News that moves the industry

SHANGHAI: 18 Jun, 2026 – As the automotive market in China nears saturation and price competition continues to increase, the purchase experience has replaced brand loyalty as the primary differentiator among consumers. According to the J.D. Power 2026 China Purchase Experience Index (PXI) Study, new energy vehicles (NEVs) lead internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 13 points, with advantages in showroom experience, test drives and customer follow-up. Strengths for ICE vehicles include the in-store experience. The study, formerly the J.D. Power China Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) Study, shifts the lens from sales satisfaction to focus on the customer purchase experience and emotional aspects of the process to provide the industry with a new tool to measure new-vehicle owners’ purchase experience between two and six months of ownership.

TROY, Mich.: 11 June 2026 — Awareness of fully automated, self-driving vehicles (AVs) continues to grow, but consumer confidence in the technology is not keeping pace, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Mobility Confidence Index (MCI) Study,SM released today. Consumer understanding of AVs improves in 2026, with 58% of consumers correctly identifying full automation, up from 43% in 2024. Despite this progress, fundamental concerns around safety, performance and trust continue to slow adoption—and in some cases, deepen hesitation.

SHANGHAI: 11 Jun, 2026 – Owner’s focus on the emotional appeal and excitement of their new vehicle has risen appreciably from last year, with performance, entering and exiting the vehicle and infotainment system driving the higher satisfaction. The overall satisfaction score for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles this year is 762 points (on a 1,000-point scale) increasing by 11 points from 2025. according to the China 2026 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) StudySM. The leading areas of higher satisfaction – vehicle performance, entering and exiting the vehicle and infotainment system—have increased year over year by 21 points, 17 points and 17 points respectively. Additionally, getting in and out of the vehicle and infotainment system also gain significant weight in the overall APEAL index, indicating that ICE vehicle owners are placing greater emphasis on intelligent interaction.

TROY, Mich.: 9 June 2026 — As the auto insurance market continues to soften, customers are holding more of the power—and they’re using it, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study,SM released today. Separate JD Power data[1] indicates that approximately one‑third of auto insurance shoppers now turn to artificial intelligence (AI) tools when comparing coverage, and those who do are significantly more likely to switch insurers. Yet even as competition intensifies and prices ease, an increase in overall customer satisfaction is being held back by insurers’ inability to deliver truly seamless interactions across channels.

TROY, Mich.: 4 June 2026 — As the wave of auto insurance price increases begins to cool, customers are easing off the panic button, but they’re not getting complacent. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study,SM released today, the share of customers shopping for auto insurance has declined from 57% to 53% year over year, but still remains elevated by historical standards. At the same time, shoppers are getting more quotes than ever and shifting decisively toward digital channels—including mobile apps and emerging AI tools—to compare, understand and purchase policies.

TORONTO: 4 June 2026 — Banks and credit card providers in Canada are steadily expanding artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistants across their mobile apps, but the technology continues to fall short in high-stakes customer scenarios. While virtual assistants perform well for simple transactional tasks, they struggle to guide customers through more complex issues, according to a series of recent studies of banking and credit card mobile app and online users in Canada, released today.

SHANGHAI: 28 May 2026 – The Tech Experience Index in China continues its strong momentum, increasing by 70 overall satisfaction points (on a 1,000-point scale) reaching a record high of 658, according to the J.D. Power 2026 China Tech Experience Study (TXI). The Market Depth Index score surged to 428 points. However, the Execution Index, for the first time in 4 years, declined to 875 points, showing a clear divergence between Market Depth and Execution. New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) further extended their leading position in Market Depth Index surpassing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles; and the gap between different segments in Market Depth is widening further.

TORONTO: 28 May 2026 —The percentage of new-vehicle shoppers in Canada who say they are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to consider an electric vehicle (EV) for their next purchase has increased to 34%, up from 28% in 2025, according to the JD Power 2026 Canada Electric Vehicle Consideration (EVC) Study,SM released today. This marks the first increase in EV consideration since tracking began in 2022, following several years of declining or flat consumer interest.

TROY, Mich.: 28 May 2026 — The nation’s banks and credit card providers are rapidly expanding the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered virtual assistants across their mobile apps and websites, but the technology can sometimes introduce more headaches than solutions. While virtual assistants handle simple, transactional tasks effectively, they struggle to support customers through more complex scenarios, according to a series of recent studies of bank and credit card mobile app and online users, released today by JD Power.

TROY, Mich.: 27 May 2026 — Despite significant investment by health plans in new digital tools and improved customer engagement, member satisfaction with commercial health plans has remained virtually unchanged for the past three years. According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Commercial Member Health Plan Study,SM released today, the average overall satisfaction score for commercial health plans is 562 (on a 1,000-point scale), down one point from 2025 and three points from 2024. The findings reflect members’ eagerness for quick claims resolutions, preventive wellness plans and reasonable in- and out-of-network costs. But as premiums and deductibles continue to rise, members have begun to say their relationship with their health plan has become more transactional.

TROY, Mich.: 27 May 2026 — Retail banks have invested heavily in financial advice and support tools designed to create a more personalized customer experience, but many are still struggling to turn those capabilities into sustained customer adoption and engagement, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Financial Health Support and Advice Study,SM released today.

TROY, Mich.: 26 May 2026 — EV app usage has reached a turning point, as higher engagement is now matched by higher expectations, according to the JD Power 2026 U.S. OEM EV App Report, released today. Electric vehicle (EV) owners are relying on their apps more often, but they are also less willing to tolerate delays or inconsistent performance. App performance has become the defining factor of the experience as speed and reliability gaps become more visible with increased use. Overall, app satisfaction has improved, reaching a satisfaction rating of 7.7 (on a 10-point scale) among mass market users, up from 6.1 in 2025 and 5.5 in 2024.