don’t get used very often or are continually annoying, according to the survey.
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Meh. Big screens don’t make cars better. It’s still a car, and basic functionality is more important than a big screen that lags or hides functions.
I don’t know, I love having a big screen in my car. Navigation is bigger, so it’s much easier to glance down and find navigation references.
I still have all of the critical functions, too.
Big screens that are crap don’t make cars better. Maybe. Often you don’t realize it until you’ve paid for it, at that point the manufacturer is laughing to the bank.
And a lot of models are actually better, especially post 2020, when a screen is not a novelty and the early failures are (mostly) over.