A new survey finds that consumers are warming up to the idea of tech-enabled auto experiences, and more than half would consider subscription vehicle services. The survey, conducted by the Jim Butler Auto Group surveyed more than 30,000 drivers in the U.S. to take stock of the changing attitudes car buyers have towards their vehicle ownership experience.
The findings of the dealership group’s 2018 Automotive Technology Survey will also help Canadian dealerships get a sense of changing consumer attitudes.
“The increasing popularity of subscription services, paired with ride sharing, innovations in driving automation and e-commerce, are challenging established notions of vehicle ownership and the purchasing process,” said Brad Sowers, president of the Jim Butler Auto Group. “This has significant implications for brand loyalty today and the ways we will acquire and use vehicles tomorrow.”
The survey found that consumers under 55 had the strongest interest in new, technology-enabled auto experiences.
Interestingly, half of all survey respondents said they would consider subscription vehicle services that bundle the cost of a car payment, insurance and maintenance into one monthly service fee. The survey found 70 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds and 61 per cent of 35 to 54-year-olds expressed an openness to this model.
The survey was distributed between Oct. 28 – Nov. 8, 2018, to more than 30,000 U.S. drivers.
Another key finding is that tech can be more important than brand loyalty, with more than half of respondents saying they would abandon their preferred vehicle make or model to get the specific technologies they wanted, and half say they would pay more for that technology.
Despite the hype over autonomous vehicles, the survey found that 72 per cent of respondents had some discomfort with operating or riding in self-driving vehicles, with 60 per cent saying they don’t trust the technology.
Today’s driver assist features, including hands-free calling, built-in navigation and lane departure warnings, fared better, with 60 per cent or more respondents saying they were “somewhat” or “very” comfortable with the technologies.
Drivers age 18 to 34 showed the most openness to autonomous vehicles, with 60 per cent in neutral to strong agreement with the statement: “I trust self-driving technology.”
“Right now, consumers are looking to technology to help empower their driving, but not necessarily to become the driver,” said Sowers. “With attitudes varying by age, fully autonomous vehicles could gain in greater acceptance over time, but for many consumers today, self-driving technology still seems like science fiction.”
While consumers haven’t experienced much direct online e-commerce when it comes to vehicle sales, they are open to doing more of the work online. “Online or in person, the paperwork required to complete a vehicle purchase can be daunting to consumers, but it doesn’t have to be a complicated experience,” said Sowers. “With advancements in digital payment processing and convenient delivery options, we expect online auto purchasing to continue to grow.”
