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Consumers Prioritizing Vehicle Tech Over Brand

Nearly half of consumers (48%) prioritize in-vehicle technology over brand and body style, according to the 2017 Autotrader Car Tech Impact Study.

by Staff
January 11, 2017
3 min to read


Nearly half of consumers (48%) prioritize in-vehicle technology over brand and body style, according to the 2017 Autotrader Car Tech Impact Study.

Released on Sunday at the 2017 North American International Auto Show, the report showed a growing number of consumers believe certain safety technologies, including blind-spot detection and forward collision warning, should come standard on all vehicles in the United States. Convenience and entertainment options also ranked high on consumers’ preferred list of technology features.

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“Technology has become the deciding factor for car buyers selecting a vehicle,” said Michelle Krebs, Autotrader senior analyst. “Automakers must deliver innovative features or risk consumers looking elsewhere.”

The study also shows that 56% of car shoppers have done their research and know exactly what in-vehicle technology they are interested in before they visit a dealership. Younger car buyers, 18- to 34-year-olds in particular, are generally more tech savvy and are less willing to compromise on the features they want.

Additionally, 70% of respondents noted they would consider paying more for driver-assist technology such as blind-spot monitoring or adaptive cruise control in their next vehicle purchase. However, 65% still have concerns over system failures with self-driving cars, roughly the same number as in 2016. In general, nearly two-thirds of respondents believe new technology has improved the way they drive.

The study also indicated experience with advanced, self-driving technologies will likely lead to quicker adoption: three out of four drivers who own a vehicle with these advanced technologies (adaptive cruise, collision warning, etc.) say it helps make them a better driver and feel safer.

“And yet, despite the appeal of advanced driver-assist and technology features, the study found that convenience and entertainment features such as voice commands and Wi-Fi are still more desired,” the company stated in its press release. “Connectivity systems such as a General Motors’ OnStar, Ford’s Sync and Toyota’s EnTune; advanced, adaptive navigation systems and technology that provides wireless device charging are all high on consumer’s want list. Regardless of age or comfort with technology, 53% of consumers expect vehicle technology to be every bit as robust as smartphone technology.”

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Here are additional findings from the study:

  • Millennials Drive Demand: Millennial drivers are willing to pay more for the technology they want, with 55% of them expecting to spend an additional $2,600 to get desired tech features.

  • Parents Adopt Technology: Parents are twice as likely to purchase advanced safety features than non-parents (51% vs. 22%) and three times more likely to own a vehicle with autonomous features.

  • Trust in Autonomous Vehicle Technology Growing: Compared to 2016, consumers are growing more comfortable with the idea of giving up control to a self-driving vehicle. In fact, 49% of respondents indicated they’d give up control in exchange for some free time not driving or watching the road (up from 35% in 2016); 17% of respondents said they would use the time to catch up on work while 16% said they would play games, both up significantly from last year.

  • Autonomous Technology in Unexpected Situations: Consumers are also becoming more comfortable with how a self-driving vehicle would react in unexpected situations, such as encountering a deer in the road (42% of respondents are not concerned); interacting with non-self-driving vehicles (57%) and interacting with pedestrians or bicycles (56%), all up from 2016.

The study was conducted by KS&R Inc. in partnership with Research Now on behalf of Autotrader. The online survey includes responses from 1,020 U.S. vehicle owners aged 18 or older.

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