A J.D. Power study has revealed a number of new technology features in vehicles often go unused by drivers.
As technology in vehicles progresses, so does the need to learn an array of new symbols, alerts and the technical use of features.
The J.D. Power’s 2021 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) study found 52% of surveyed vehicle owners have never used the communication technology features available in several vehicles. These are concerning figures regarding communication technologies which could include hands-free phone and navigation systems, as they have been developed to reduce driver distraction related road accidents.
“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.”
Features that improve the safety of drivers may also become unused as they are often new to drivers. These findings call into question the actual use of those more important safety features being added to vehicles such as:
- Lane departure warning (LDW)
- Lane-keep assist (LKA)
- Autonomous emergency braking (AEB)
- Autonomous emergency steering
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Driver attention monitoring
All the above features require a certain level of understanding to be confident in using but all save lives and prevent incidents on the road. It is often overwhelming when you sit in a new car, seeing several symbols on the dashboard you do not recognise.
How can I learn more?
AfMA has several short educational animations and online courses which are designed to help drivers understand how these vehicle safety features are designed to work. The animations and courses explain these safety features found in new vehicles.
To learn more and view these animations CLICK HERE
