JD Power’s study of 2026 model-year vehicle owners found that consumers are more likely to adopt technologies that stay out of the way and make driving easier. The study included 68,084 people who had been using their vehicles for 90 days and examined 40 technologies across comfort, connected vehicles, driving assistance, electric vehicles and smart vehicles.
The highest satisfaction levels were seen with smart start systems, which reduce the need for driver intervention, and smart HVAC systems that automatically adjust the cabin temperature using AI. Smart start was the most successful feature, with 2.4 problems per 100 vehicles. Doron Hikry of JD Power said manufacturers should prioritize technologies that make driving simpler, not more complex.
By contrast, passenger screens ranked near the bottom in terms of satisfaction. More than one-third of users with these screens, found in premium brands such as Mercedes, BMW and Porsche, said they never used them; only 6% said they used them on every drive.
Hands-free driving features such as Tesla’s Full Self-Driving, Ford’s BlueCruise, GM’s Super Cruise and Mercedes’ Drive Pilot systems also failed to fully convince users. Owners preferred Level 2 systems to L2 Plus systems in terms of experience and design. The problem rate was 14.3 per 100 vehicles for Level 2 and 13.8 for L2 Plus. While the Cadillac Escalade and Toyota Tundra received awards for their camera mirrors, blind-spot cameras, digital keys, one-pedal driving and electric vehicle charging planners also stood out.
Why it matters
The findings show that innovation in automotive technologies alone is not enough; users respond more positively to features that do not require additional steps or attention during everyday driving. This highlights ease of use, reliability and integration into the flow of driving for manufacturers, rather than simply increasing the number of hardware features. The low usage rate of passenger screens offered by premium brands, in particular, indicates that visible and expensive features may not align with actual user needs. Problem rates in hands-free driving systems, meanwhile, show that drivers are not yet ready to fully hand over control to these technologies. The open question is to what extent new systems can reduce the driver’s decision-making and attention burden, rather than offering more functions.