While driver assistance technology offerings continue to evolve on newer vehicles, many consumers want to use them but find it challenging to understand how they work or how to use them. Nissan says an in-person program it provides could help.

Second Delivery is a complimentary perk for owners of Ariya electric vehicles. Nissan expects to expand the program to Rogue SL, Rogue Platinum, and LEAF in late 2024.

Second Delivery typically takes place about two weeks after the owner has received their new car.

Once a new vehicle is leased or purchased, owners can sign up at a participating dealer through the MyNissan app or the Nissan Owners Portal. A Nissan tech employee will then set up a time to meet at the customer’s home, workplace, or other location to walk them through the vehicle’s features, answer questions, and highlight tech the owner might not be aware of.

“The more I learned about the bells and whistles the car had, the more I wanted to use them,” Missy N., an Ariya owner who lives in Colorado, told Nissan.

More than 5,000 Second Delivery appointments have been completed since the program began in February 2023.

Dan Mohnke, Nissan vice president of eCommerce and Customer Experience, said 93% of customers felt that Second Delivery was extremely helpful in improving their understanding of their vehicle’s features.

“Now more than ever, customers expect a personalized experience that matches their wants and needs,” Mohnke said, in a news release. “These types of experiences are extremely important for us to offer for our Ariya customers who are largely new to the Nissan brand and interested in using all of the latest technology.”

Missy said her Second Delivery experience was two hours long and included driving to a nearby charging station to show her how the charging process works. She is a first-time EV owner.

Philip Stahl, an Ariya owner in Southern California, said he was assisted with getting everything set up from Apple CarPlay to the memory seats.

“It was definitely useful in getting comfortable with the technology,” Stahl told Nissan. “I can’t see any downside whatsoever to somebody using the service.”

Mohnke said he is looking forward to the planned expansion of the Second Delivery program.

“Second Delivery builds a sense of trust with the customer,” he said. “It shows we’re not just about the purchase. You’re a customer for life.”

The results of a new S&P Global Mobility survey of 8,000 consumers across eight countries show growing interest and reliance on advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) features.

“The automotive industry is at a pivotal juncture,” S&P research analysts wrote on S&P’s blog. “Advancements in technology — particularly advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous driving — are reshaping consumer preferences and driving purchasing decisions.

“Some examples of how this technology has evolved: major automakers are investing in ADAS technologies for enhanced safety and full autonomy. Chassis and suspension systems are also changing to accommodate ADAS, automation, and electrification. The integration of ADAS and 5G is further driving vehicle connectivity innovation and increasing cybersecurity demand. Automotive interiors are adopting driver monitoring systems (DMS) and occupant monitoring systems (OMS) owing to regulations and automation.”

The blog post outlines what S&P found to be the top findings from the survey:

• • “ADAS Popularity: The survey revealed that more than half of the global respondents have some degree of familiarity with ADAS features. The features people are most familiar with are park assist, collision warning, and lane assistance. We can conclude that respondents are most familiar with low-level autonomy driving features, and this can be explained because most automakers already offer them as standard on their top trims and optional on their lower trims.
  • “ADAS Desirability: The annual survey showed again a high interest in advanced driving features. For the fourth year in a row, blind spot detection was a consistent favorite among consumers, while driver facial monitoring remained the least desirable feature. This might be attributed to privacy concerns.
  • “Desirability versus Cost: We found that the features users are most familiar with are the ones they are least willing to pay extra for. This could be the result of current high market penetration; consumers may think that these safety features are more basic and should be built into the base price of the vehicle. The exception to this trend is night vision as it is highly desired and worth paying extra for. Other features reveal a gap between desirability and willingness to pay, underlining the complexity of consumer preferences.
  • “Bundle Preference: Consumers prefer bundled packages of ADAS features for comprehensive safety solutions, presenting both opportunities and challenges for automakers in pricing and packaging.
  • “Trust in Autonomous Driving: Despite growing interest, consumer trust in autonomous driving remains a barrier, with a paradoxical willingness to pay extra for full autonomy despite it being the least desired feature. Consumers are becoming increasingly open to conditional autonomy with a greater opportunity to emphasize efficiency in operation as a key use case. As the level of driver-vehicle interaction continues to decrease, consumer skepticism and discomfort are bound to rise. Consumer perception and trust in these technologies will likely take more time to grow and seem to remain with established brands associated with quality and reliability. Respondents overall trusted German premium automakers the most when it comes to the ability to develop safe and effective self-driving vehicles.
  • “Influencers of Trust: Safety ratings and certifications are key influences of consumer trust and most global respondents would even be willing to pay extra for vehicles with higher safety ratings. This emphasizes the importance of safety in driving adoption, while privacy concerns regarding driver monitoring persist.
  • “Communication and Transparency: Building consumer confidence through transparent communication, rigorous testing, and regulatory compliance is essential for widespread acceptance of autonomous technologies.
  • “Closing the Gap: Bridging the divide between consumer expectations and market offerings requires addressing trust issues, regional variations, and effectively communicating the benefits of autonomous driving.”

Images

Featured stock photo illustration: metamorworks/iStock

Philip Stahl and his Nissan Ariya outside his home near San Diego.

More information

SCRS consumer videos feature I-CAR, provide customer-focused education on ADAS