GoKawiilJD Power survey: drivers largely ignore giant in-car touchscreens
A JD Power survey of 68,000 owners of 2026 model-year vehicles found that more than a third never use passenger touchscreens, while only six percent use them every time they drive. The firm also found larger screens correlated with more infotainment problems, while simple features like smart ignition and smart climate control ranked as the most valued technologies.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Automakers have leaned on massive touchscreens as a selling point and profit driver, but this data suggests that strategy is disconnected from what customers actually want and use. It also reinforces safety concerns, since touchscreen-heavy interfaces have been linked to driver distraction compared to physical buttons and knobs.
- Only 6% of surveyed owners use passenger touchscreens every drive; over a third never try them.
- Larger in-car screens showed higher rates of infotainment system malfunctions.
- Simple, unobtrusive tech like smart ignition and climate control ranked highest in owner satisfaction.
iOttie Easy One Touch 6 Car Phone Mount — If sprawling factory touchscreens leave you cold, a simple dashboard mount puts the interface you already know — your phone — right where you need it. The Easy One Touch 6 grips with one hand, adjusts to your sightline, and works in cars whose infotainment software you'd rather ignore.
See iOttie Easy One Touch 6 Car Phone Mount on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: futurism.com — Victor Tangermann, 2026-09-06
Published there as: “It Turns Out That Drivers Absolutely Detest Those Giant Touchscreens They Put in Cars Now”
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