Car owners want tech they can ignore

Automakers keep shoving more tech into their cars, despite evidence that consumers are increasingly fed up with huge screens and glitchy software. In fact, the features that car owners appreciate the most happen to be the ones they barely notice, according to the latest tech survey from JD Power.

The consumer research firm surveyed 68,084 owners of new 2026 model-year vehicles after 90 days of ownership. The survey touched on 40 automotive technologies covering comfort and convenience; connected vehicles; driver assist; electric vehicles; and smart vehicles. The features that scored the highest were the ones that were the most inconspicuous, like smart ignition, in which the vehicle automatically starts and turns off based on driver actions, or smart HVAC systems, which use AI to automatically adjust the cabin environment for maximum comfort and efficiency.

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