Poll: Consumers Wary of In-Car Connectivity

Three in four U.S. consumers believe in-car technology that links them to the Internet is distracting and dangerous, according to The Harris Poll. But results also show strong interest in such features.

Three in five of the survey's 2,600 respondents describe their car as a haven from the outside world and claim they'd rather not be connected. About the same proportion worry that such technology could interfere with their privacy by tracking their driving habits and whereabouts. Two in five fret that such reporting could lead to higher auto insurance rates.

But more than half the respondents also say connectivity features would enhance their sense of safety and make driving more enjoyable. Men are more likely than women to embrace onboard connectivity systems, according to the survey.

Harris says attitudes vary sharply with age. About three in five drivers under the age of 36 consider in-car connectivity important. Only two in five drivers age 50 or older agree.

Harris says 55% of its respondents believe carmakers have already gone too far with in-car connectivity features. But the poll reveals one reason why the industry continues to add applications: Two-thirds of buyers age 18-35 years old say such technology will play a role in their next purchase decision. Fewer than half of drivers age 50 or more, who represent a smaller share of the market, agree.