Mobility
Drivers rate smart climate control and remote start highest in new-car tech survey
Drivers are more satisfied with car technologies that work automatically without drawing attention, rather than large displays or complex automation, a survey found. JD Power surveyed 68,084 U.S. owners who bought 2026 model-year cars and drove them for 90 days, evaluating 40 technologies. Remote start ranked first, with few reported problems. Smart climate control also scored highly. Passenger displays were rarely used and had more issues. Level 2 systems outscored Level 2+ in user experience.
