The latest J.D. Power 2015 U.S. Initial Quality Study found technology problems in the first 90 days of ownership.Entertainment and connectivity are not very entertaining when they don’t work well. The study found that entertainment and connectivity systems remain the most problem-prone area for a third consecutive year, with voice recognition and Bluetooth pairing as the top problems.
As voice commands grow, voice recognition problems are being voiced also. Most models included in the study that have voice recognition systems experience 10 or more per hundred vehicles. The number of owners who indicate having voice recognition in their new vehicle has increased to 67 percent in 2015 from 57 percent in 2013.
“Smartphones have set high consumer expectations of how well technology should work, and automakers are struggling to match that success in their new vehicles. However, we are seeing some OEMs make important improvements along the way. What’s clear is that they can’t afford to wait for the next generation of models to launch before making important updates to these systems,” said Renee Stephens vice president of U.S. automotive quality at J.D. Power.
Previous JD studies showed that 15% of new-vehicle buyers indicate they avoided a model because it lacked the latest technological features—up from just 4% percent in 2014, showing that technology clearly plays a key role in affecting future purchase decisions.