DETROIT (AP) — Alerts from new driver assist systems can be so annoying that some motorists are turning the features off, according to a new survey.
The 2019 J.D. Power Tech Experience Index study also found that frustrated drivers may avoid the systems in future vehicle purchases. That’s a problem for automakers who want to sell the technology and prepare people for fully automated vehicles, the company said.
“Automakers are spending lots of money on advanced technology development, but the constant alerts can confuse and frustrate drivers,” said Kristin Kolodge, J.D. Power’s executive director of driver interaction and human-machine interface. “The technology can’t come across as a nagging parent. No one wants to be constantly told they aren’t driving correctly.”
For example, systems that keep vehicles centered or within their lanes were problematic for owners, the study found. An average of 23 percent of drivers with the systems view the alerts as annoying. The results vary by brand, with up to 30 percent finding the alerts bothersome. Of drivers who don’t like the alerts, 61 percent sometimes disable the systems. A spokesman said J.D. Power would not identify the brands.