Research by Whatcar.com shows that out of all UK buyers, almost four times choose gadgets over life-saving kit when choosing their optional extras. Despite plenty of modern cars having plenty of safety kit that consumers can buy, it is devices such as sat nav, Bluetooth and DAB radio that attracts the customers.
It was noted a few weeks back that little customers opt for an Automatic Emergency Braking system (AEB), with less than 20% taking the option. Whatcar also reports that six out of ten new cars bought will not feature any additional safety features at all. 64% of drivers opt to upgrade their sat nav, with around half of all buyers opting to get a digital radio. Jim Holder, editorial director of Whatcar.com said it is "quite shocking" that safety features are being overlooked in favour of entertainment/connectivity upgrades.
However, could this be because the majority of cars are already safe? Long gone are the days where only a handful of cars had the top 5 star Euro NCAP rating, plus a lot of modern cars come with decent safety features already installed. So with in that in mind maybe this should not come as a great surprise. Or could it be that salesman are pushing these upgrades instead of safety, leading consumers to opt for comfort rather than safety?
Holder added by saying: “British car buyers are clearly going for style over substance.
“It’s beneficial to have creature comforts in your car, especially if you spend a lot of time driving. But it’s quite shocking to think that features which could save peoples’ lives are taking a back seat to having the right sound quality on the radio, especially when those items often cost around the same as the safety options.”