- 35% of passenger-screen owners said they had never used the feature.
- Passenger screens recorded 21.3 reported problems per 100 vehicles in the United States study.
- Smart ignition led satisfaction while conventional hands-on Level 2 systems outscored hands-free alternatives.
Extra displays fail to engage
Passenger screens may be spreading through new-car cabins, but a sizeable share of owners is leaving them untouched.
In the 2026 U.S. Tech Experience Index Study, 35% of owners whose vehicle had a passenger display said they had never used it. Just 6% used the screen on every drive. The feature also recorded 21.3 problems per 100 vehicles.
The J.D. Power study surveyed 68,084 owners of new 2026 model-year vehicles in the United States after 90 days of ownership. It assessed owner experiences across 40 in-vehicle technologies, so its findings reflect the U.S. market rather than New Zealand owners.
Simpler systems satisfy owners
By contrast, smart ignition achieved the study's highest satisfaction result and recorded only 2.4 problems per 100 vehicles. Smart climate control also performed strongly, putting two less conspicuous systems among the study's better owner experiences.
“The technology customers value most is often the technology they barely notice because it simply works,” said Doron Hikry, J.D. Power's director of customer success.
The same owners therefore did not rate every new feature poorly. The study's strongest results went to technology that handled a task without demanding much attention, while the passenger display went unused by more than a third of owners who had one.
Hands-free systems trail in experience
Advanced driver assistance produced another counter-intuitive result. Conventional hands-on Level 2 systems scored better for both execution and overall experience than hands-free Level 2+ systems, even though the hands-free systems reported slightly fewer problems.
Among brands eligible for awards, Cadillac led the premium category with 641 points out of 1,000. Hyundai topped the mass-market rankings for a seventh consecutive year with 524 points, while GMC and Kia tied for the next-highest result on 470.
The rankings sit alongside the study's broader technology results. Passenger screens were unused by many respondents, while smart ignition and climate control earned stronger owner responses.
