Is Too Much Tech In Your Car A Bad Thing?

When it comes to buying a new car, you are not only spoilt for choice with a range of manufacturers and models, but with the mass of optional extras too. As technology progresses, more and more manufacturers are looking for ways to add gadgets into their vehicles. However, is the increase in technology improving driving experience or making it worse?

What technology do you want in your vehicle?

When it comes to high-tech vehicles, what do motorists actually want? Some want communication technology to be able to talk on the move while others are looking for top-notch audio technology to make commuting more enjoyable. Some motorists are looking for entertainment systems to keep their passengers engaged while others want navigation systems to make every drive as efficient and stress-free as possible.

So, with the fancy gadgets your vehicle may have, are they actually worth it?

The problem with technology

A 2019 UK Vehicle Dependability Study has found that five of the top ten issues that motorists face are caused by audio, communication, entertainment and navigation technology. The study found that as manufacturers were so keen to adopt new technology to stay on-trend, they are adding a whole new load of problems to their cars which can inconvenience motorists.

The study has found that 16.6% of issues in new vehicles come from audio, communication, entertainment and navigation technology. However, technology systems that are older such as cruise control or alarms are much more reliable with an average of 1.5 problems per hundred new vehicles.

Systems such as blind-spot monitors and lane drifting technology also cause issues for motorists. With this type of safety technology, there were 2.4 problems per hundred cars. However, for those with premium vehicles, the problems increase, with four out of every hundred cars reporting problems with warning systems. In fact, all of the vehicles surveyed; only one premium vehicle made the top ten in terms of problem-free driving.

With the focus moving towards autonomous vehicles, it is clear that many manufacturers may need to focus on perfecting their existing technology before moving to more sophisticated technology which could create more problems and more headaches for car owners.