You probably don’t use all that car technology you paid for
Though you may think you want all the bells and whistles on your new car – a new study shows that you might not actually end up using them.
J.D. Power, a global research company, surveyed more than 4,200 vehicle owners and lessees after 90 days of having their new car and found that “at least 20 percent of new-vehicle owners have never used 16 of the 33 technology features measured.’’
The five features most people said they “never used’’ included:
1. In-vehicle concierge (43%)
2. Mobile routers (38%)
3. Automatic parking systems (35%)
4. Head-up display (33%)
5. Built-in apps (32%)
It seems many people are more comfortable with the technology they already have.
“In many cases, owners simply prefer to use their smartphone or tablet because it meets their needs; they’re familiar with the device and it’s accurate,’’ Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction at J.D. Power, said in a statement. “In-vehicle connectivity technology that’s not used results in millions of dollars of lost value for both consumers and the manufacturers.’’
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Car brands you can count on:
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Twenty percent or more of the consumers surveyed even reported they did not want Apple CarPlay or Google Android Auto, two “infotainment’’ interfaces highly anticipated in some circles.
The Verge reported that Apple CarPlay will “take over your cars dashboard’’ and might turn “all of a car’s functionality into an app or two,’’ but maybe consumers feel like their phones already do everything these apps promise.
What do drivers actually want?
According to Kolodge, drivers are more concerned with safety technology and features that enhance driving experience, such as vehicle health diagnostics, blind-spot warning and detection, and adaptive cruise control.
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