• by Tanya Gazdik , August 30, 2022

While automakers are striving to feature the most advanced technology content on vehicles, consumers sometimes end up having problems with it, according to a study.

The J.D. Power 2022 U.S. Tech Experience Index Study, focused on advanced vehicle technology as it first comes to market, uses problems per 100 (PP100) vehicles as a means to measure vehicle quality.

Of the advanced technologies included in the 2022 study, 46% of them had at least one problem, with a PP100 higher than the most problematic attribute included in the 2022 IQS, with some exceeding it several times over. A low PP100 score indicates better quality.

Genesis ranks highest overall and highest among premium brands with an Innovation Index score of 643. In the premium segment, Cadillac (584) ranks second and Mercedes-Benz (539) ranks third.

Hyundai ranks highest among mass market brands with a score of 534. Kia (495) ranks second, while Buick (482), GMC (482) and Subaru (482) each rank third in a tie.

Cadillac Escalade is the premium model receiving the convenience award for camera rear-view mirror technology. Subaru Ascent is the mass market model receiving the convenience award, also for camera rear-view mirror technology.

Lexus IS is the premium model receiving the emerging automation award for front cross traffic warning. Mitsubishi Outlander is the mass market model receiving the emerging automation award for reverse automatic emergency braking.

MINI Cooper receives the award for energy and sustainability in the mass market segment for one-pedal driving. BMW X3 receives the award for infotainment and connectivity in the premium segment for phone-based digital key technology.

Tesla Motors is included in the industry calculation for the first time, with an Innovation Index score of 681 (on a 1,000-point scale). However, because Tesla Motors does not allow J.D. Power access to owner information in the states where that permission is required by law, Tesla vehicles remain ineligible for awards.

The notion that advanced technologies always lead to significant problems is a misconception, says Kathleen Rizk, senior director of user experience benchmarking and technology at J.D. Power.

“Innovation is non-negotiable,” Rizk says in a release. “The fact that the average PP100 for a technology is high should not discourage automakers from innovating, as there is often a wide range of total problems experienced for a technology across the brands.”

Some automakers are innovating more flawlessly for a particular tech, while others struggle with their execution, she adds. 

“Automakers should consider benchmarking brands that innovate well for a technology, which would allow them to identify and then integrate best practices,”  Rizk  says. “Effective innovators understand that new technologies can be introduced successfully with proper design and execution.”

When technology is executed effectively in a vehicle, it positively influences an owner’s decision to purchase another vehicle equipped with that same technology. One of the highest execution scores in the study is for the phone-based digital key, which also is ranked in the top three by owners wanting that technology on their next vehicle.

The U.S. TXI Study analyzes 35 automotive technologies, which are divided into four categories: convenience; emerging automation; energy and sustainability; and infotainment and connectivity. Only technologies classified as advanced are eligible for awards.

The 2022 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study is based on responses from 84,165 owners of new 2022 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study was fielded from February through May 2022.