For the most part, drivers find the technology in their cars to be pretty useless.

It turns out that more technology in cars isn’t necessarily something customers want, and it’s not really improving their driving experience. We know my thoughts on the matter, but I’ll do my best to stay impartial on this latest survey from JD Power that shows most customers don’t appreciate technology in cars unless they can see a clear benefit to them.

JD Power’s 2024 U.S. Tech Experience Index Study evaluated over 81,000 drivers’ experience with “advanced vehicle technologies” in 2024 model year vehicles after 90 days of ownership, It turned out to be a pretty mixed bag when it came to what people liked using. There are a number of tech features that customers like using because they feels that it answers their needs, but at the same time there is a whole lot that don’t get used very often or are continually annoying, according to the survey.

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  • @restingboredfaceEnglish
    10•18 days ago

    Got a '24 outback late last year. For the most part I love it-it’s comfortable, holds my giant dogs and it’s way better to drive in bad weather than my previous car.

    I’d read reports on subaru forums that infotainment was bad, so my expectations were low. But even basic stuff isn’t functional. It has gotten less responsive over the months (reminder: we’ve had it just barely a year). The screen has several seconds of lag with every touch, and sometimes controls just don’t work at all. I don’t like that we have to use it for temperature control, and android auto integration is clunky (though that may not be Subaru’s fault).

    Add that to the horrifying data collection practices and it makes me question ever getting a Subaru again.

    • @[email protected]English
      3•18 days ago

      Is it possible to get some kind of firmware update that you may not have received?

      kagis

      This Reddit thread makes it sound like you need to manually do it or the dealer will do it as part of the regular maintenance. Not sure if this is specific to that model year.

      https://old.reddit.com/r/Subaru_Outback/comments/18cjt00/software_update_december_2023/

      Reminds me I need to update mine!! Did you have to take this in to the dealer to get it updated or did you do it yourself?

      Dealer did that

      What does the dealer charge?

      I am not sure. It was part of my regular maintenance.

      And

      Does this help the PAINFULLY slow response in the screen?

      Yes, it does! The lags are very short now, if there are any at all.

      The people there are also complaining about the touchscreen instead of physical controls.

      • @restingboredfaceEnglish
        3•18 days ago

        Hey good catch! I’ll try to ring my dealership to see if I can get that checked out during my next oil change visit.

        Thanks