Research confirms consumers want a connected car

(January 9, 2013) LAS VEGAS — Vehicle owners responding to a recent online survey conducted for Johnson Controls by Harris Interactive indicate they want to use their phones and existing apps to safely connect in their vehicles. Consumers want this process to be simple to use and for it to be convenient to download apps from traditional channels.

Johnson Controls, a leader in automotive interiors and electronics, will utilize the data to influence design and new product development of its future infotainment products.

"Through this research study, we gain important insight into the needs and wants of consumers as they seek to connect seamlessly and intuitively to their vehicles," said Paul Lambert, group vice president and general manager, Electronics, Johnson Controls Electronics & Interiors. "This information is helping us to provide market-leading infotainment solutions that take into account ever-increasing consumer electronics functionality without sacrificing safety."

Some of the key findings from the study of more than 2,100 U.S. adults include:

   •  Interest in greater connectivity via one's vehicle is high. 84% of vehicle owners would like to control the features in their vehicle via a touch-screen infotainment system; 83% want to get updates to vehicle infotainment systems delivered wirelessly; 76% would like to connect to the Internet using their vehicle as a Wi-Fi hotspot; 67% would like to download applications directly to their vehicle; and, 61% would like to pay for something using a debit or credit card linked to the infotainment system in their vehicle.

    • Safety is the single most important feature 3 in the selection of a vehicle (75%). The delivery of vehicle infotainment safely will be critical to consumer adoption and consumption. The second tier of important features includes vehicle diagnostics (49%) and navigation (42%).

    • Smartphone apps most associated with a vehicle include: Maps/navigation = 52%; News = 45%; and, finding locations = 34%.

    • When it comes to downloading smartphone apps to a vehicle via an interactive screen, vehicle owners who use downloaded apps on a weekly basis would prefer traditional channels. 62% have a preference for where they would download an app for their vehicle, and of those with a preference, 60% would prefer downloading from an existing app store (e.g., App Store for iOS, Amazon Appstore for Android), 38% would prefer a new app store for vehicle-specific applications, and 37% would prefer the app maker's website (e.g., Pandora, Google Maps).

    • When it comes to accessing a vehicle app, vehicle owners who use downloaded apps regularly want apps they know and are comfortable with. Two-thirds (64%) want the menu options in their vehicle to be the same as on their smartphone (i.e., a full list of menu options available).

"This market research validates Johnson Controls' infotainment approach. We deliver the latest technology features that consumers demand with an intuitive Human Machine Interface throughout our development process," said Lambert.

The online survey was conducted Dec. 27-31 in the United States for Johnson Controls by Harris Interactive among 2,135 adults age 18 and older, of whom: 1,183 own a smartphone; 1,070 use downloaded apps on a weekly basis; and, 1,062 own a smartphone and own/lease a vehicle that they drive on a regular basis. The participants represented a cross-section of car owners, spanning a variety of ages, incomes, lifestyles, and vehicle segments.