July 8, 2020
Escalent, a top human behavior and analytics firm, today published a new study outlining consumer interest in and adoption of connected car technologies offered by major tech developers and automakers alike. Meet the Connected Car Concierge: How Automakers Can Delight Consumers & Win offers a view of the wide adoption advantage tech giants have built with their apps over automakers’ proprietary products, and outlines a road map to success for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to close the gap with services that cater to efficiency, entertainment, health and safety.
“Google and Apple are making the most of their ‘share of mind’ advantage in the connected car space as OEMs struggle to maintain pace with ubiquitous, easy-to-use apps like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay,” said Mark Carpenter, managing director, UK at Escalent. “However, automakers can establish a beachhead in this competition by positioning their connected car offerings as niche ‘concierge’ services that enhance journeys and improve experiences.”
The survey’s results clearly reflect the barriers automakers face, as eight in ten respondents said they don’t use OEM apps. Further, 56% of drivers surveyed indicated they didn’t know about OEM app offerings, while another 27% said they don’t see value in using them.
The study’s findings reveal there is significant appetite for features that make their trips safer, easier and more efficient, with consumers ranking the features listed below by importance:
- Personal security and anti-theft (71%)
- Navigation and traffic information (61%)
- Vehicle health and maintenance information (56% and 50%, respectively)
- Advanced driving assistance systems (47%)
By developing solutions that address these needs directly and uniquely, OEMs can close the gap with big tech companies and stimulate increased adoption and usage.
To learn more about the steps automakers should take to drive proprietary app adoption, and to review the full study, click here.
About the Study
This white paper references data from two Escalent studies. In one, Escalent interviewed a US-based sample of 1,000 consumers 18+ years of age in September 2018. Respondents were recruited from the Dynata and Ipsos panels of US adults and interviewed online. Quotas achieved a sample of age, gender, income and ethnicity that matched the demographics of the US population. In the other, Escalent interviewed a sample of 1,012 consumers from Germany, Spain and the UK 18+ years of age from June 25 to July 9, 2019. Respondents were recruited from the Full Circle opt-in online panel of European adults and interviewed online. The data were weighted by age, gender and census region to match the demographics of the European population. The samples of both studies come from opt-in online panels. As such, reported margins of error or significance tests are estimated and rely on the same statistical assumptions as data collected from a random probability sample. Escalent will supply the exact wording of any survey question upon request.
