Tech overload in modern cars: when is it too much?

From touchscreen climate controls to lane-keeping assistants, today’s cars are smarter than ever. But is all that innovation improving the driving experience – or just getting in the way?

Not so long ago, starting your car meant simply turning a key, checking a couple of gauges, and hitting the open road. If you were lucky, you had an aux and became the DJ in seconds. Now? It can feel more like launching a spacecraft – swiping through touchscreen menus, pairing your phone (yet again), and deciphering a flurry of dashboard icons that look like your smartphone threw a tantrum.

As carmakers race to out-tech each other, the average new car is now packed with advanced features. And while these innovations promise greater safety and convenience, they’re also a growing debate: is all this tech making driving better or just more frustrating?

To get to the bottom of this, we asked all kinds of drivers how they really feel about all the tech flooding their cars. The results show that opinions are split, but it does give some insight into what driving might look like down the road.

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Love it or loathe it

Today’s new cars come packed with all kinds of flashy tech, and for many drivers, that’s part of the appeal. We now expect our vehicles to sync seamlessly with our smartphones, and the rise of software-defined vehicles (SDVs) – where software controls core functions and enables ongoing updates – is making cars feel more like rolling computers.

“Love how new and cool they feel,” one driver said, echoing the excitement some feel about stepping into a car that feels like it belongs in the future.

But not everyone is impressed.

In fact, 40.1% of the drivers we asked said they find modern in-car tech excessive and distracting, according to a recent survey by Carwow. Another 22.8% agreed it’s a bit much – but said it’s still manageable. Only 22.6% said they genuinely appreciate the innovation.

That means nearly two-thirds of people surveyed felt at least some discomfort with all the digital bells and whistles in today’s cars.

Some tech is clearly useful – “maps or the ability to connect to my phone,” as one driver put it – but beyond that, others see it as “largely irrelevant and sometimes distracting.”

The survey reflects a growing divide: while many welcome the convenience and cool factor of cutting-edge tech, others worry it’s coming at the expense of usability and safety. Some drivers simply prefer a more straightforward experience: one that doesn’t involve navigating multiple menus just to change the temperature or turn on the radio.

Still, it’s clear that in-car tech isn’t going anywhere. Market research firm BEAM Fieldwork notes rising interest in SDVs, especially among younger and more tech-savvy drivers. When done right, these systems can improve the driving experience, comfort, safety, and efficiency.

The challenge for car manufacturers is to strike the right balance: offering advanced features without overwhelming the user. Because at the end of the day, drivers want a car that’s not just smart, but intuitive too.

Drivers left guessing on in-car tech

You may have heard of in-car tech such as adaptive cruise control or lane-keeping assist, but do you actually know how any of it works?

42.9% of drivers said they weren’t properly trained on how to use their car’s tech by the manufacturer or dealer, while only 18.8% felt fully informed, according to the Carwow survey. That means the majority of drivers were handed the keys to a tech-loaded car and left to their own devices.

“I was just given the car and a handbook,” said one driver. “No one shows you all the settings.” Another, who bought their car second-hand, added that they “learnt via online resources.”

Even for those who did receive a basic overview, it didn’t always feel like enough: “It’s alright being shown where it is and what it does, but there’s such a lot to remember. It makes it a bit awkward, and maybe even dangerous, to leave the showroom without understanding it properly.”

This lack of hands-on guidance is more than a mild inconvenience. Drivers who don’t understand their car’s systems may either avoid using them altogether or attempt to figure them out while driving, which can be dangerous. Key features such as collision alerts or parking assistance can be ignored or misused without proper explanation.

It’s worth noting that not all manufacturers are falling short. Two drivers in the survey pointed out that Honda and Mazda, for example, did take the time to walk them through the tech – something that left a more confident impression.

This taps into a wider consumer expectation: people want tech to be intuitive, but they also want brands to offer real support. From smartphones to smart homes, we’re used to seamless onboarding and helpful tutorials. Cars, especially those packed with advanced features, shouldn’t be the exception.

As interest in SDVs and connected cars continues to grow, brands that fail to guide their customers risk losing trust, and eventually, customers. Drivers don’t just want cool features; they want to know what those features do, how they work, and why they matter.

The message is clear: if you’re going to sell high-tech cars, don’t skip the user manual – or at the very least, give people a decent walkthrough.

So, what are drivers worried about the most?

The main concern is that in-car tech is simply too distracting. Nearly 60% of respondents to our survey say that all the screens, alerts, and touch controls pull their focus off the road, which, as one respondent put it, “kind of defeats the point of driving in the first place.”

Many drivers worry not just about actively looking at a screen, but about the constant visual clutter. “Even if you’re not actively looking at it, a busy screen is still a problem,” one noted. Another echoed the concern, saying the tech “is too distracting for me… this can be an issue when I drive.”

Right behind distraction is the issue of complexity. Over half of respondents (52.7%) said modern car tech feels unnecessarily complicated. “There’s too many steps to disable or enable certain features,” someone shared. Whether it’s toggling safety settings or simply changing the radio, many feel like they need a tech manual just to operate basic functions.

Cost is another concern, with 38% pointing out that high-tech cars often come with higher repair or maintenance bills. One respondent summed it up: “Things may be more expensive to fix if they go wrong – as tech normally does – and normal garages won’t be able to help fix them.”

A smaller but still significant number of drivers (15%) are also uneasy about how much personal data their car collects. Others raised alarms about cybersecurity (19%) and how quickly car tech becomes outdated (36%).

Beyond these practical concerns, more than half (56%) said tech has taken something away from the experience of driving itself. “We rely on it so much that it takes away what we’re actually doing – driving,” one person said. Another added, “I think we’re focused on the wrong technological advances, putting style over substance.”

And while new features can be exciting for some, many drivers would rather see attention paid to overlooked safety improvements such as “better seatbelts tested and designed for women, shorter drivers, anyone other than a 5 ’9 crash test dummy man.”

Bottom line? While some drivers embrace the latest innovations, many feel the balance has tipped too far. The tech that was meant to enhance driving may now be starting to undermine it.

What’s the point of all this tech?

With every new car model having all these smart features, it’s natural to wonder: is all this tech actually useful, or just flashy marketing?

As modern cars increasingly resemble rolling computers, many drivers are beginning to question the real value behind these advancements. The data reveals just how divided the public is. While 35.5% of respondents feel today’s in-car tech strikes a fair balance between safety and convenience, 28.3% believe it’s neither, attributing most of it to marketing hype.

That scepticism runs deeper still. 43.2% of people said they believe most new car tech is primarily about marketing. Only 2% disagreed entirely, saying it’s never about marketing. That disparity is telling, and speaks to a growing unease that these so-called “upgrades” might not be improving the driving experience, but instead making it more complicated.

One respondent put it bluntly: “Absolutely. Most of the new technology in cars is useless. We are sold on shiny screens… what about the actual safety of the car or helping people better manage speed or control?”

It’s a sentiment echoed by many. With every manufacturer trying to outdo the next, innovation can sometimes feel like a race for attention rather than improvement. “Definitely for innovation and marketing,” said one driver. “Manufacturers are, after all, competing with each other.”

That said, not everyone is against the direction the industry is heading. Some drivers acknowledged useful changes, especially in areas such as electric cars and long-distance comfort. “They understand what it’s like to drive a long journey… the consumer wants to feel comfortable, i.e. heated seats,” one driver said. Innovation such as these suggest that not all tech is frivolous – but the line between function and flash can be thin.

Even among those open to change, caution remains. “Not all the tech can be practically used… we need less screen menus and more physical or static buttons.”

These comments get to the real issue. It’s not that innovation is bad – far from it. Features that genuinely improve safety or enhance convenience can make a real difference. But when tech is driven by hype instead of need, consumers can end up paying more for systems they don’t use, don’t understand, or simply don’t want.

The numbers reflect this divide. Only 19.3% of people believe automotive tech is mostly about safety, and even fewer – 16.9% – think it’s mainly about convenience. That leaves nearly half of consumers either unconvinced or openly critical of the role tech is playing behind the wheel.

So, what’s the point of all this tech? For many, the answer is still unclear, and that uncertainty may be the most telling data point of all.

So, how much is too much?

There’s no doubt that in-car tech has its perks – better navigation, enhanced safety features, hands-free everything. Most drivers recognise that. But as the tech keeps piling up, so do the concerns: distraction, complexity, cost, and a growing sense that the car is no longer built for the driver, but for the software.

That raises a bigger question: is the car industry actually listening? Drivers clearly have mixed feelings, and while innovation is great, it doesn’t mean much if people feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or worse, unsafe behind the wheel.

In the end, cars may be smarter than ever, but that doesn’t always mean they’re better. As tech keeps racing ahead, maybe it’s time to hit the brakes and ask what really makes a car worth driving.

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