Auto Safety Technology Becomes Large Factor in Customer Satisfaction
A recent study revealed that as cars move towards becoming autonomous, consumers are valuing auto safety technology more and more in customer satisfaction.
According to the J.D. Power’s annual “APEAL” survey, blind spot detection, parking assist and lane departure warnings are among the most popular safety features that consumers want on vehicles. The study itself looks at car buyers and their impressions of vehicle performance, execution and layout. With all the recalls and safety defects in the news, consumers want to feel like they can trust the automaker and the vehicle that they are driving.
The study, which is now in its 20th year, compared 77 attributes for vehicles and combined them into an overall APEAL rating. Vehicles with blind-spot monitoring and warning systems scored 38 points higher than those vehicles without. Not only do consumers prefer vehicles with these features, but they are also willing to pay more for them. To read more about the APEAL study, you can visit J.D. Power’s website here.
In the past year, there have been recalls for defective GM ignition switches linked to 124 deaths, exploding Takata airbags linked to at least 8 deaths and hundreds of injures, and dozens of other recalls affecting almost all automakers and millions of vehicles. During the same time frame, Google was working on developing self-driving vehicles along with a few other automakers who are investing billions into the research and development.
Although we see the benefits of auto safety technology, our concern is that these vehicles may develop flaws and defects like simple technology such as airbags and ignition switches have. With any new technology, defects can happen resulting in accidents. Hopefully automakers will take time and effort to ensure as development and manufacturing occurs that every glitch is taken care of before the vehicle hits the road.