According to a report by Green Car Congress, J.D. Power recently published its latest study related to automakers' smartphone apps. The study, entitled "J.D. Power OEM EV App Benchmark Study" suggests that vehicle owners in the US and Europe are using such apps much more than they once were, and this is especially true of electric car owners.
While owners of gas-powered cars can certainly stand to benefit from smartphone apps, the technology has proven especially useful for EV owners who tend to use it to check their EV's range and charging status, among a host of other features, such as those that help EV owners map out travel routes, find EV charging stations, precondition their vehicles, and much more.
J.D. Power evaluated 15 electric models in the US and six in Europe, with a focus on smartphone apps from 20 different automotive brands. The study, which was completed in March 2022, questioned over 1,000 EV owners in the US. Based on its findings, J.D. Power revealed in its study that over 50 percent of electric vehicle owners surveyed use their brand's smartphone app "at least half of the time they drive."
That said, J.D. Power points to Tesla as a leader when it comes to its smartphone app. In addition, it notes that many legacy automakers are also doing a solid job with their smartphone apps. However, some startup EV companies appear to be struggling to craft apps that are as quick, feature-rich, and highly functional as Tesla's.
To be clear, the study found that the best-performing apps are FordPass, Genesis Intelligent Assistant, Kia Access, MyHyundaiTesla, and the Tesla mobile app.
Tesla is the EV sales leader across the globe, though some notable startups have recently come to market, including Lucid and Rivian. Based on JD Power's expert benchmarking, it was found that such EV startups are having trouble with mobile-app-related features, content, and overall functionality. Director of automotive consulting at J.D. Power Europe Fabian Chowanetz shared via Green Car Congress:
"New EV start-ups need to better understand consumer expectations, ensuring that their mobile apps meet the standards of established EV manufacturers like Tesla and other brands that already put a lot of work in their digital offerings. Many of these new players in the EV market are not providing the necessary app content that owners are seeking.
Chowanetz adds that electric car owners expect to use their apps to quickly find charging stations, set up their vehicle's charging process, and seek information related to the EV's advanced technology features.
Meanwhile, Jason Norton, senior manager of global automotive consulting at J.D. Power, shared that it seems most EV owners – aside from those using the apps mentioned above – aren't happy with the speed and functionality of their EV app.
He goes on to suggest that automakers need to focus heavily on the overall user experience. He says that banking customers wouldn't be happy waiting a full minute to check their account balance, and EV owners shouldn't have to wait so long to simply check that their EV's doors are locked.
For more details from the study, visit the source link below. In the meantime, let us know what you think of your car's smartphone app. If you've used the Tesla mobile app, we'd appreciate your insight in the comment section below.
