What’s the most desired car connectivity feature? A new study might surprise you

A new study shows that despite the advancements being made with in-car technology, carmakers still have a lot of work ahead of them down the road.

According to the report, commissioned by Compuware’s Covisint, the future success of automakers will not only include incorporating technology into “smart vehicles,” but also into the overall “digital lifestyles” of their customers.

The research, titled “Your Customer is Connected — Are You?,” found that while consumers are optimistic about future in-car technology, there is a drastic shift underway placing the owner, not the vehicle, at the center of the digital equation, as noted in an official Covisint press release.  

“The automotive industry is reaching a ‘tipping point of demand’ for user-centric connected vehicle services delivered via the cloud,” said study co-author and CEO/Founder of CGS Advisors, Gregg Garrett. “Expectations are increasingly being shaped by the connected environment outside of the vehicle, and this fundamental shift is making it ‘change or die’ time for some OEMs. One facet of success likely will hinge upon how well automakers integrate their services into vehicles, across their brand and ultimately into their consumers’ connected lives.”

Traditionally, those OEMs, or “Original Equipment Manufacturers” as automakers are often referred to, have placed the end-product of the car at the center, focusing primarily on styling, powertrains, performance and value. And while these things will continue to be important, that traditional mindset is undergoing a drastic digital shift, according to the Covisint-sponsored report.

In the future, the study suggests that carmakers will need to deliver a more comprehensive, connected car ownership experience for consumers across web properties, mobile devices and within the vehicle.

Connectivity, as noted, will become the key factor when purchasing a vehicle rather than “just another feature of the vehicle.”

The Covisint report, conducted with new vehicles buyers in early 2013, indicates that the top three technology-driven benefits desired by car owners include:

1. Bringing transportation info (maps, traffic, parking) into the vehicle;
2. Updating vehicle software automatically; and,
3. Transferring personal settings from different devices and vehicles.

We couldn’t agree more. How about you? What else would you like to see?

Photo Source: Covisint