INFOTAINMENT SYSTEMS

Flummoxed by New Car Technology? You Are Not Alone.

September 2, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

J.D. Power 2014 Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study reveals much.

New car owners love their technologies, but only when they work right. Today’s cars offer a varying range of audio, communication, entertainment and navigation (ACEN) systems with hand touches, finger gestures, buttons, knobs and voice commands among the ways that we communicate with our cars.

infotainment system technology

ACEN Systems: Not so Hot Technology

As ideal as the technology is, it may not always work according to promise. Those problems are something that were confirmed in the J.D. Power 2014 Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study released last week. The study queried vehicle owners about their experiences and opinion of ACEN systems during their first 90 days of ownership with a focus on quality, design and the features offered.

As is customary with similar J.D. Power surveys, the company assigns a score based on the number of problems per 100 vehicles tested or PP100. The lower the score, the higher the quality. Typically, those scores look at particular makes and models, but with this survey the study returned net results — no manufacturers were identified.

Chevrolet Silverado infotainment system technology

Technology Problems Per 100 Vehicles

For 2014, the problems with built-in voice recognition averaged 8.3 PP100, rising from 7.6 PP100 in 2013. Vehicle owners cited three significant problems with voice recognition communication issues:

1. ACEN doesn’t recognize or misinterprets verbal commands — identified by 63 percent of respondents;

2. ACEN doesn’t recognize or misinterprets names/words — identified by 44 percent of respondents; and

3. ACEN doesn’t recognize or misinterprets numbers — identified by 31percent of respondents.

Customers may experience one, two or all three problems.

ACEN problems have grown in recent years as such systems are adopted by car manufacturers. The problems have eclipsed other vehicle woes including wind noise, Bluetooth connectivity and navigation issues.

Fixable or Not?

Unlike many vehicle problems, voice recognition and device connectivity problems cannot be fixed at the dealer level. They represent a technological design that may or may not be repairable with a software upgrade. Instead, vehicle owners may have to make do with the shortcomings or find alternate use options such as buttons and knobs. That’s the advice of Mike VanNieuwkuyk, executive director of global automotive at J.D. Power, who confirmed, “Despite having alternative controls, this problem still negatively impacts owner satisfaction.”

VanNieuwkuyk noted that manufacturers continue to build voice recognition and connectivity systems that fall short of customer expectations. The poor results follow good manufacturer intentions, but does little to promote owner satisfaction.

Bluetooth Connectivity Issues

J.D. Power found that Bluetooth connectivity problems loom large for many buyers, although the study revealed an improvement in quality based on a score of 5.7 PP100, down from 6.3 PP100 the previous year. The two largest connectivity problems were the system’s inability to recognize or connect the mobile phone or device, a problem in 40 percent of the complaints. Another 30 percent cited problems with automatically connecting when entering the vehicle. Just over half of the owners said that they have iPhone OS smart phones; 41 percent reportedly use an Android phone.

Troubles aside, 70 percent of new-vehicle owners are interested in built-in recognition. That number falls to 44 percent if the system costs at least $500. Thus, building an affordable and working system may help manufacturers win new customers.

J.D. Power surveyed 86,114 new car owners between Feb. and May 2014, with a focus on navigation, voice recognition, rear-seat entertainment and speakers. Respondents were also supplied with sourcing information to enable owners to review data and parse information about individual products and components.

Other Studies

J.D. Power: Powertrain Problems Impact Quality

J.D. Power: Porsche is the Top Brand for Initial Quality

Photos copyright Auto Trends Magazine.

The Top Auto Suppliers and What They Provide

March 9, 2014 by Dennis Goldman Leave a Comment

If you survey the auto industry you’ll find more than a dozen original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) ranging from Toyota to General Motors and all the way down to Mitsubishi and Jaguar Land Rover. These are the companies that provide the final product or the vehicles you drive.

Auto Suppliers: Bosch Automotive manufacturers have long relied on suppliers to provide a number of components ranging from the small rear view mirrors to the large diesel engines. Automakers put together the final product, assembling thousands of parts from scores of auto suppliers.

A June 2013 report carried by Automotive News looked at the top suppliers in North America, Europe and the world. That report provided a fascinating glimpse at an industry where the big players are getting stronger and the smaller companies are learning how to adjust with the times some are being acquired by competitors or working directly with them as a tertiary supplier.

Top Auto Suppliers

The report found that Robert Bosch GmbH, based in Stuttgart, Germany, made the most money by US dollars of any company, pulling in $36,787,000,000 in 2012. Bosch is a huge supplier of injection systems and also supplies battery technology, chassis system controls, motors, generators, electronics, and other key parts. If not a household name, Bosch is an industry name of renown.

Japans Denso Corp. follows closely behind Bosch, a provider of electronic and electrical systems, telecommunications, powertrain control and small motors. Denso is followed in third place by Continental AG, a German manufacturer of stability management systems, tires, chassis systems, instrumentation, brakes, telematics and other key parts.

Auto Suppliers: Infotainment System

The typical vehicle infotainment system is supplied, not built in-house.

The fourth and fifth spots are held by Magna International Inc. and Aisn Seiki Co. The Canadian based Magna has been in the news in recent years as it was a one-time suitor for Chrysler before Fiat stepped in. Magna is best known for building vehicle bodies, chassis, interiors, and exteriors, electronics, and mirrors. Aisin, from Japan, makes body, brake and chassis systems, drivetrain and engine components, and electronics. The top five global auto suppliers each pulled in at least $30 billion for 2012.

US Auto Suppliers

Johnson Controls occupies the sixth spot and also had the highest sales among any US manufacturer at $22,515,000,000. Johnson is well known for vehicle seating and also builds overhead systems, door and instrument panels, and hybrid vehicle batteries. Lear at $14.567 billion follows, a builder of seating and electrical power systems.

Auto Suppliers: Chrysler

Cummins is a major engine supplier to Chrysler.

Other US manufacturers of note include TRW Automotive, a steering and suspension system manufacturer that also makes braking components; Delphi, a powertrain, safety, and electronics manufacturer, and Cummins, a supplier of diesel and natural gas engines to the automotive industry. Dana Holding Corp, BorgWarner, Inc., Visteon Corp., Tenneco Inc., and Flex-N-Gate Corp. are additional big-time auto suppliers based in the United States.

Product Auto Suppliers

Automotive manufacturers build some parts in-house, but there is one part that they always leave up to the rubber manufacturers: tires. Continental, Goodyear, and Michelin are the largest suppliers to the industry, often with their eponymous tires and many times with their wholly owned competing brands.

Some companies specialize or seem to dominate in certain areas. Bayer, for example, is the largest supplier of adhesives, Van-Rob Industries provides welded assemblies, and SRG Global serves up grilles and nameplates. Sunroofs are supplied by several manufacturers including Webasto and Mitsuba.

Grede Holdings manufactures bearing arms, Clarion Corp. offers infotainment systems, Superior Industries supplies aluminum wheels, Visteon manufactures climate control systems, and aluminum manufacturer Alcoa provides hoods and trunks.

Auto Suppliers: tires

OEMs rely exclusively on rubber manufacturers to supply tires.

Auto Suppliers: Influence and Strength

All told, OEMs and auto suppliers account for trillions of dollars in sales annually. Most of us own one or more cars, buy new ones every few years, upgrade our rides with aftermarket parts, and replace worn OEM parts with new ones such as tires, brakes, and exhaust systems. It is an intricately woven industry that is also the backbone of many communities.

J.D. Power: Powertrain Problems Impact Quality

February 14, 2014 by admin 2 Comments

The results of the J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) are in. And those findings offer some surprises as well as a warning to automotive manufacturers.

J.D. Power 2014 VDS

For the first time in 15 years vehicle dependability has fallen, as owners of surveyed 2011 models reported a 6 percent increase in problems per vehicle. The J.D. Power Dependability Study measures owner satisfaction for the third year of vehicle ownership, a strong indicator of the longer term quality for any vehicle.

J.D. Power found that overall dependability averages came in at 133 PP100, up from 126 PP100 in 2013. Thus, there were 133 problems per 100 vehicles, the first time since the 1998 study that the number of reported problems increased.

Three factors contributed to the rise led by the powertrain (engine and transmission); audio, entertainment and navigation; and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Smaller Engines, Bigger Problems

The largest increase involved four-cylinder engines, often the motor of choice for today’s new cars. Owners complained about a lack of power as well as engine hesitation and rough transmission shifts. Manufacturers have been making use of smaller engines in recent years to meet increasingly stringent fuel economy mandates.

One of the more significant problems reported had to do with push button ignition systems that were new or redesigned for the 2011 model year. Owners complained that engines sometimes would not turn over even as they pressed on the brake pedal while pushing the button.

Infotainment System Woes

Kia Rio infotainment system. — A Kia infotainment system.

Perhaps not so surprising were problems owners had with infotainment systems, technologies that include audio and entertainment, and are often married to navigation systems. Complaints that these systems do not recognize voice commands were common, representing the largest problem increase in the 2014 VDS. Navigation systems that gave inaccurate directions and dropped Bluetooth connections were among the other problems reported.

Vehicle HVAC systems were another problem area with owners complaining that air conditioners dont get cold enough, fast enough.

Brand Loyalty

J.D. Power sees a high correlation between customer satisfaction and dependability when it comes to owner loyalty. For customers that report no problems with their vehicles, 56 percent are likely to return to that brand for their next purchase. For customers that do report a problem, only 42 percent will stick with the brand.

Leading the VDS pack was Lexus with a score of 68 PP100 or 68 problems per 100 reported. In a distant second place was Mercedes-Benz at 104 PP100 followed by Cadillac at 107 PP100.

Buick scored the highest amongst non-luxury or mainstream brands with a score of 112 PP100 followed by Honda and Toyota at 114 PP100. Notably, GM with its Cadillac, Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet brands earned more dependability awards than any other manufacturer, garnering eight first-place finishes in their respective categories.

J.D. Power Segment Award Winners

The award winners were announced by segment and included the following 2011 model year vehicles: Honda CR-V, Acura RDX, Chevrolet Volt, Lexus ES 350, Scion xB, MINI Cooper, GMC Yukon, Buick Lucerne, and the GMC Sierra 2500HD. Notably, the Buick Lucerne is no longer produced.

Also, the GMC Sierra 1500, Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac DTS, Lexus LS, Honda Crosstour and the Toyota Camry pulled down segment honors. Like the Lucerne, the Cadillac DTS is also no longer produced.

Other segment winners included the Honda Ridgeline, Lexus RX, Lexus GS, Chevrolet Camaro, Toyota Sienna, Honda Element and the Honda Fit. Honda has since discontinued the Element.

Towards Making Improvements

Certainly, automotive manufacturers will carefully scrutinize J.D. Power data to determine where their respective brands and vehicles stand. And the manufacturer that comes up with an understandable and responsive infotainment system may achieve significant gains in future quality studies while also addressing powertrain and HVAC concerns.

Auto Reliability: Audi, Volvo & GMC Move Up Says Consumer Reports

October 29, 2013 by admin 1 Comment

The Japanese automotive brands have long held the attention of Consumer Reports (CR), the independent magazine owned by the non-profit Consumers Union of Yonkers, NY. In its latest annual auto reliability rankings Toyota, Lexus and Acura garnered the top three spots. But, this year Audi, Volvo and GMC moved into its top-10 brand listings, loosening the chokehold on the top rankings that the Japanese makes have had over the past decade.

Acura RLX auto reliability is above average.

Annual Auto Reliability Report

CR released its 2013 Annual Auto Reliability report at a press conference on Monday before the Automotive Press Association in Detroit. Audi moved up four spots as three of its models — the A6 sedan, Allroad wagon and Q7 sport utility vehicle — scored “much better than average” reliability. The all-new 2014 Subaru Forester SUV received the top reliability score among all models while the Ford C-Max Energi received its worst score. The full report appears in CR’s December issue that goes on sale on Nov. 5, 2013.

The Volvo brand moved up six spots since the last survey to finish in the No. 7 position. GMC finished in the No. 9 position, up three spots. Mazda took fifth place, one of seven Japanese brands to crack the top 10. All Mazda models received an average or better reliability score; the same could be said for Toyota and Infiniti. Only Lexus and Acura fielded above-average reliability scores across their entire model lines.

Infotainment System Problems

CR continues to find fault with touch-screen infotainments systems, however. It found that many systems are buggy and are prone to screen freezing and response lag. Some systems do not recognize voice commands or may reject a cell phone or an MP3 player. Such systems were the top compliant consumers mentioned among the 17 problem areas it surveys.

Infotainment systems continue to perform poorly in CR surveys.

Both hybrids and pure electric vehicles have been performing well in recent auto reliability surveys. This year CR found that the Honda CR-Z, Toyota’s Prius and Prius C, and the Lexus ES 300h were the top hybrid models. Among electric vehicles, the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S did very well. Two hybrids from Ford, the C-Max and Fusion, finished below average.

Only one Ford model, the F-150, received CR’s “recommendation” rating. Seven models finished average while two-thirds of the 34 tested Ford and Lincoln models received below average rankings. CR cited both the MyFord Touch infotainment system and EcoBoost V-6 engine as reliability issues that pulled down the scores of multiple Ford Motor Company models.

Chrysler, Kia and Hyundai

Chrysler’s star model is the 300C, scoring above average in the latest survey. In 2012, CR called the Chrysler 300C its most troublesome vehicle. Two Jeep models, the Compass and Patriot, didn’t score as well as they had in recent years, while the Jeep Grand Cherokee also “has fallen well below average reliability.”

The Chrysler 300C may be one the most improved models.

In recent years, the Korean car manufacturers have been making great strides and appeared ready to challenge the Japanese leaders in reliability. Kia is ranked ahead of Hyundai, but still finished in the middle of all brands surveyed. Hyundai, however, fell to 21st place. Cracking the top 10 may take some time especially as other non-Japanese brands continue to improve.

German Manufacturers Scored

Mercedes-Benz and BMW, unlike Audi, are outside of the top 10, but both German brands have models that offer average or better than average reliability. A few problems remain, however, with CR citing the diesel-powered M-Class and the 335i and turbocharged X6 six cylinder as “problem children.” CR also called Volkswagen’s Beetle GTI and Touareg “trouble prone” and said that all three Mini models surveyed made a “very poor showing.”

Consumer Reports’ surveys have influenced the buying decisions of consumers for generations. Its findings and tests have caused manufacturers to recalibrate substandard products and find ways to improved technologies that are difficult to use or what are perceived as buggy.