Absolutely all new cars have one thing in common: they have one or more screens inside. This is what is all the rage, and although the “fever” of screens in cars seems to have subsided a bit (some manufacturers are reverting to classic buttons for certain functions), at this point there seems to be no going back.
What more and more drivers are discovering is that the problem isn’t really the number of screens, or even the replacement of physical controls with tactile buttons; but in how they are implemented.
That’s why, for the first time in 28 years, American drivers’ satisfaction with their cars has decrease for the second consecutive year, according to the annual JD Power study. Although there have been a few bad years in terms of satisfaction, this is the first time that there have been two consecutive declines, indicating a worrying trend in the sector.
Screens in cars are boring
According to the study, a big problem is the “infotainment” systems that come standard in most new vehicles; They are so unintuitive fewer and fewer people use them even for basic functions which normally should not require much difficulty. The most surprising detail is that only 56% of drivers prefer to use the integrated system to listen to music; in 2020, the percentage was at 70%, so there has been a clear deterioration in the perception that drivers have of these systems.
Although many brands have invested millions in the development of new smart systems, the reality is that the drivers don’t want it: Less than half said they use native commands for functions such as navigation, voice recognition or phone calls. It is a resounding failure for companies seeking to differentiate themselves from the competition by offering different functions; the problem is that the consumer doesn’t want something “different”, they want what works.
Consumers prefer Android Auto’s familiar interface
And it is that all these criticisms disappear when we talk about Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the reason is simple: the experience with these systems is very similar to using a mobile. Users are used to using the same apps for their needs, so they find it unnecessary to use each brand’s exclusive features. With Android Auto it is possible to have access to very popular applications such as Google Maps or Spotify, with an interface very similar to that of mobile phones.
The importance of apps is evident when you see that drivers gave the highest score to Android Automotive based systems with Google apps Pre installed; some manufacturers offer this “pure” Google experience, such as Volvo and soon General Motors, and it is generally the best received. On the contrary, Android Automotive-based systems without Google apps received the worst score, as users search for apps they know on mobile and cannot find them.
It’s not that screens are entirely responsible for this drop in driver satisfaction; in fact, the exterior appearance of the cars is the part that lost the most points compared to last year. Even Tesla, which continues to score very well, is down from last year. Therefore, the industry has a lot to ponder.
You may be interested
Follow the topics that interest you
