J.D. Power has released its 2019 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, which found that consumers who invest in new cars and trucks are increasingly satisfied with how these vehicles perform in terms of safety, style and enjoyment.

“Satisfaction with new technology is improving,” Dave Sargent, J.D. Power’s vice president of Global Automotive said in a press release.But the agency also puts forth this clear-headed reminder: “When it comes to being safe behind the wheel there’s no substitute for buckling up, avoiding distractions, and never drinking and driving.”

Insurance industry challenges

The auto insurance market may still have a way to go as far as adjusting rates and policies to reflect the positive impact of vehicle technology.

According to Kyle Schmitt, managing director of Global Insurance Practice at J.D. Power:

“To date, auto technology that is designed to increase safety, collision avoidance, blind spot warning, adaptive cruise, etc. have had little impact on the auto insurance market. The insurance companies can’t identify these features with accuracy and hence can’t create a ‘comparative’ experience set to assess their relative safety. Until more and better information is available, these technology features aren’t yet translating into the auto insurance market.”