A recent report has shown that new car prices have increased over the last year – with advanced technologies and in-car connectivity adding to the cost.
A new Clever Cars study from Confused.com looked at today’s connected cars and their infotainment subscriptions to find who provides the best services for the lowest fee.
Services include gadgets and driving capabilities such as autopilot. Using 10 of the most important features for a connected car, the experts at Confused.com assessed overall value for money for drivers.
Lexus comes out on top for its inexpensive connected car features scoring five out of 10 for lowest price tier subscription costs. Audi has a high average cost price of £432 for their services for the year, with WIFI, navigation and traffic information, hands-free access and music access available on the highest-price tier subscription costs.
Surprisingly, one of the most connected cars today, Tesla, ranked below the likes of Land Rover and Jaguar, with an average yearly subscription cost of just £119.98.
So, whilst today’s advanced vehicle technologies are enhancing driving experiences, how much do these fancy gadgets and driving capabilities impact your car insurance premiums?
Alex Kindred, car insurance expert at Confused.com, said: “Cars have changed massively over the last 20 years. Simple radios or CD players have been replaced by entertainment hubs connected to our smartphones.
“These changes have driven up the value of cars, and in turn, driven up the cost of insuring them too. Car insurance now covers not only the vehicle but the gadgets that come built into them, also.
“Insurers will always ask if you’ve made any changes or modifications to your car, and these aren’t just cosmetic changes. If you’ve installed things like expensive audio systems it could increase the chance of your car being stolen or broken into, so it’s important to disclose these when gathering quotes.
“However, it’s not always the case that having tech in the car could increase your car insurance costs. Safety and security devices, such as dashcams, could help to lower your risk of crashes and your car being stolen.”
For those selling their vehicles, if you have a connected car make sure your data is erased before it goes to its new owner.