Testing the usability and USER EXPERIENCE OF
automotive infotainment and connectivity
What we are accustomed to from our smart phones, now also shapes our expectations towards the functionality and user friendliness of other devices and systems which we utilize in our every day routines. This also applies to cars. So, it is hard to accept why we should lower our standards when it comes to controlling navigation, infotainment and connected car services in comparison to the operation of a tablet or smart phone.
This is exactly our credo, when the experts of connect and umlaut assess the connectivity and user experience of modern vehicles. The first round of these tests spanned the Audi A6, the BMW X5, the Mercedes CLA, the Porsche Cayenne, the Skoda Karoq and the Volvo V60 as well as the all-electric models Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes EQC and Porsche Tayan (preview). These tests have been compiled in a special edition PDF which can be downloaded in German and English language under the download link below.
In August 2021, we conducted another a new run of car connectivity tests, again in cooperation with umlaut and this time also with the German automotive club ADAC. This test concentrated on mid-range plug-in hybrid cars, namely the BMW 330e, Jaguar E-Pace P300e, Kia Sorento 1.6 T-GDI, Mercedes-Benz CLA, Peugeot 508, Skoda Octavia 1.4 TSI iV and VW Arteon 1.4 eHybrid. You can download this comparison test from 02/2021 again both in German as well as English language in the Download section linked below.
From 2022 on, we decided to fully focus an all-electric cars. This time, our joint test spanned the Audi e-tron GT, BMW i4, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Mercedes EQE, Polestar 2, Tesla Model Y and the VW ID.4. In addtion, umlaut’s Chinese brand made an evaluation of the three Chinese models Luxiang L9, Nio ET7 and Zeekr 001. This report can be found both in German and English versions in the Download section linked below.
In 2023, we took a closer look at the BMW iX, the BYD Atto 3, the Genesis GV60, the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, the NIO ET7, the Porsche Taycan, the 2023 Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen's ID.Buzz. The according report can again be found in German and English in our Download section below.
In 2024, we examined the BMW i4, the BYD Seal, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Kia EV9, the Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan, the NIO EL8, the Polestar 2 and Tesla Model Y with their most recent software updates, the Porsche Macan and the Volkswagen ID.7. Our report can once again be retrieved in the Download section below.