If you’ve ever let out a string of curses while fumbling to control your car’s air conditioning because it’s buried under several menus in a dang touchscreen, you’re not alone. At a time when car companies are racing to outdo each other by slathering more and more tech onto their products, people are getting increasingly fed up with their car infotainment systems.
That’s the main takeaway from a recent survey by JD Power, which measured the satisfaction of car owners with various aspects of their vehicles, including the infotainment systems. According to the survey, overall satisfaction among car owners is 845 (on a 1,000-point scale), a decrease of two points from a year ago and three points lower than in 2021. That’s the first time in the 28-year history of the study that the consumer research firm registered a consecutive year-over-year decline in owner satisfaction.
The main cause of dissatisfaction is the car infotainment systems, which are often complex, frustrating, and unreliable. Only 56 percent of owners prefer to use their vehicle’s built-in system to play audio, down from 70 percent in 2020. Less than half of owners said they like using their car’s native controls for navigation, voice recognition, or to make phone calls.
As someone who loves cars and technology, I find this trend very disappointing. I remember when I first got my car, a 2018 Honda Civic, and how excited I was to try out its infotainment system. It had a large touch screen, Apple CarPlay compatibility, and a lot of features that seemed cool and useful. But after a few months of using it, I realized that it was more of a hassle than a help.
The touch screen was slow and unresponsive, the menus were confusing and cluttered, and the voice commands were hit or miss. Sometimes it would take several tries to get it to recognize what I wanted, other times it would misunderstand me completely. For example, one time I asked it to play some music by The Beatles, and it started playing some random podcast about beetles (the insects). Another time I asked it to navigate me to the nearest gas station, and it directed me to a closed-down restaurant that used to be called Gas Station Grill.
I was not alone in my frustration. Many other owners of different car brands and models reported similar problems with their infotainment systems. Consumer Reports has been asking owners about their audio and infotainment systems in their surveys for years. And these systems routinely rank as the least satisfying feature for most car owners in their survey.
“We crunched the numbers for the more than 82,000 vehicles in our latest survey, which includes 2013 through 2016 model years along with a few 2017s. Overall, only 44 percent of the infotainment systems were given a score of “very satisfied” by the subscribers who use them,” Consumer Reports wrote in an article.
So what’s the solution? How can we make our car infotainment systems more user-friendly and satisfying? Well, one option is to use smartphone-mirroring systems like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, or Google Automotive Services (GAS), which provide apps and services built into the car.
These systems use familiar apps that are optimized for in-car use, and take advantage of the phone’s virtual assistant for voice commands. They also feature up-to-date map and traffic data, unlike some built-in systems that require subscriptions or expensive software updates.
“Being able to use familiar apps that are optimized can save drivers from distraction,” said Kelly Funkhouser, CR’s program manager for vehicle interface testing.
I have tried using Apple CarPlay with my iPhone in my car, and I have to say that it’s much better than the built-in system. It’s faster, smoother, and easier to use. I can access my music, podcasts, maps, messages, and other apps with just a tap or a voice command. Siri is also more reliable and accurate than the Honda voice assistant. And I don’t have to worry about updating or paying for anything extra.
But not all smartphone-mirroring systems are created equal. According to JD Power’s survey, owners who used Apple CarPlay were more satisfied than those who used Android Auto. This could be because Android Auto was undergoing some upgrades at the time of the survey, which may have affected its performance and usability.
Another factor is whether the smartphone-mirroring system is wireless or wired. Some car models offer wireless connections via WiFi or Bluetooth, which can be convenient but also prone to glitches and dropouts. Others require plugging in your phone via USB cable, which can be more stable but also more cumbersome.
Owners of BMWs who use wireless CarPlay connections were a lot less satisfied than those who use wired connections. That’s probably because of its spotty WiFi-based connection, which won’t always connect on startup. Although it’s convenient to use WiFi and leave your phone in your pocket, it’s not as certain as a wired connection. BMW didn’t respond to CR’s requests for comment.
Another option is to use Google Automotive Services (GAS), which provide apps and services built into the car when Google is built into the car, also known as “Google built-in.” This means that you don’t need to connect your phone at all, but you can still use Google apps like Maps, Assistant, Play Music, and more. Ford, GM, and Volvo have all said they will use GAS for their current and upcoming vehicles.
JD Power found that models that have Android Automotive with GAS score higher in the infotainment category than those with no GAS whatsoever. But models that use Android Automotive without GAS receive the lowest scores for infotainment. This could be because some car makers partner with other tech companies for their app services, such as Amazon, which may not be as compatible or integrated as Google.
So what does this all mean for car buyers and owners? Well, it means that you should do your research before choosing a car with an infotainment system. Don’t just go by the size or the look of the screen, but also by the functionality and the reliability of the system. Try out different systems and see which one suits your needs and preferences best. And if you’re not happy with your current system, consider using a smartphone-mirroring system or upgrading to a newer model with a better system.
Car infotainment systems are supposed to make our driving experience more enjoyable and convenient, not more frustrating and distracting. Hopefully, car makers will listen to their customers and improve their systems in the future. Until then, we can use our smartphones to make our cars smarter.
Reference articles:
– People are getting fed up with all the useless tech in their cars, The Verge, Jul 20, 2023
– Infotainment Systems vs. CarPlay and Auto, Consumer Reports, Aug 05, 2020
– Car Infotainment System Review and Survey, Consumer Reports，Jun 02, 2016