New Car Technology Confuses Owners

New car owners report the most frustration with infotainment systems, while EV owners experience 30% more issues than average. The 2024 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study reveals that brands like Ram, Chevrolet, and Hyundai have the fewest reported problems overall.

This annual study is based on owner-reported problems with new vehicles, scoring vehicles and brands according to the number of problems per 100 vehicles. This year, the study drew responses from 99,144 U.S. purchasers and lessees of 2024-model-year vehicles and also included data on repair visits to franchised dealerships for the first time.

The industry average was 195 problems per 100 vehicles, while mass market brands enjoyed a lower (and thus better) average of 181 problems per 100 vehicles. Premium brands averaged 232 problems per 100 vehicles, attributed by J.D. Power to more elaborate tech features in their offerings.

Ram topped the study with a score of 149 problems per 100 vehicles, followed by Chevrolet (160) and Hyundai (162). Porsche led premium brands with 172 problems per 100 vehicles, followed by Lexus (174) and Genesis (184).

Infotainment systems presented the highest number of issues, followed closely by "features, controls, and displays." This was particularly pronounced for EVs, which saw their problems per 100 vehicles 30% higher than gas models. J.D. Power specifically mentioned Tesla's recent transition to steering wheel buttons for the horn and turn signals.

Across all categories, EVs averaged 266 problems per 100 vehicles compared to 180 for gas and diesel vehicles. Tesla's 266 problems per 100 vehicles was close to the average for EVs from traditional automakers, according to J.D. Power, but still above the industry average. EV specialists Rivian (also 266 problems per 100 vehicles) and Polestar (316 problems) were similarly high, though these EV-only brands were kept separate from the official rankings.

Other tech issues included confusing warnings from reverse automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alerts, and rear seat reminder features that owners found annoying. Rear seat reminders, aimed at preventing children or pets from being inadvertently left in vehicles, accounted for 1.7 problems per 100 vehicles, primarily because owners mistakenly thought the warning chimes were for seatbelts or reported that warnings would sound even when the rear seat was unoccupied.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality remained among the top 10 owner complaints, according to J.D. Power. More than 50% of Apple users and 42% of Samsung users reported using their respective connectivity features every time they drove, yet owners frequently reported difficulties connecting to a vehicle or losing connections. However, other tech features showed improvements.

Frank Hanley, senior director of auto benchmarking at J.D. Power, stated, "It is not surprising that the introduction of new technology has challenged manufacturers to maintain vehicle quality. However, the industry can take solace in the fact that some problem areas such as voice recognition and parking cameras are seen as less problematic now than they were a year ago."