2024-07-06 11:53:03
According to the J.D. Power 2024 Initial Quality Study, technology features continue to be a headache for new car owners.
The annual study is based on owner-reported new-vehicle problems, with vehicles and brands scored based on a problem metric per 100 vehicles.
This year, the J.D. Power study is based on responses from 99,144 U.S. buyers and lessees of 2024 model-year vehicles and also includes data on first-time service visits to franchised dealers.
The industry average is 195 problems per 100 vehicles, but the average for mass-market brands is lower (and therefore better) at 181 problems per 100 vehicles.
Premium brands had an average of 232 problems per 100 vehicles, which J.D. Power attributed to more complex technology features in those brands’ vehicles.
Porsche was the highest-ranking premium brand, with 172 issues per 100 vehicles, followed by Lexus (174) and Genesis (184). Curiously, Ram (one of the brands with the most recalls) was the highest-ranking brand in the study, scoring 149 issues per 100 vehicles, followed by Chevrolet (160) and Hyundai (162).
Infotainment systems were the most problematic area, followed by “functions, controls and displays”.
This is especially true for electric vehicles, which had 30% more problems per 100 vehicles than gasoline models. JD Power specifically cited Tesla’s recent switch to steering wheel buttons to control the horn and turn signals.
Across all categories, electric cars had an average of 266 problems per 100 vehicles, while petrol and diesel cars had 180 problems per 100 vehicles.
Tesla reported 266 problems per 100 vehicles, according to JD Power, close to the average for electric vehicles from traditional automakers but still above the industry average.
The same was true for electric car specialists Rivian (also with 266 issues per 100 vehicles) and Polestar (316 issues), although the exclusive EV brands were kept separate from the official rankings.
Other tech issues included reverse automatic emergency braking warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and a rear-seat reminder feature that owners found confusing or annoying.
Rear-seat reminders, designed to prevent children or pets from being inadvertently left in the vehicle, had 1.7 problems per 100 vehicles, mostly because owners mistook the warning chime for the sound of seatbelts or reported that the warning was activated when the rear seat was unoccupied. . .
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto features also remain in the top 10 complaints of train owners, according to JD Power.
More than 50% of Apple users and 42% of Samsung users said they use their respective connectivity features every time they drive, but owners often report difficulty connecting to their vehicles or loss of connection. However, other technology features have also improved.
“Not surprisingly, the introduction of new technologies presents challenges for manufacturers to maintain vehicle quality,” Frank Hanley, senior director of automotive benchmarking at JD Power, said in a statement.
“However, the industry can take comfort in the fact that some problem areas such as voice recognition and parking cameras are now considered less problematic than they were a year ago.”
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