What is the Best Car Feature For New Parents?
Written by The Clearcover Team | 4 minute read
Starting a family is a huge lifestyle change (not to mention an exciting one!) Sooner or later you’ll probably need to purchase a different vehicle to accommodate your little ones. With that in mind, we wanted to better understand trends related to family cars and how automotive technology - specifically infotainment systems - are impacting new parents. The much-beloved infotainment system that first premiered in the late 1990’s as TVs in the back of headrests has now progressed to much more sophisticated systems capable of multiple entertainment features.
The infotainment decision may not be as simple as you think. While in-car information and entertainment systems are useful (and can be a sanity-saver on a long road trip with kids), they’re an expensive add-on and experts have already raised concerns about their safety. So what do other parents think? As part of our Family Mile Markers survey, we asked U.S. families about their infotainment purchase decisions, how these systems have affected their driving, and how they feel about their decision to purchase.
Here’s what we learned.
Lots of U.S. families opt for an infotainment system—despite the expense.
72% of our respondents agreed that they weren’t interested in an infotainment system before they had kids. But children changed the equation. Our data showed that 69% of families with kids actively searched for a car with infotainment—despite paying an average of $1,670 more to get the extra capabilities.Infotainment systems are more distracting than families expect.
48% of our respondents stated that they were distracted by the infotainment system and it was more distracting than they had originally thought it would be. In fact, nearly half said that the infotainment system was more distracting than using their cell phones while driving. About 1 in 2 drivers also admitted that they’d been distracted while driving because they were trying to troubleshoot infotainment issues.Infotainment systems don’t necessarily solve common road trip problems.
Families often hope that in-car entertainment will take the stress out of commutes by providing a conflict-free distraction—and by keeping the kids away from their other devices. But our data shows that this strategy doesn’t always work. 31% of respondents stated that their infotainment system has increased arguments among the kids. And 79% said that their children still use their own devices alongside the infotainment systems.
Despite the cons, families still love their onboard entertainment systems.
Even though our respondents worried about the distraction factor, they’re still happy with their decision to purchase an infotainment system. 63% stated that—despite feeling distracted by their vehicle’s interactive systems—they haven’t stopped using the systems while driving. 84% said that they don’t regret purchasing a car with infotainment systems installed and 82% would purchase a car with an infotainment system again.
So, what should you do?
Infotainment systems are a factor in distracted driving, an incredibly (and sometimes fatal) habit along with being pretty expensive just on their own. With any big decision, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before you make the final call - and any decision related to your car and your new family is a big one. At the very least, it’s good to acknowledge that an infotainment system will likely be a distraction and establish ground rules for usage while on the road.
And, if you decide to purchase, remember that all infotainment systems aren’t created equal. Tap here to see a breakdown of the best and worst infotainment systems according to Consumer Reports..
We’re always here to help you with your car-related decisions so feel free to get in touch with our Customer Advocate team with any questions!
This is Part II of our Family Mile Markers, a new survey-based Clearcover series that explores how family relationships affect our driving, financial, and car insurance decisions. Check out Part I: 3 ways finances change after having a baby, Part III: Today’s teen drivers are safer than their parents, and Part IV: Sharing the driveway.
