J.D. Power’s 2024 U.S. Tech Experience Index Study reveals that new vehicle buyers are increasingly overwhelmed by technology features in their cars. The study suggests that many of these features “don’t solve a problem, don’t work, are difficult to use or are just too limited in functionality.”
The study surveyed 81,926 buyers of new 2024 model-year vehicles after 90 days of ownership. J.D. Power assessed owner feedback on 40 different technologies, categorizing them into convenience, emerging automation, energy and sustainability, and infotainment and connectivity.
From this data, the market research firm generated a report card for various brands and insights into the reception of specific technologies, classifying them as must-haves, nice-to-haves, or unnecessary. Kathleen Rizk, senior director of user experience benchmarking and technology at J.D. Power, stated, “This year’s study makes it clear that owners find some technologies of little use and/or continually are annoying.”
One area of concern identified in the study is hands-on driving assistance. This technology received a perceived usefulness score of 7.61 out of 10, making it one of the lowest-rated advanced driver-assistance systems. Even hands-free versions of the tech only scored slightly higher, at 7.98. However, J.D. Power also noted that “most owners appreciate features that directly address specific concerns, such as visual blind spots while backing up.”
Passenger-side infotainment screens also received criticism. J.D. Power suggests that these screens might be perceived more favorably if they were used more frequently, as only about 10% of vehicles have a front passenger daily. Furthermore, they complicate the vehicle delivery experience. “It is difficult for dealers to teach new owners how to use the primary infotainment screen, let alone a second one.”
Other technologies that drew negative feedback include facial recognition, fingerprint readers, and gesture controls. J.D. Power found that these features often fail to solve problems that owners didn’t realize they had. For instance, gesture control systems recorded 43.4 problems per 100 vehicles, and 21% of owners stated that the technology “lacks functionality.”
A new addition to the study for 2024 were questions regarding the perceived usefulness of advanced technologies.
Brand Rankings Genesis topped the premium brand rankings for the fourth year in a row, and its sister brand, Hyundai, led the mass-market brands for the fifth consecutive year. The average score among the 31 brands included in the study was 494 out of 1,000, with just six brands exceeding that average. Notable scores include:
- Genesis: 584
- Lexus: 535
- Hyundai: 518
Tesla, Rivian, and Polestar also participated in the study, earning scores of 786, 666, and 578, respectively. They were excluded from the rankings because they did not meet the study’s award criteria.
