UK Study Finds Only 40% of In-Car Tech Features Get Used. Drivers Want Fewer Features, Lower Prices

A recent study in the UK conducted by Dacia, one of Groupe Renault’s brands, has found that on average, drivers only use 40% of the technological features that their cars are equipped with. And those who use these features regularly are between the ages of 25 to 34.

Now, if you are thinking why does it matter and even if you don’t use them, it’s nice to have them, know that outfitting your car with additional features is costly and would inevitably increase the retail price of the vehicle. Nothing comes free, that remains true. 

The study, which surveyed 2,000 drivers in the UK, found that 61% of participants would prefer if the car was equipped with just tech that they regularly used so the price of the vehicle would be more affordable. In fact, two-thirds of them found that too much in-car technology was actually distracting.

Remember a time when the reverse sensor was the most advanced feature in the car? This writer does. Some studies have found that technology has made us worse drivers as we become increasingly reliant on it to drive. The IIHS found that with the introduction of rearview cameras in most new cars, the drivers do fewer over-the-shoulder checks.

Why bother turning our heads when we have the rearview camera? Well, the “glance behaviour” is actually crucial for paying attention to the driver’s surroundings; it seems that drivers who rely completely on their in-car display tend to monitor their surroundings less and in not turning their head, could miss a pedestrian or child standing in the camera’s blindspot. The IIHS also found that drivers with automation tech in their car tend to let their “focus slip” and fidget with electronics and even take both hands off the wheel.

So, what are the features that drivers actually need or want or use? Well, top on the list of the participants in the Dacia study are parking sensors, digital radio, satellite navigation and Bluetooth. Among those features that only looked nice on the marketing brochures but were hardly activated by the drivers were automatic parking and in-car Wi-Fi.

Dacia said, when publishing the results, that “Features and technology on our cars should be in line with our customers’ demands so they pay for only what they need. At Dacia, we get the balance right, offering the most advanced features and technology that are essential for the driver’s comfort and pleasure but maintaining the best value.” Well, ok, Dacia is using this possibly biased study to sell their cars, which are more “bare”, feature-wise, and affordable. But they still got a point. 

What car feature do you find most redundant in yours?