J.D. Power Says BMW and Hyundai Are Tops in Technology

A J.D. Power vehicle technology survey has named BMW and Hyundai as the automakers with the most user-friendly technology.

The well-known firm's first-ever tech survey asked vehicle owners what they thought about their cars' driver-centric technology after the first 90 days of ownership in the United States. BMW and Hyundai topped the results for each having two models ranked best in their respective segments. The Genesis sedan and Tucson compact crossover were named best in the midsize premium and small vehicle segments, respectively, while BMW's 2 and 4 Series models earned winning grades in the small premium and compact premium segments.

Other segment bests went to the Chevrolet Camaro (midsize), Kia Forte (compact) and Nissan Maxima, in the large segment, with full results here.

J.D. Power notes that in order for a segment to be considered, four models within it had to make up 67 percent of the segment's sales, which means some vehicle segments were left out of the survey.

Among technologies ranked, collision avoidance systems like blind spot warning, lane keeping assistance, backup cameras and proximity sensors earned a score of 754 out of 1,000. Meanwhile, navigation systems ranked lowest, at 687.

Backup cameras and blind spot warning systems are J.D. Power's most-used items, with more than three-quarters of vehicle owners saying that they use those features every time they drive the vehicle. Also, 96 percent of those drivers want the same features in their next vehicles.

Navigation was the least-used technology: 39 percent of survey respondents said they bring another device into the car (like a smartphone) and use that instead of the vehicle's built-in navi. Also, more than half of those people never used the built-in system, and of the 43 percent who did, again, more than half stopped using it within the first month.

J.D. Power suggests dissatisfaction with vehicle technology negatively affects a vehicle owner's opinion of the quality of the vehicle, even if the system in question works as it was designed. Kristin Kolodge, J.D. Power's executive director of driver interaction and HMI research, says a vehicle owner's satisfaction with the technology in the car or truck isn't about how much there is, but by "how well it's integrated into the vehicle."

Survey results suggested satisfaction with technology is highest in the large vehicle segment (755 out of 1,000), followed by the small premium segment (735), compact premium (732), midsize premium (731), compact (727), midsize (725) and, finally, small vehicles, at 706.

J.D. Power's first Tech Experience Survey (TXI) is based on responses from 13,269 people who bought or leased a new vehicle in the previous 90 days that was considered all-new or redesigned in the previous three years. The study ran from February through August of 2016.