Driving force: 77% of Americans now say enhanced car technology more important than color

OPINION:

The pearl white exterior is not as important as the back-up camera these days. Given the choice, 77 percent of Americans now say that the technology in their car is more important than it color, and they will buy accordingly. More than two thirds would switch from one auto manufacturer to another to get exactly what they want in the high tech department. So says a new Autotrader consumer survey, which is tracking a distinct change in direction among drivers.

“The last several years have seen great advances in automotive technology, from features that keep drivers safer to some that make the car infinitely more entertaining to drive,” said Brian Moody, executive editor of the trade publication.

Among the new favorites: Backup cameras with multiple angles, virtual owner manuals with “augmented reality,” smart LED headlights, improved smartphone infotainment integration, smartphone vehicle management - yes, it can locate and start the vehicle - plus self-parking systems.

“Consumers have learned to integrate the technology into their lives. When they get into their cars they expect to stay connected with simple and easy smartphone integration. The manufacturers who blend that with autonomous features are the ones who will win,” said Rachelle Petusky, an Autotrader research analyst.

Here are the survey numbers:

77 percent of Americans say getting a car with the technology features they want is more important than getting their preferred car color.

70 percent say they are more likely to consider cars with autonomous features like parking assist or automatic braking.

65 percent say they would switch car brands to get technology features they want.

65 percent say they would still watch the road in a self-driving or autonomous vehicle.

57 percent say auto manufacturers should integrate a generic smartphone system in all vehicles to accommodate different manufacturers like Apple or Android.

47 percent would sync their smart watch to their car if they could.

Source: An Autotrader survey of 1,012 U.S. adults car owners conducted Sept. 1-30 and released Tuesday.