// THE VERGE — INTELLIGENZA ARTIFICIALE
Car owners want tech they can ignore
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Automakers keep shoving more tech into their cars, despite evidence that consumers are increasingly fed up with huge screens and glitchy software. In fact, the features that car owners appreciate the most happen to be the ones they barely notice, according to the latest tech survey from JD Power.
The consumer research firm surveyed 68,084 owners of new 2026 model-year vehicles after 90 days of ownership. The survey touched on 40 automotive technologies covering comfort and convenience; connected vehicles; driver assist; electric vehicles; and smart vehicles.
The features that scored the highest were the ones that were the most inconspicuous, like smart ignition, in which the vehicle automatically starts and turns off based on driver actions, or smart HVAC systems, which use AI to automatically adjust the cabin environment for maximum comfort and efficiency. These were the big winners in JD’s survey — mostly because they require the least attention from the driver. Smart ignition, in particular, delivered the highest overall satisfaction, with only 2.4 problems per 100 vehicles.
“For automakers, the opportunity is to prioritize technology that makes driving simpler, not more complicated,” Doron Hikry, director of customer success at JD Power, said in a press release. “The features that solve real problems without adding effort or stress for the driver are the ones resonating most with customers.”
Superfluous tech features like passenger screens, in which an extra screen is embedded in the dash in front of passengers, rated the lowest in satisfaction. These screens first began cropping up in premium brands, like Mercedes, BMW, and Porsche, but have yet to bleed over to more mass-market vehicles. Apparently, they’re just wasted space on the dash, with more than one-third of owners who have a passenger screen reporting they’ve never tried to use it. Only 6 percent admitted to using their passenger screens every time they drive. Yikes.