According to the 2012 J.D. Power & Associates quality reports, released earlier this week, automobile manufacturers are producing higher quality vehicles than ever before, except when it comes to audio, entertainment, and navigation technologies. The overall quality of all automobile manufacturers increased by 5% since the 2011 quality reports, but “problems” related to the usability of the systems increased by 8%.

David Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power & Associates, says that this does not mean that the quality is getting worse. “At one time, these sophisticated technologies were found only on high end vehicles. Over the past couple years, it is becoming more prevalent in mainstream automobiles. An increase in users who expect the same innovative technology found in their smartphones can quickly become dissatisfied when they can’t get it to work. Automobile manufacturers are listening to the consumers and work hard to meet their expectations but need to keep safety in mind as well. There is a learning curve for drivers to get adjusted to new features.”

This is the 26th year that J.D. Power & Associates has done their initial quality study. It not only serves as an industry benchmark for initial quality measured by the consumer, but it is also used by manufacturers to help them design and build better vehicles. Initial quality is a sign of long-term durability, which directly impacts consumer purchase decisions.