35% of New Car Owners Never Use Passenger-Side Screens

A growing number of luxury and electric vehicle owners are ignoring the secondary displays installed in their passenger seats. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Tech Experience Index study, 35% of owners who purchased a vehicle equipped with a passenger-side screen have never used the feature.

The data suggests a disconnect between the high-tech interiors being marketed by automakers and the daily habits of the people driving them. While these screens are often positioned as premium additions to the cabin, more than a third of users find no practical reason to engage with the hardware, leaving expensive equipment dormant during every trip.

The Push for Cabin Tech

Automakers have increasingly integrated these secondary screens to offer passengers dedicated entertainment, navigation assistance, and vehicle control. These features are typically bundled into high-trim packages or designed specifically for EV-centric interiors, where the goal is to transform the car into a "third living space." By adding more glass to the dashboard, manufacturers aim to differentiate their brands in a crowded market and provide a more immersive digital experience for all occupants.

The Cost of Feature Creep

This trend highlights a growing issue of "feature creep" within automotive design. The inclusion of passenger screens often serves as a way for brands to justify higher price points or compete in a relentless tech race against rivals. However, when a significant portion of the customer base ignores these tools, it suggests that the hardware is being added to satisfy a perceived industry requirement rather than a genuine consumer demand. This results in added complexity and cost for the end user without providing a corresponding increase in utility.

Future Outlook

As the industry moves toward more software-defined vehicles, the lack of adoption for passenger screens may force a rethink of interior ergonomics. It remains to be seen whether manufacturers will pivot toward more intuitive, less intrusive interfaces or continue to prioritize screen real estate as a primary metric of luxury. For now, the gap between manufacturer ambition and user behavior remains wide, leaving millions of dollars in hardware unused on the road.