Automakers are having an increasingly difficult time convincing their customers that more in-car screens — and the often dodgy software that accompanies them — are a compelling reason to pay a major premium.
Virtually every major car company is now installing increasingly enormous screens into the dashboards of its cars, frequently stretching far beyond the driver’s seat and into the passenger area as well.
But what’s becoming more and more clear is that practically nobody actually wants any of those purported luxuries in their ride. As a new survey by consumer research firm JD Power goes to show, owners of 2026 model-year vehicles are being actively put off by the enormous displays.
Out of the 68,000 owners JD Power surveyed, over a third of them said that they never even tried to use passenger screens, while only six percent said they use them every time they get in the car. Worse yet, in its own investigation, JD Power found that the larger screens were more prone to infotainment system problems as well.
The survey made clear that the most popular consumer-facing car technologies, out of the 40 examined, were the ones that were the most easily ignored, such as smart ignition or smart HVAC. The lowest on the entire list, tellingly, were passenger console touchscreens — which have previously been linked to severe driving safety issues that were absent for traditional knobs and buttons.
“The technology customers value most is often the technology they barely notice because it simply works,” said JD Power director of customer success Doron Hikry in an accompanying press release. “Smart ignition and smart climate control make everyday driving easier without demanding the driver’s attention, while more automation and additional screens don’t necessarily translate into a better experience.”
Beyond wasted space for giant screens, owners also weren’t impressed with Level 2 Plus driver assistance systems, which allow them to drive without having to keep their hands on the wheel on certain roads, such as Tesla’s infamous Full Self-Driving feature. In its survey, JD Power found that owners preferred Level 2 systems in terms of both design and quality of experience.
“The results indicate that owners may currently be more comfortable with systems that clearly assist the driver rather than those that introduce a greater degree of automation,” Hikry added.
It’s an already familiar trend, with consumers growing frustrated with every feature getting buried in convoluted touchscreen interfaces. Some automakers have caught on to the widespread frustration, opting to fall back on easier-to-use and less distracting tactile controls for car interiors.
More on car interiors: Volkswagen Bringing Back Buttons, Knob After Touchscreen Complaints
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