Today's newest cars are technological marvels.
Step inside any new model at your local dealership, and you will be greeted with doors that unlock when you approach them, screens that take up vast sections of the dashboard, and seats that can be adjusted into any comfortable position.
Though these are just a tiny fraction of some of the cool features that are essential inside modern-day cars, a new study from J.D. Power finds that owners aren't all too keen on being pampered or having a virtual hand to hold behind the wheel; they're getting antsy about the gizmos their cars come with.
Stellantis
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
J.D. Power recently released the results of its 2024 U.S. Tech Experience Study, asking nearly 82,000 new 2024 model-year car owners about the problems they encountered within 90 days of ownership.
They found that many owners were not too impressed with the tech they were given behind the wheel, citing gaps in the user experience with new in-car technology.
"This year’s study makes it clear that owners find some technologies of little use and/or are continually annoying," said J.D. Power user experience benchmarking and technology senior director Kathleen Rizk.
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J.D. Power found that new in-car tech that is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), such as smart climate control, resonated hard with owners, but other items categorized as 'recognition technology' like facial recognition, fingerprint readers, and interior gesture controls were ones that owners felt solved a problem that owners did not have.
Additionally, owners who were surveyed told J.D. Power that they prefer driver assistance systems that do not entirely take over the car's controls, such as blind spot monitoring.
They found that drivers like to be in control of their cars. Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as lane keep assist or radar-guided cruise control, scored high on uselessness, which J.D. Power credits as being features "not solving a known problem."
Driver-assist tech sparked a debate on LinkedIn
A few days ago, we posted a small snippet on LinkedIn of our review of the 2024 Toyota Crown Platinum, the most luxurious car in Toyota's value-driven lineup.
In it, I demonstrated a feature that Toyota calls Advanced Park, which I found to be extremely amusing because it not only directs the car to parallel park itself (which could be a nerve-wracking situation while driving in big, urban environments), but also parking in 'normal' spaces in a traditional parking lot.
"That is technology I never thought I wanted, but somehow it's here," I said after demonstrating the feature during the video.
While my determinations have juggled back and forth about the actual "usefulness" of such technology, comments below our video on LinkedIn might suggest that the tech is one of those features that are "not solving a known problem."
One LinkedIn user pointed out they are "all for" technology that puts cars in between the lines because "many people can't/don't park straight" in a parking space.
"Can we get automatic blinkers next?," the commenter asked.
However, other users argued that this feature could lead to a situation in the future where drivers do not know how to park their cars.
"Pretty soon parking a car will be a skill alot of people will not have," one LinkedIn user said.
"If you can’t park a car should you be allowed to drive on the highway?," another LinkedIn user asked.
Related: The Toyota Crown is a masterclass in cheap, quiet luxury
One brand stands out with owner tech satisfaction
J.D. Power's findings reveal that some automakers fare better than others. Genesis and Hyundai top the list of premium and mainstream brands, respectively, followed by Lexus and BMW in the premium segment and Kia and Toyota in the mainstream segment.
EV makers Tesla, Rivian, and Polestar are omitted from the list due to restrictions on how they permit researchers like J.D. Power to view their data.
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