Untitled Document

Consumers will sacrifice vehicle color, brand and style for Infotainment
Would dashboard distractions be even less safe?

Story from Jan. 24 issue of CE Outlook:

About half of consumers would pay up to $1,499 for an interactive dashboard. Maybe that should be the new buzz word for the aftermarket…an interactive dash.

An interactive dashboard is simply a car radio with access to apps, maps and other content. So when it comes from the car dealers, it’s worth $1,500?

Yes, according to a new study by Autotrader. The study found that half or more of consumers would sacrifice the color of the car, the brand of the car and the style of the vehicle in order to get the tech features they want when buying a car.

And almost all the key features consumers want are sold every day in the aftermarket.

The top wish list tech features consumer want are connectivity to a phone, wireless charging, “advanced camera parking display” and automatic parking.

Plus consumers like Bluetooth and blind spot detection so well, they want them to be standard equipment. And even though forward collision warning is found in only 11 percent of vehicles, most consumers (56%) say it should be standard.

Again, these are key technologies of the aftermarket.

And while some 12 volters consider blind spot detection to be a fringe technology, as well as lane departure warning, these technologies are quickly becoming top wish list items for consumers.

Lane Departure Warning now has an awareness level of 46 percent of car owners but only 8 percent own it. For those who don’t yet own it, 78 percent of car owners want it.

Blind Spot Detection has a 57 percent awareness but only 12 percent own it. For those who don’t own it, 90 percent want it.

Mobile WiFi –66 percent awareness, 16 percent own it. Of those who don’t own it 76 percent want it.

Forward Collision warning—49 percent awareness, 11 percent ownership. Of those who don’t own it, 85 percent want it.

Apple CarPlay/Android Auto—33 percent awareness, 8 percent ownership. Of those who don’t own it, 57 percent want it.

The Autotrader study surveyed 1,020 adults last September. The findings of the study were released this month.

Editor's Note: All these bells and whistles would surely pull the mind away from the task of safe driving, so how essential are they?