- Low scores for Tesla and Polestar in new car quality survey
- In addition to raising car prices, the chip shortage and supply chain issues are also lowering quality.
- only manufacturers’ built-in speech recognition features are working as planned.
This week, JD Power released its Initial Quality Study for vehicles built in the 2022 model year, which revealed that the quality of new vehicles has fallen by 11% year over year, the worst reduction the organization has ever seen. Manufacturers of electric vehicles, in particular, are displaying sharp declines in quality, with Polestar coming in dead last. Tesla, on the other hand, is eighth from the bottom, maintaining its pattern of subpar production.
JD Power’s survey from this year found 226 issues for every 100 Tesla vehicles. According to the poll, 240 issues were recorded for every 100 non-Tesla EVs, a tiny decrease from 251 issues the previous year as more EV models entered the market.
A total of 84,165 confirmed owners and lessees of personal use cars registered between November 2021 and February provided information for the study. Data for 33 distinct manufacturers and 189 different model automobiles were obtained from survey responses.
Six of the top 10 difficulties in the car industry relate to infotainment, indicating that software is still a chronic issue. One of the most popular technologies that consumers want in new vehicles—Apple CarPlay and Android Auto—were the largest issue. Customers who use CarPlay, which is utilized by 50% of all respondents to the poll, report fewer issues than the 17% of customers who use Android Auto. Both Android Auto and CarPlay were difficult for survey respondents to grasp, and consumers are increasingly experiencing problems getting the connection to operate.
Surprisingly, the poll indicates that out of all the infotainment options, such as touchscreen displays, Bluetooth connectivity, and parking cameras, only built-in voice recognition functions from manufacturers are functioning as intended.
The research outlines items that manufacturers have eliminated in order to address the chip scarcity in addition to the decline in quality, including the delivery of fewer vehicles with sophisticated driver-assist systems, heated seats, and parking aid modules, only including a single keyfob, and more. Last year, automakers like Chevrolet and Ford withdrew certain A/C controls from the back seats of their Explorer SUVs, along with wireless phone chargers and gas-saving auto start-stop capabilities from some SUV models.
Initial quality honors include General Motors’ Buick, which was named the best nameplate overall. GM also received the most accolades, with models like the Chevy Malibu and Cadillac Escalade among its winners. Hyundai came in third, followed by BMW in second.
Although the epidemic has undoubtedly affected the sector, David Amodeo, director of global automotive at JD Power, was surprised that the initial quality analysis wasn’t worse. Amodeo stated in a news release that automakers continue to launch vehicles that are more and more technologically complicated in a period where there have been frequent shortages of crucial components to enable them.
