BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI — According to a new study conducted by global market research and consulting firm the RDA Group, automotive manufacturers are not keeping pace with their customers’ needs when it comes to such items as interior customization, vehicle control assistance, traffic awareness, vehicle monitoring, visibility enhancements, better in- vehicle food and beverage management, cabin temperature maintenance and child protection.

“Although the automotive industry has come a long way in adding new features in vehicles, the customer is frustrated that some of these new features are not addressing their unmet needs,” said Jim Thomas, senior vice president for the RDA Group.

According to RDA, some companies develop new products or features because the technology to do so exists, but later find out that there is no customer interest in those products. These companies allowed technology to push their products to market, rather than allowing the customer to pull their products to market. The result can be market and financial failure, said RDA.

“The most successful companies focus on developing new products and features that maintain a delicate balance between technology and the customers’ unmet needs,” said Thomas.

The Auto-Ideation Study, conducted by the RDA Group, provides automotive manufacturers and their suppliers with a look at the needs and wants that car and truck owners indicate are not being met in their new vehicles. Almost 1,800 unmet consumer needs were uncovered in the study, which covered areas such as safety, security, visibility, comfort, convenience, storage, telecommunications and performance.

The study was conducted among 2003/2004 model new car and truck owners who participated in a total of 48 focus group sessions during November and December 2003.

For more information, contact the RDA Group at: www.rdagroup.com.

_______________________________________

Click here to view the rest of today’s headlines.