Connected car features are not being used by many car owners according to the J.D. Power 2015 Driver Interactive Vehicle Experience (DrIVE) Report. Many features are never used by drivers while other features owner don’t want in their cars at all. However owners do want features that improve the driving experience and safety.
The 2015 DrIVE Report measures driver experiences with in-vehicle technology features during the first 90 days of ownership.
The report found:
- 20% of new-vehicle owners have never used 16 of the 33 technology features measured.
- Respondents “never use” in-vehicle concierge (43%)
- Never use mobile routers (38%).
- Never use automatic parking systems (35%).
- Never use head-up display (33%)
- Never use built-in apps (32%).
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. Among Gen Y, the number of features unwanted by at least 20 percent of owners increases to 23, specifically technologies related to entertainment and connectivity systems.
In-vehicle technologies that most owners do want include vehicle health diagnostics, blind-spot warning and detection, and adaptive cruise control.
Among all owners, the most frequently cited reasons for not wanting a specific technology feature in their next vehicle are “did not find it useful” in their current vehicle and the technology “came as part of a package on my current vehicle and I did not want it.”
Also owners who say their dealer did not explain the feature have a higher likelihood of never using the technology. Furthermore, features that are not activated when the vehicle is delivered often result in the owner not even knowing they have the technology in their new vehicle.
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 via an external device.
Because the first few weeks of ownership are so critical, dealerships play the most important role in helping owners get off to a good start with the technology in their vehicle, Kolodge noted.
“While dealers are expected to play a key role in explaining the technology to consumers, the onus should be on automakers to design the technology to be intuitive for consumers,” said Kolodge. “Automakers also need to explain the technology to dealership staff and train them on how to demonstrate it to owners.”
The 2015 Driver Interactive Vehicle Experience (DrIVE) Report is based on responses from more than 4,200 vehicle owners and lessees after 90 days of ownership. The report was fielded in April through June 2015.