The results showed that half of all those surveyed would switch car brands to get connected car services, and 72% would delay their purchase by a year in order to get those services from their preferred brand. The respondents also revealed high awareness of available services, with streaming music, remote start, navigation and real-time traffic, and roadside assistance all scoring 70% or higher.
This study shows very different results from a similar one last month from Harris Interactive, which found a drastically lower rate of interest in and knowledge about connected car features among prospective buyers. While AT&T and Ericsson are certainly invested in pushing the popularity of connected cars (in fact, they are partnering on the topic), the range of respondent knowledge is likely a reflection of how new connected car services are. It’s also worth noting that the Harris study only covered the U.S., while the AT&T/Ericsson poll had a more global bent. Making any conclusive statements about consumers’ knowledge of connected cars at this early stage may not be a fruitful, so we’ll need more research to tease out the growing trends.