Call it a communications breakdown. If you’ve ever tried to use your car’s voice recognition system to dial a phone number only to have it change the radio station to a disco channel, you’re not alone. A new J.D. Power study reports that voice recognition has become the single largest source of complaints about new vehicles. And problems pairing smartphones to a vehicle’s Bluetooth system is the second most common problem, according to the J.D. Power 2014 Multimedia Quality and Satisfaction Study. Virtually all new vehicles, from the luxury Mercedes-Benz S-Class, down to the Chevrolet Spark, rely on voice recognition for the increasing number of high-tech features. Built-in voice recognition systems are, if anything, appearing to get worse, the study said, generating 8.3 complaints for every 100 vehicles this year. Despite the complaints, however, a full 70% of new car buyers still say they want a car that can be programmed by voice.
IN DEPTH
- Voice-Activated Search Now Built Into Google Chrome
- Road Trip Tech: How to Trick Out Your Ride
- Google's Self-Driving Cars Will Need Steering Wheels - For Now
- Paul A. Eisenstein, The Detroit Bureau
More from The Detroit Bureau:
New Car Buyers Increasingly Dissatisfied With Their Vehicles
Kia Investing $1 Bil in Mexican Assembly Plant
