For the most part, drivers find the technology in their cars to be pretty useless.
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.
I've been driving spoiled with Lane Keep Assist. I'd like to continue to keep that as a thing in all cars.
Also, I used a Ford Escape as a rental this weekend, and holy shit I hate having to wait for the startup animation to complete so I can finally mess with the A/C and have it going on full blast after sitting in the hot sun all day. My Santa Cruz has actual buttons for all the climate control stuff and I had no idea I'd miss it so much until now.
I replied to another comment on this as well. I wasn't very clear with what I meant, my apologies. I was referring to turning the adaptive part off, and going back to just regular old cruise control.
Lane keep assist is annoying AF when you live in a place where you're required by law to cross the double yellow when going around bicycles. You get in a steering wheel fight with the car until you find the menu to temporarily disable it. After next stop-start cycle mid-errand, it's on again by default thanks to US law.
There's some other minor tech that's fairly nice that I haven't seen in cheaper cars. Lights under the door to light up the ground on dark nights for when you're getting out. Just solid utilitarian tech right there.
I'd rather just have a standard size bank up front, like, 3DIN, and choose my own "car computer". Have security locking support, guarantee certain power supply, impact, and temperature conditions. And then open up the "car console" market.
And let me be able to upgrade it five or ten years down the road.
If they want to provide a standard first-party center panel offering, fine. But computers and phones have a shorter life than do cars, and I don't want to be locked into ancient or badly-chosen controls and computers. This "car is a big cell phone" thing is just godawful from a consumer standpoint.
How about the unnecessary tech that just shouldn't be allowed.
Doors that are not primarily manual to open or unlock.
Touchscreen of any type. I'm okay with capacitive touch buttons but they should be in a fixed location and physically distinguishable from other surfaces.
Electronic e-brake
Replacement of any of the main driving functions with anything that is not physical and tactile (turn signals, windshield wipers, headlights)
At least in the US I feel like technology has leapfrogged regulation.
Electronic doors can just fuck right off.. Just another thing to break.. I'd even go so far to say motorized windows these are great until the motor dies and you can't shut the window.
I think a touchscreen is fine as long as real buttons exist for things a driver might want to manipulate while driving. My Outlander has a fairly large touchscreen that offers media and navigation control, but everything else (climate, drive modes, cruise control/drive assists, windows, locks, etc) is real buttons and dials, and there are also an extra set of basic media controls on physical buttons as well (volume, next/prev track, tuning).
I'm quite happy with that. And the passenger still gets all the touchscreen bells and whistles if they want to explore the map or set up playlists or whatever.
After having used both Android Auto and Apple Car Play.
I really prefer having a good phone mount, that puts my phone in a glance-able place near the wheel.
That, and quality Bluetooth Audio.
Can't say that I would buy a minivan, because I hate them.
But my car (Hyundai Azera) has all physical AC buttons and it's great. But it shows the temp on the touchscreen which is unfortunately kinda fundamental to this car from what I've found.
One of the reasons I mentioned android auto, I just have a AAwireless adapter right now, had a Motorola M1 which died. But that is basically all I need other than a charger which I have a 100w type c for that.
I'd say that that kind of imposes a size restriction, but honestly, the crossovers that everyone seems to buy are about the same size as those these days anyway.