About half of consumers would pay up to $1,499 for an interactive dashboard. Maybe that should be the new buzz word for the aftermarket…an interactive dash.
An interactive dashboard is simply a car radio with access to apps, maps and other content. So when it comes from the car dealers it’s worth $1,500?
Yes, according to a new study by Autotrader. The study found that half or more of consumers would sacrifice the color of the car, the brand of the car and the style of the vehicle in order to get the tech features they want when buying a car.
And almost all the key features consumers want are sold every day in the aftermarket.
The top wish list tech features consumer want are connectivity to a phone, wireless charging, “advanced camera parking display” and automatic parking.
Plus consumers like Bluetooth and blind spot detection so well, they want them to be standard equipment. And even though forward collision warning is found in only 11 percent of vehicles, most consumers (56%) say it should be standard.
Again, these are key technologies of the aftermarket.
And while some 12 volters consider blind spot detection to be a fringe technology, as well as lane departure warning, these technologies are quickly becoming top wish list items for consumers.
Lane Departure Warning now has an awareness level of 46 percent of car owners but only 8 percent own it. For those who don’t yet own it, 78 percent of car owners want it.
Blind Spot Detection has a 57 percent awareness but only 12 percent own it. For those who don’t own it, 90 percent want it.
Mobile WiFi –66 percent awareness, 16 percent own it. Of those who don’t own it 76 percent want it.
Forward Collision warning—49 percent awareness, 11 percent ownership. Of those who don’t own it, 85 percent want it.
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto—33 percent awareness, 8 percent ownership. Of those who don’t own it, 57 percent want it.
The Autotrader study surveyed 1,020 adults last September. The findings of the study were released this month.
I think this survey may be accurate as it relates to just asking random people questions. Our experience is that when presented with the options first hand, people want Car Play/Android Auto first because the wow factor is so high. It truly makes their phones user friendly in car and that’s what people want. Next would be safety features. Also, my guess would be that people may be saying they want safety because that would be the more “responsible” answer. Just a thought.
I think this survey is quite revealing in at least two ways…
Car Play and Android Auto, items that are most well known by 12 volt installing specialty retailers enjoy the least consumer awareness and are the least wanted, by percentage, among consumers who know about them.
That which consumers are more interested in owning (“consumers are asking for it” or at least say “yes” when asked about it) are least often presented by 12 volt installing specialty retailers…
Is there an opportunity there…?