Westlake Village, Calif. — A new study by J.D. Power and Associates found owners of personal navigation devices (PNDs) report many problems with usage, but they place a high value on the devices.
The study said 225 problems were reported per every 100 units, with route accuracy and system mounting being the two most common complaints. These accounted for 20 percent of all problems experienced.
The study also determined the most popular features consumers want to add to their PNDs are real-time traffic, current weather forecasts, voice command and speed alerts. Also, about 25 percent of owners want a device with iPod compatibility, while only 14 percent report having this feature. In addition, 26 percent say they want a camera in the PND but only 12 percent own a PND with a camera.
Other findings of the study were as follows:
- One-third of PND owners purchased their device online;
- owners of PNDs with text-to-speech ability (that announce the street names of upcoming turns) give higher satisfactions ratings to the device; and
- more than 90 percent of owners say they will likely purchase the same brand again.
