J.D. Power and Associates, 2012 U.S. Navigation Usage and Satisfaction Study revealed that new-vehicle owners dissatisfy with their factory-installed navigation system due to complexity of menu systems and prefers the ease of use of smartphones.
According to the study, “smartphones become more sophisticated in the functions they can perform, more owners are using them for navigation.”
The results of the 2012 indicates that 47 percent of vehicle owners indicate they use a downloaded app on their smartphone for navigation in their vehicle. This is compared with 37 percent in 2011 with 46 percent of owners indicate, “they “definitely would not” or “probably would not” repurchase a factory-installed navigation system if their smartphone navigation could be displayed on a central screen in their vehicle.”
“Manufacturers of navigation systems face a serious challenge as smartphone navigation usage continues to rise and gains preference among vehicle owners,” said Mike VanNieuwkuyk , executive director of global automotive at J.D. Power and Associates. “Free apps, up-to-date maps and a familiar interface allow for quicker routing and improved interaction, including better voice recognition. Manufacturers have a window of opportunity to either improve upon the current navigation system platforms or focus on new ways to integrate smartphones.”
“Smartphones and natural voice recognition have raised owner expectations among all vehicle segments, and manufacturers are not yet meeting these demands,” VanNieuwkuyk continued.
The study is based on responses from 20,704 owners who recently purchased or leased a new 2012 model-year vehicle with a factory-installed navigation system. The study was fielded in October and November 2012.
Source: J.D. Power and Associates
