Have automakers lost their minds?
Automakers keep claiming they’re shoving more and more advanced technology in modern cars because consumers demand it. However, a recent study done by J.D. Power calls that line of thinking into question.
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As Reuters points out, a big gap in reliability scores has emerged between mass market brands like Kia and luxury brands like BMW. In fact, J.D. Power says the gap in its Vehicle Dependability Study is the widest the consultancy firm has ever seen in the 34 years of its existence.
The reason why these owners of modern luxury cars are so dissatisfied has everything to do with all the fancy onboard technologies included on their ride. One of the chief items vehicle owners complained about was Bluetooth phone connections being unreliable. If you’ve experienced this maddening phenomena in your vehicle, you know just how frustrating it can be.
Another problem observed in the study were complicated touchscreen menus where options are buried under several layers, making them difficult to find while driving. Many automakers have ditched traditional knobs and buttons, moving everything to touchscreens, unnecessarily complicating simple tasks like turning the air temperature up or down.
While Lexus was ranked as the most dependable brand in the survey, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Acura scored below average.
Tesla wasn’t included with all the other car brands since the automaker doesn’t give anyone full access to vehicle owner info. Still, J.D. Power found the American brand would’ve ranked 5th from the bottom. Tesla owners who were surveyed complained about Autopilot not working correctly, forward collision systems malfunctioning, and excessive wind noise.
Source: Reuters
Images via Mercedes-Benz, Acura
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