Picture credit: Land Rover MENA

In-car technology must have an element of simplicity to it or consumers will opt against buying a car they originally liked the look of.

The importance of technology to a consumer’s purchasing decision was revealed by Harris Poll on behalf of AutoTrader.com, which said that 48% would walk away from a vehicle if the user interface was viewed as too difficult to use.

Out of the 1,033 U.S. vehicle owners polled between 15th and 20th October this year, 48% again felt it should take less than 15 minutes to figure out how to use all of the technology features in a new vehicle.

More time on a test drive

Test drives do not have enough of a focus on the technology either, with 38% of respondents wanting more time in a vehicle during their slot so that they can receive a proper education on the vehicle’s technology and safety features.

Michelle Krebs, a senior analyst at AutoTrader.com, would like to see manufacturers pressing their dealerships and franchises to spend more time with a customer on a car’s technology features too.

"The fact that consumers are in need of this education combined with how much technology is influencing the purchase decision is a huge opportunity for dealers," Krebs said.

"Given 60 percent of consumers say they don't have enough time during the test drive process to fully evaluate car technology features, salespeople who can actively show shoppers how easy these features are to use, and demonstrate the benefits will build a trusted relationship with the shopper to help seal the deal."

Self-driving concerns

AutoTrader.com also asked consumers about their thoughts on the forthcoming self-driving revolution. A solid 65% of vehicle owners think the development is a dangerous idea, a trend that suggests manufacturers have their work cut out for them when marketing these cars in the future.

However, consumers are not completely against some form of autonomy because 61% admitted their next car purchase might include safety benefits such as parking assist and collision avoidance.

Manufacturers looking to profit on tech development and installation should be weary, though. A fairly significant 38% would delay their next purchase by six months or more in order to have all the features they want.

Check out more of the stats in the below infographic.