NEW YORK –
Large numbers of consumers are
interested in such in-car telematics and entertainment
technologies as stolen-vehicle recovery
systems, remote unlocking of doors when keys
are locked inside, and smartphone apps that
control vehicle systems, a survey found.
The ability to pause and replay live radio, builtin
wireless Internet access, and dashboard controls
that control apps on connected cellphones
were also of interest to sizable chunks of consumers.
The survey was conducted in July by Arbitron,
Edison Research and Scarborough. For
the survey, 1,505 people ages 18 and up were
interviewed. A total of 96.5 percent of them
had driven or ridden in a non-public transportation
vehicles, such as a car or truck, in the prior
month.
In telematics technologies, the highest demand
was for accident-response systems, which
69 percent of respondents said they were somewhat
or very interested in owning.
Next came stolen-vehicle recovery system, at
67 percent; parked-vehicle tampering notification,
at 64 percent; remote door unlocking when
keys are locked inside, at 63 percent; vehiclediagnostic
reporting system, at 51 percent; live
operator assistance, at 51 percent; and uploading
of driving data for insurance discounts, at 50
percent.
Forty-nine percent of respondents were interested
in hands-free calling from a mirror, and
the same number was interested in smartphone
apps that control such car systems as engine
starting, lights and door locking.
A total of 44 percent were interested in services
that activate a car’s horn or lights to find
a car in a parking lot, and 42 percent were interested
in real-time traffic alerts to cellphones
and email. Some 41 percent were interested in
a dashboard button that summons local weather
reports, and 38 percent were interested in dashboard
controls that control apps on a connected
smartphone.
In in-car entertainment technologies, 41 percent
were interested in a radio that lets users
pause, rewind and replay live radio broadcasts.
Almost as many, or 40 percent, were interested
in in-vehicle Internet access, and 39 percent
were interested in backseat controls for radio
tuning and volume. Equal numbers of consumers,
or 36 percent, were interested in in-vehicle
text-message and email readers and in built-in
Internet radio.
