Study: Front passenger screen & gesture control are useless features

Only 10% of drivers travel with front passengers on a daily basis, which means no one is using the screen anyway.

According to the latest J.D.Power study focussing on in-car technology's user experience, features like front passenger screen and gesture control are useless.

The study included more than 81,000 buyers of MY2024 vehicles, with the stipulation that must have owned the vehicle for at least 90 days. The data collected from the participants were then sorted into three categories: Must-have, nice-to-have & not necessary.

Participants of the survey stated that front passenger displays were simply "not necessary". Reports mentioned how for new car buyers learning to use the central infotainment screen and the digital driver's display itself was difficult enough. It stated that adding another screen offers nothing to the driver. In addition to this, the study also mentioned that only 10% of drivers travel with front passengers on a daily basis, which means no one is using the screen anyway.

Another feature considered an "irritant" by the respondents of the survey was gesture control. As per the results of the study, 21% of new car owners said the tech lacks functionality.

The study though did also mention a few in-car features which received a thumbs-up from car owners. This includes AI-based tech like smart climate control, setting driver preferences and a few safety features blind-spot monitoring and rearview camera - both of which help improve visibility.

Source: JD Power