BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. (Aug. 5, 2008) — Improved fuel economy is rated as the No. 1 concern of vehicle owners, but a new study finds that consumers still seek a number of convenience factors when they get behind the wheel.
The Auto-Ideation III study from RDA Group, a global market research and consulting firm, identified and ranked the top unmet needs of today's vehicle owners. Its goal is to provide automotive manufacturers and suppliers with insights needed to prioritize new product development resources.
“In the current fuel-sensitive environment, manufacturers are seeing present vehicle owners switching from trucks to cars and out of larger and into smaller vehicles,” said Jim Thomas, senior vice president for RDA Group. “It's more important than ever for manufacturers and suppliers to understand what new features these prospective customers want in their next vehicle.”
With vehicles becoming an increasingly important extension of people's home and work environments, Mr. Thomas said consumers are looking for vehicles that will help make their daily routine easier.
“The message couldn't be clearer to those planning the design of future vehicles,” he added. “Products that are tailored to the busy consumer will help improve the sale of future vehicles.”
The syndicated Auto-Ideation III study—which targeted 2007 new car and truck owners—found the top conveniences consumers want deal with:
* The elimination of snow and ice;
* More intuitive controls;
* Exterior paint; and
* Spare tires.
During the winter months, consumers said they want their vehicles to be free from snow and ice so they can immediately enter the vehicle and drive to their destination. They also want their side windows to have the capability to quickly defrost and defog.
Respondents also expressed the need for vehicle systems and electronic features to be easier to understand and operate, RDA said, so they don't have to read through a lengthy owner's manual.
Consumers also said they want their vehicles to be equipped with a full-size spare tire so, if needed, they can drive further than the recommended 50 miles a space-saver spare tire allows.
When it comes to vehicle exteriors, consumers indicated they want paint that does not fade and looks new throughout the life of the vehicle, the study found.
In addition to convenience, RDA said almost 8,200 new vehicle owners ranked the importance of unmet needs in areas such as safety, performance, visibility, comfort, security, storage, telecommunications and service/maintenance.
Bloomfield Hills-based RDA, which was established in 1969, conducts advanced product research, customer satisfaction and quality tracking studies for the automotive, financial services, health care, utilities and temporary staffing industries.