Study Finds Car Buyers Interested in Gadgets, but Unwilling to Pay

In a survey of more than 19,000 potential car buyers, J.D. Power found that while interest in navigation and infotainment systems was quite high, the numbers fell dramatically once people found out what they’d have to pay to get them.

In the survey, 67% wanted a navigation system, but that number fell to just 20% once they learned that such a system would cost $1,600. For luxury buyers, the initial number was higher, but still just 45% thought it was worth the price.

Cheaper nav system services, like OnStar and Sync, proved even less tempting, with only a third expressing any interest in shelling out extra dough for the technology.

Two-thirds also wanted some kind of MP3 player, but 20% opted for a simple FM transmitter.

Perhaps it’s our frugal times, but people seem more willing to settle for what will work (like an FM transmitter or the even rarer so-called “road map”) rather than what’s especially cool.