Safety Top Tech Consideration in Nielsen’s AutoTECHCAST Report
There are new stories about semi-autonomous technology every day. Many companies are throwing their hat into this ring, but what do consumers look for when buying a new car? Though the average consumer is highly motivated by tech options when purchasing a new car, many are still unfamiliar with the latest features.
The 2016 Nielsen AutoTECHCAST Report, an annual study highlighting consumer preference on advanced vehicle technologies, reports that only 25% of the nearly 12,000 U.S of new car buyers surveyed are familiar with 44 vehicle-related technologies.
Rear view backup camera systems, smartphone-linked devices, blind spot detection and prevention systems, surround view camera systems, and smartphone-navigation vehicle interfaces were the top 5 most recognizable advances. This shows that consumers are most attracted to technological advances in safety and connectivity when making a new purchase. Safety as a top-buying criteria has risen 5% since 2014. The report also revealed that nearly 2/3rds of consumers surveyed do not want to share private information with connected cars because they fear it may be compromised.
“Consumers are becoming more interested in advanced automotive technologies than ever before and are increasingly factoring these technologies into their purchasing decisions,” said Mike VanNieuwkuyk, Vice President, Nielsen Automotive in a recent press release on the report. “Manufacturers need to continue to educate auto shoppers about the technologies that appeal to their personal interests and desires in order to distinguish their products from competitive options and build stronger brand loyalty with these tech-savvy consumers.”
Overall the AutoTECHCAST Report found that manufactures of this technology need to better educate the public on new features and present data that will make consumers more comfortable sharing personal information.
