Toronto, Ontario — We’ve all looked at a complex piece of technology and thought, “I’ll get around to setting that up one day,” but do we ever? According to a new study from J.D. Power, the answer, when it comes to new features in vehicles, is typically never.
The influx of on-board features like more complex entertainment, camera and driver-assistance systems have no doubt caused the price and value of the vehicles we drive to rise.
However, analysts from J.D. Power say that a certain amount of that cost is being wasted on drivers with no intention of learning about their vehicle’s many functions.
“New-vehicle prices are at an all-time high, partly as a result of an increased level of content,” said Kristin Kolodge, executive director of human-machine interface at J.D. Power.
“This is fine if owners are getting value for their money, but some features seem like a waste to many owners.”
The study found that 61 percent of owners say they have never used the in-vehicle digital technology, with 51 percent of those saying they have no need for it.
“J.D. Power has a wealth of transactional data showing that automakers suffer a hit to profits and sales velocity if they build the wrong mix of features on their vehicles,” Kolodge said.
“The TXI research quantifies the benefits when there is alignment between what owners truly want and what the automakers produce.”
