Despite Best Efforts by Leading Tech Companies, Consumers Still Aren’t Connecting, J.D. Power Finds

TROY, Mich.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The top-cited problem for new-vehicle owners is connectivity issues with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, according to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study℠, released today. With newly added capabilities, tech companies and automakers are delivering on consumers’ desires to wirelessly connect smartphones to infotainment systems. However, owners whose vehicles have wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity capability cite more problems (7.1 problems per 100 vehicles) than those whose vehicles do not (4.0 PP100).

“Smartphone mirroring has shown to be a source of problems for several years now but has become more problematic this year with the growing ability to wirelessly connect the feature on a number of vehicles,” said Brent Gruber, senior director of global automotive quality at J.D. Power. “Fortunately, the top tech companies and automakers have the ability to generate demand for new or upgraded technologies while troubleshooting current issues as the rollout continues.”

Top-performing vehicles in each segment are as follows:

• Midsize/Large: Nissan Maxima
• Midsize/Large Premium: Cadillac Escalade and Chevrolet Corvette
• Small/Compact: Nissan Sentra for a second consecutive year
• Small/Compact Premium: BMW 4 Series

See the rank charts for each segment at http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2021110.

The 2021 U.S. Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 110,827 purchasers and lessees of new 2021 model-year vehicles who were surveyed after 90 days of ownership. The study was fielded from February through July 2021.

For more information about the U.S. Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study, visit: https://www.jdpower.com/business/automotive/us-multimedia-quality-and-satisfaction-study.

About J.D. Power

J.D. Power is a global leader in consumer insights, advisory services and data and analytics. A pioneer in the use of big data, artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic modeling capabilities to understand consumer behavior, J.D. Power has been delivering incisive industry intelligence on customer interactions with brands and products for more than 50 years. The world’s leading businesses across major industries rely on J.D. Power to guide their customer-facing strategies.

J.D. Power has offices in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. To learn more about the company’s business offerings, visit JD.Power.com/business. The J.D. Power auto shopping tool can be found at JDPower.com.

About J.D. Power and Advertising/Promotional Rules: http://www.jdpower.com/business/about-us/press-release-info

Contacts

Geno Effler, J.D. Power; 714-621-6224; media.relations@jdpa.com

Shane Smith; East Coast; 424-903-3665; ssmith@pacificcommunicationsgroup.com