Automation and self-driving cars chart low on the list of things drivers value the most when purchasing a new car. A new survey conducted by Consumer Reports shows drivers are more keen on technology that can help them become a better driver—not tech that takes control away from them.
Features such as blind-spot monitoring and backup cameras scored highest in the survey with 51 percent of respondents saying it’s important their next car have a backup camera. 45 percent said they wanted a blind-spot monitoring system. Just 11 percent of respondents said they wanted a car that was capable of controlling acceleration, braking, and steering. Systems like GM’s Super Cruise semi self-driving system fall in this category.
Sam Abuelsamid, automotive analyst at the consulting and research firm Navigant, said automakers will still continue to push automated technologies despite current consumer preference to help build brands.
“In part, manufacturers need to offer these features in order to impact their brand perception,” he said.
Next decade, Super Cruise will expand to all Cadillac vehicles before trickling down to other GM brands.
He also added systems like backup cameras and blind-spot monitoring don’t actually intervene in the driving experience. Meanwhile, tech such as lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control still feature quirks. Often, such technologies issue false positives which can become annoying for drivers rather than helpful.
Comments
It’s sad that the buying public are either to cheap or dont have the ability to look to the future for new technology. I remember 4 or 5 years ago when I bought my Malibu and it had a backup camera and hearing so many people tell me that they zero need for one. And what do you know now every vehicle has one!
I love the new super cruise technology and cant wait until I can own one!
i don’t want to pay thousands for something i’m not going to use no matter what the marketing gurus say.
does that make me cheap? maybe, i still use a flip phone.
i’ll let the early adopters beta test this technology.
anyway, i’d rather drive than be a passenger.
A: Every vehicle has one due to the fact that it is a government mandate, from 2018 forward.
B: Malibu? Hahahahaha! What a boring car. Totally befitting your station in life, I suppose.
C: You can’t afford anything with Super Cruise technology.
Not every car had a backup camera when I bought my Malibu 5 years ago, so it is a indication of how people except technology. Now people have no problems with it because its mainstream, which is the same attitude pilots have today regarding autopilot. They love and prefer it today compared to the way pilots use to fly.
I can afford any car I want especially with super cruise technology which I hope your referring to the CT6. That is the only car that has it.
People find value in additional help but they are still not willing to give up ultimate control of the vehicle.
Technology us fine but my feat is many will lose the ability for basic skills like backing up with mirrors and not having a camera and vibrating seat to assist.
I made my son learn to drive in a car with no aids so he knows how all these things work. Even today I try to force myself to do things the old way just to try to keep them useful. The aids can make some driving skills rot.
I just pray GM has a better run with Supercruise than Tesla has had with their autopilot. It just takes one or two crashes in the news to tarnish the investment.
Until they live with it for a month, after which NOT buying automation becomes more unthinkable than buying a car without cruise control would be currently.
Autonomous vehicles are (sadly for a car guy) the future. It is the transition to fully autonomous that is the issue. Beyond failures with the developing technology, driver’s failure to stay engaged and take full responsibility for the operation of the vehicle has made this transition very hazardous and I fear it will become more hazardous as automation becomes more widespread. If you look at the Tesla California highway fatality, it seems clear that the autopilot was unable to the correct path; however, it was “smart” enough to provide multiple warnings, all of which were ignored. I can’t hold the technology responsible for this tragic incident. An extreme example but one cannot complete a short trip without seeing others “driving” with their eyes in their laps, not using headlights in low visibility conditions and on and on . . . . But the manufacturers always seem to be the blame.
These are the same comments are similar to the moment in time when the aviation pilots started complaining about planes being retrofitted with autopilot.
Pilots use to say computers cant fly airplanes better, well actually they can and they do. Autopilot systems are more reliable and work better then a human ever could. It’s been proven time and time again.
They same thing will be said decades from now about autonomous cars.