Car buyers choose gadgets over safety…
Road safety advocates will be disappointed in the findings of a new study which shows US car buyers would rather have car luxuries and gadgets than safety features.
More buyers wanted flashy headlights than safety features
The latest JD Power Automotive Emerging Technologies Study found buyers are more likely to opt for accessories such as a digital radio or voice recognition than a rear reversing camera.
That’s despite the camera having the potential to save the life of a child.
The study looked at the levels of interest for new in-car technologies, both with a price attached and without.
About seventy per cent of buyers said they would “definitely” or “probably” want features such as LED headlights, voice control, and head-up display.
But once buyers were asked to pay for technology, they weren’t as keen.
Low cost options such as a $750 enhanced collision mitigation system found interest from less than half of those surveyed.
The top five most wanted features before the price was revealed:
Light emitting diode (LED) headlights – 70 per cent
Natural language voice-activation – 69 per cent
Next-generation head-up display – 69 per cent
Wireless connectivity system – 68 per cent
Remote vehicle diagnostics – 65 per cent
Top five most wanted features after the price was revealed:
HD radio (at $100) – 52 per cent
Enhanced collision mitigation system (at $750) – 46 per cent
Wireless connectivity system (at $300) – 45 per cent
Surround-view rear-vision camera (at $550) – 44 per cent
Personal assistance safety services (at $15/month) – 41 per cent
Joel Helmes
Behind the Wheel supports and encourages road safety. We provide road safety news from Australia and the world, keeping you up to date on new technologies and other road safety issues. Our road safety expert Russell White also contributes safe driving tips and information as part of our effort to cut road fatalities and end the trauma.
