Automakers Face a Dilemma When Adding New Tech to Cars

Automakers face a dilemma when adding new tech to their vehicles. But will they continue to push forth?
Written by Andrew Kidd
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Adding more
complex technological features
to new vehicles increases the number of problems experienced and hesitation by their drivers—but the hiccups pay off in the long run.
That's what J.D. Power concludes in its
2022 U.S. Tech Experience Index
(TXI) study.
According to the latest study, 46% of the advanced technologies included had at least one problem with a PP100 (problems per 100 vehicles) higher than the worst attributes of vehicles surveyed in its Initial Quality Study. 
Some of these technologies, it notes, exceed that PP100 count several times over. The lower the PP100 score, the better.

Part of the pain of innovation

J.D. Power asserts that it's a misconception that new tech automatically causes big problems. 
But it's enough of a concern that these hiccups may influence some automakers to delay the rollout of some of their more technologically advanced features—meaning they may fall behind in the market and lose their competitive edge.
That brings us to the age-old dilemma: embrace new technology and risk failure, or play it safe and risk being left behind.
New vehicle tech like driver assist or infotainment features are some of the leading considerations during the purchase of a new car, truck, or SUV. 
When it's done right, it makes owners happy, which reflects well on the brand as a whole and brings in new and repeat customers.
The study notes that problems experienced with the rollout of new technology can vary depending on how well it's implemented by the automaker; some are more adept at incorporating advanced tech in their vehicles than others.
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Stay the course or be left behind

But Kathleen Rizk, senior director of UX benchmarking and tech at J.D. Power, said the uptick in problems experienced as a result of increased technological complexity shouldn't give automakers cold feet when it comes to innovation.
“Innovation is non-negotiable,” she said in a release. “The fact that the average PP100for a technology is high should not discourage automakers from innovating, as there is often a wide range of total problems experienced for a technology across the brands."
What this means, according to Rizk, is that some automakers innovate more flawlessly for some tech, while others struggle.
"Automakers should consider benchmarking brands that innovate well for a technology," she continued, "which would allow them to identify and then integrate best practices. Effective innovators understand that new technologies can be introduced successfully with proper design and execution.”

Key takeaways from the study

One of the highest execution scores awarded in the study was for phone-based digital keys. The most problematic technology identified in the study is fingerprint readers, with a PP100 figure of 54.3 and the lowest satisfaction score of just over 6 out of 10. 
Surprisingly, it beat internal gesture controls (like those featured in BMW's X5) as the worst-performing tech of the past two years. It doesn't really make sense, either, as fingerprint readers are widely used in smartphones and computers and are not new technological territory.
The study found that tech preferences also vary by region, with U.S. consumers being more interested in electric vehicle tech, while China's vehicle owners are interested in infotainment and connected tech. Japan's drivers tend to pay more attention to automation.
Education is also a big factor; the study found that dealerships can improve the brand's reputation by offering to educate customers on new tech features in their vehicles.

Tesla doing well despite not participating

Tesla's innovation score was the highest—unofficially. Because Tesla vehicles aren't eligible for J.D. Power awards (the company doesn't provide owner information), it can't officially be ranked on the scorecard. But its Innovation Index score was 681 on a scale of 1,000.

New tech is pricey

Until wider adoption, vehicles equipped with the latest technology are generally going to be more expensive than those without. To save a little money in the meantime, you should take another look at your car insurance.
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