Three decades ago, cars were technologically primitive by today’s standards. Airbags were not mandatory until 1991. Today, the advances have come so far that people anticipate having safe, self-driving cars by the end of the decade. The auto industry faces two challenges as technology systems become more complex. One is that drivers find them so complicated that they do not use them. The other is that the technology requires components that are not always available. A semiconductor chip shortage, which includes those often used in auto electronics systems, has severely limited what manufacturers can build. This has hurt manufacturer earnings and has driven car supplies down and car prices up.
J.D. Power, probably the most widely respected car research firm in America, has just released its 2021 U.S. Tech Experience Index. It divides car technology into these four measures: “convenience; emerging automation; energy and sustainability; and infotainment and connectivity.” The study involved 110,827 people with new 2021 model vehicles after they had been owned for 90 days.
Cars in the study were divided into two groups: mass-market and premium cars. J.D. Power ranked each car brand on a 1,000-point scale. Across both categories, the worst-ranked brand was Mitsubishi at 373. This was much worse than the second-worst brand, which was Mini at 424. The brand with the best rankings was Genesis, the luxury brand of Hyundai, with a rating of 634, much better than the second best, Cadillac at 551.
Speaking about the use of these new technologies, Kristin Kolodge, executive director of human machine interface at J.D. Power, pointed out: “New-vehicle prices are at an all-time high, partly as a result of an increased level of content. This is fine if owners are getting value for their money, but some features seem like a waste to many owners.”
“Non-users” of new technologies said they do not need the features. In other words, buyers are paying for features they feel are useless.
Click here to see the car with the worst technology
1. Genesis
> Score: 634/1,000 points
[in-text-ad]
2. Cadillac
> Score: 551/1,000 points
3. Volvo
> Score: 550/1,000 points
4. BMW
> Score: 545/1,000 points
[in-text-ad-2]
5. Mercedes-Benz
> Score: 523/1,000 points
6. Hyundai
> Score: 519/1,000 points
[in-text-ad]
7. Kia
> Score: 510/1,000 points
8. Nissan
> Score: 502/1,000 points
9. Subaru
> Score: 499/1,000 points
[in-text-ad-2]
10. GMC
> Score: 498/1,000 points
11. Lincoln
> Score: 496/1,000 points
[in-text-ad]
12. Land Rover
> Score: 487/1,000 points
13. Lexus
> Score: 485/1,000 points
14. Ram
> Score: 483/1,000 points
[in-text-ad-2]
15. Buick
> Score: 478/1,000 points
16. Infiniti
> Score: 477/1,000 points
[in-text-ad]
17. Toyota
> Score: 472/1,000 points
24/7 Wall St.
18. Ford
> Score: 470/1,000 points
19. Audi
> Score: 469/1,000 points
[in-text-ad-2]
20. Chevrolet
> Score: 468/1,000 points
21. Mazda
> Score: 459/1,000 points
[in-text-ad]
22. Volkswagen
> Score: 451/1,000 points
24/7 Wall St.
23. Jaguar
> Score: 449/1,000 points
24. Honda
> Score: 438/1,000 points
[in-text-ad-2]
25. Acura
> Score: 436/1,000 points
26. Chrysler
> Score: 434/1,000 points
[in-text-ad]
27. Dodge
> Score: 434/1,000 points
28. Alfa Romeo
> Score: 429/1,000 points
29. Porsche
> Score: 428/1,000 points
[in-text-ad-2]
30. Jeep
> Score: 424/1,000 points
31. MINI
> Score: 424/1,000 points
[in-text-ad]
32. Mitsubishi
> Score: 373/1,000 points
Cash Back Credit Cards Have Never Been This Good
Credit card companies are at war, handing out free rewards and benefits to win the best customers. A good cash back card can be worth thousands of dollars a year in free money, not to mention other perks like travel, insurance, and access to fancy lounges. See our top picks for the best credit cards today. You won’t want to miss some of these offers.
Flywheel Publishing has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Flywheel Publishing and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
