New research shows that an infotainment system generally doesn’t score all that well. But there’s good news too!
This is the best infotainment system
The new research was conducted by JD Power and firstly shows that 2024 was generally a very strong year for satisfaction among new car owners. This is quite a change from the declines in satisfaction we have seen over the past two years. However, the infotainment system still appears to be one of the biggest pain points.
The report of the investigation states, among other things, the following:
One area that continues to put a damper on excitement across all vehicle fuel types is infotainment—one of the 10 factors on which the study is based. Despite satisfaction improving 5 points this year to 823, infotainment remains one of the lowest-scoring categories industry wide. While satisfaction with in-vehicle infotainment systems averages 805, it is higher among owners who use Android Auto (832) or Apple CarPlay (840). This shows that customers prefer to have the simplistic usability of their phone extended into their vehicle more so than what manufacturers are providing.
Loosely translated it says the following:
One thing that continues to dampen enthusiasm for vehicles of all fuel types is the infotainment system – one of the 10 factors on which the research is based. Despite satisfaction rising five points this year to 823, infotainment remains one of the lowest-scoring categories across the sector. Satisfaction with the infotainment system in vehicles averages 805, compared to 832 for owners using Android Auto and 840 for Apple CarPlay users. It shows that customers want a simplified version of their phone in the car than what manufacturers currently offer.
CarPlay is in the lead
The fact that Apple CarPlay has the highest customer satisfaction is not new in principle. It is nevertheless remarkable. There has been a trend of decreasing CarPlay integration in new cars for a while now.
Last year, GM decided to go its own way with its own infotainment system. Rivian recently said it would never support CarPlay. And Tesla hasn’t gotten any closer to integrating CarPlay in years.
Of course, we’re eagerly awaiting the arrival of the next generation of CarPlay, which Apple says will roll out later this year. This new CarPlay will be better integrated into multiple screens in a car, offer a built-in FM radio app, climate control, and more. It will also be highly customizable, allowing automakers to tailor the design of the system to their vehicles.
Still, the aforementioned trend of declining CarPlay integration in new cars doesn’t bode well for Apple. But feedback from nearly 100,000 new car owners in the United States leaves no doubt: Users want systems that work seamlessly with their smartphones. And preferably systems that work just like their own iPhones.
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