Vehicle owners are most satisfied with technology that operates invisibly in the background — and least satisfied with features that demand their attention or add complexity — according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Tech Experience Index.

Smart ignition, which automatically starts and shuts off the vehicle based on driver behavior, ranks highest in overall satisfaction and generates one of the lowest problem counts at 2.4 problems per 100 vehicles, according to the study. Smart climate control and smart driver preferences show similarly strong results.

At the other end of the spectrum, passenger screens rank among the most problematic technologies at 21.3 PP100 — and more than a third of owners who have one say they have never even tried to use it.

“The technology customers value most is often the technology they barely notice because it simply works,” writes Doron Hikry, director of customer success at JD Power. “The features that solve real problems without adding effort or stress for the driver are the ones resonating most with customers.”

The Cadillac Escalade and Toyota Tundra both earned comfort and convenience honors for their rearview mirror camera systems — the Escalade in the premium segment and the Tundra in the mass market segment.

With a score of 641 on a 1,000-point scale, Cadillac ranks highest overall and highest among premium brands for tech innovation, trailed by Genesis (559) and BMW (524). Hyundai (524) ranks highest among mass market brands for a seventh consecutive year, with GMC and Kia (both 470) rounding out the top three.

Read the full report at JD Power