Motorists are being “seduced” by in-car technology but 49 per cent claim they struggle to get to grips with it, research shows.
The study of 1,000 motorists who have purchased a new car over the last three years shows over 50 per cent have no idea how to use ‘lane keep assist’, turn on ‘motorway speed alerts’ or even utilise ‘seat memory settings’.
Over half of London drivers felt they were wasting a lot of the technology their car had to offer, whilst 22 per cent of Northern Irish and Welsh motorists admit to not being able to live without heated seats.
Matt Wrigley of Jardine Motors Group, which carried out the study, said: “Technology strongly influences our choice in a new car, even if we are not entirely sure how it assists our driving.
”Many of us are seduced by it at the point of sale, but forget to figure out how to use them in the excitement of driving away in our new motor.”
Flummoxed
In car sat nav left 32 per cent of new car owners flummoxed as to how to operate it, whilst four in ten drivers are clueless about their reverse sensors, climate control and heated seats.
More than half of those polled said their car is full of buttons and switches they don’t know how to use or what they’re for – and 49 per cent believe they are wasting a lot of what their car has to offer.
A further 58 per cent have frequently pressed the wrong button or selected the wrong function when trying to do something technical.
Meanwhile, 76 per cent said they would probably buy a car that had more in-car functions than they actually need.
Matt added: “In-car technology has come on such leaps and bounds in a short amount of time.
“From improving the overall safety of drivers and passengers, to bringing an added layer of excitement of being behind the wheel.”