Many consumers donêt use their carsê technology, says J.D. Power
Automakers are spending billions of dollars to put technologies in their vehicles that are not being used by the owners, according to the J.D. Power 2015 Driver Interactive Vehicle Experience (DrIVE) Report. The report measures driver experiences with in-vehicle technology features in the first 90 days of ownership.
Owners who say their dealer did not explain a feature are more likely never to use the technology. If features are not activated when the vehicle is delivered, the owner likley will never know he/she has the technology.
The report finds that at least 20 percent of new vehicle owners have never used 16 of the 33 technology features measured. The five features that owners most commonly report they never use: in-vehicle concierge, mobile routers, automatic parking systems, head-up display and built-in apps.
There are 14 technology features that 20 percent or more of owners do not want in their next vehicle, including Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto, in-vehicle concierge services and in-vehicle voice texting. The percentage is higher among Gen Y owners (born in the 1980s and 1990s).
In many cases, owners simply prefer to use their smartphone or tablet because it meets their needs; theyêre familiar with the device and itês accurate, said Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction and human-machine interface research at J.D. Power.
The technologies owners most often want are those that enhance the driving experience and safety, which are only available as a built-in feature rather than through an external device. In-vehicle technologies that most owners want include vehicle health diagnostics, blind-spot warning, and adaptive cruise control.
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