Survey: Buyers want their next vehicle to function like a smartphone

Verra Mobility Corp.’s latest survey of 2,000 U.S. adults shows that 72% expect their next vehicle to function like a smartphone, with built-in apps and services.

Active connected services usage has crossed the majority threshold for the first time, with 54% of drivers using at least one manufacturer-provided connected service, up from 49% in Verra Mobility’s 2024 survey. Familiarity with the term “connected vehicle” rose to 69%, compared with 60% two years ago.

Fifty-one percent said connected features would influence their decision to buy a different make, model, or higher trim level. All survey respondents own or lease a 2019 or newer vehicle and were at least 18 years old in May at the time of the survey.

The survey defined connected vehicle services as those that use a vehicle’s embedded communications rather than a mobile phone connection. That definition didn’t include services accessed through smartphones, such as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

“The story of this year’s survey is that consumers have arrived at the connected vehicle category, and they’re bringing real expectations with them,” said Cathi Chinn, Verra Mobility’s innovation vice president, in a press release. “Drivers now expect their vehicles to behave like the connected devices they use everywhere else in their lives, which puts pressure on the automotive industry to deliver experiences that justify it, especially around the embedded payments, mobility services and safety features consumers say they want most.”

Survey respondents also said they want their vehicles to do more of the work for them, with safety leading the list of services they value most. Accident and theft protection ranked first (31%) when respondents were asked which service category is most appealing if cost is not a factor, followed by maintenance and payments. Fifty-nine percent said they believe connected vehicles make driving safer.

Seventy-two percent said they would value proactive trip suggestions from their vehicles such as parking, fuel, or charging station locations, and handling toll transactions. Forty-three percent said they’ve already signed up for an app or service through their vehicle’s infotainment system regarding parking, EV charging, or tolling.

Sixty-six percent said it would be a valued convenience not having to connect a smartphone every time they get in the car.

The survey results also show that younger drivers led adoption across nearly every measure of the survey:

• • Sixty-seven percent of those ages 18–24 actively use at least one connected service, compared to 44% of those ages 55–64.
  • Sixty-nine percent of 18–24-year-olds said connected features would influence their vehicle purchase, versus 40% of those ages 55–64.
  • Sixty-three percent of 18–24-year-olds and 61% of 25–34-year-olds find the in-vehicle digital wallet concept appealing compared to 44% overall.

As for data privacy, willingness to trade data for tangible benefits has held steady since 2024, but understanding and trust haven’t kept pace with adoption, according to the survey results. Sixty-six percent said they would share driving and location data for insurance discounts, automatic toll payments, and emergency services — mirroring the 2024 findings.

Only 14% said they fully understand what data their vehicle collects, down from 22% in 2024. Fifty-four percent expressed at least some concern about vehicle data collection practices.

Based on a recent large-scale study of the connected vehicle ecosystem, Northeastern University researchers conclude that improved transparency is necessary to identify and address existing harm to passengers caused by the data that “smartphones on wheels” collect.

Researchers found that vehicles and companion apps contact numerous third-party domains, including advertisers and trackers. They also found that vehicle-specific information is being tied to individual consumers. Companion apps expose VINs and a secondary type of personally identifiable information, such as email addresses, to three companies.

Last year, 54% of Americans believed new cars have too much technology, while 72% worried about repair costs if something breaks, according to the second annual Enterprise Mobility’s “On the Move” survey released in October 2025. Nearly 7 in 10 (68%) drivers said they would willingly give up the latest tech for a more affordable vehicle.

More than half of the “On the Move” survey respondents said they would prefer a mix of touch screens and physical buttons.

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