Photo: CNET
Ideally speaking, you buy a new car with lots of features, gadgets and options to make driving easier and safer. Realistically speaking, over 50 of British drivers don’t know how to use in-car tech and admit it’s wasted on them.
A new study conducted by Jardine Motors Group on over 1,000 owners of new cars, bought within the last 3 years, reveals that technology is oftentimes perceived as a burden. It does add to the appeal of the car, but that’s where its applicability stops for most drivers.
For instance, over 50 percent of respondents admit they have no clue how to use features like motorway speed alerts, lane keep assist or even seat memory settings. Similarly, they don’t know how to enable cruise control or sports mode, or the self-parking feature.
The same study shows that 32 percent of the same drivers didn’t know how to operate sat nav in their car, while 10 percent had no idea what reverse sensors, heated seats or climate control were used for. A large number of drivers also experience issues with multimedia settings like setting up the digital radio or operating the car’s Bluetooth.
That said, it’s no wonder half of the drivers admitted they were baffled by the number of buttons and switches on their car, while 49 percent admitted all the extra features were “wasted” on them because they would never use them.
And here’s the ironical part: that said, 8 in 10 respondents revealed in-car tech contributed to their decision of buying a new car. At the same time, 76 percent revealed they would buy a new car (again) with more functions than they actually needed.
“Technology strongly influences our choice in a new car, even if we are not entirely sure how it assists our driving,” Matt Wrigley of Jardine Motors Group says, as cited by Metro. “Many of us are seduced by it at the point of sale, but forget to figure out how to use them in the excitement of driving away in our new motor.”
“In-car technology has come on such leaps and bounds in a short amount of time,” Wringley adds. “From improving the overall safety of drivers and passengers, to bringing an added layer of excitement of being behind the wheel.”
So it would be great if we started using it, right?
For instance, over 50 percent of respondents admit they have no clue how to use features like motorway speed alerts, lane keep assist or even seat memory settings. Similarly, they don’t know how to enable cruise control or sports mode, or the self-parking feature.
The same study shows that 32 percent of the same drivers didn’t know how to operate sat nav in their car, while 10 percent had no idea what reverse sensors, heated seats or climate control were used for. A large number of drivers also experience issues with multimedia settings like setting up the digital radio or operating the car’s Bluetooth.
That said, it’s no wonder half of the drivers admitted they were baffled by the number of buttons and switches on their car, while 49 percent admitted all the extra features were “wasted” on them because they would never use them.
And here’s the ironical part: that said, 8 in 10 respondents revealed in-car tech contributed to their decision of buying a new car. At the same time, 76 percent revealed they would buy a new car (again) with more functions than they actually needed.
“Technology strongly influences our choice in a new car, even if we are not entirely sure how it assists our driving,” Matt Wrigley of Jardine Motors Group says, as cited by Metro. “Many of us are seduced by it at the point of sale, but forget to figure out how to use them in the excitement of driving away in our new motor.”
“In-car technology has come on such leaps and bounds in a short amount of time,” Wringley adds. “From improving the overall safety of drivers and passengers, to bringing an added layer of excitement of being behind the wheel.”
So it would be great if we started using it, right?
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