Study:
U.S. Consumers Put More Importance in Auto Safety Items
American
consumers are
finding safety systems -- such as smart airbags, vehicle stability
control and anti-rollover systems -- to be more important than
they were five years ago,
according to a consumer research study conducted nationwide last
week for TRW
Automotive Inc., a global leader in automotive safety systems.
Preliminary
results of the study, conducted the week of July 28, 2003 by The
Dohring Company, North America's largest provider of custom market
research to the retail automotive community, include:
-
74 percent of respondents said vehicle safety features and options
are more important to them than they were five years ago.
-
80 percent of respondents said the automakers are doing a good
job developing and making available vehicle safety features
today.
-
Almost 47 percent of respondents said they were only somewhat
or not at all satisfied with the way the dealer sales representatives
educate the consumer on the proper use of vehicle safety systems.
Early analysis of the findings of the TRW Automotive consumer
study also indicated that:
- Almost
73 percent of respondents said they felt only somewhat informed
or not at all informed about how vehicle stability control systems
work, yet more than 58 percent said that the availability of
stability control systems would be important or very important
for their next vehicle purchase.
-
More than 76 percent of respondents said the availability of
an active seat belt retractor -- such as that used in the Mercedes
Benz PreSafe system -- would be important or very important
in their next vehicle purchase decision, while 84 percent see
advanced occupant sensing/smart air bag systems
as important or very important.
-
76 percent see future enhanced vehicle control systems that
integrate electronics, braking, steering and suspension as important
or very important, while almost 63 percent see anti-rollover/active
roll stability systems as important or very important in their
next vehicle purchase consideration.
-
Almost 57 percent thought future driver assist or lane guard
systems that help prevent inadvertent lane departure would be
important or very important in their next vehicle purchase decision.
-
Side impact/rollover canopy airbag technology was selected by
more respondents than any other system as the safety option
consumers would be willing to pay extra for, with 42 percent
of respondents.
(SOURCE:
TRW
Automotive)
|
