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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I think I got my car at the right time… it has Android Auto and a few automated features that I really appreciate, like auto headlights, pushbutton start, and adaptive cruise control. I can control some functions via an app on my phone, like remote unlock and remote start, which has come in very handy on several occasions. But it still has physical controls for all the commonly used and critical functions. It doesn’t have a huge glass panel taking up most of the dashboard.
The one and only feature that really truly annoys me sometimes is the reverse automatic braking. It uses sensors on the back of the car, and if I have my hitch-mount bike rack in place it freaks out. I can disable it, but only until the next time I start the car, and every time I have to hold down a software button on the touch screen for 3 seconds. While I’m trying to back up. There should really be a physical toggle button for that.