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Volvo leads and Mini fails in JD Power's Tech Experience Index

New cars are basically rolling computers. Everything from the engine to the infotainment runs on a series of ones and zeros, and a lot of that technology requires input from the driver. So it's no surprise that JD Power has a study designed specifically to discern which bits of tech drivers love and which bits they loathe. "New technology continues to be a primary factor in the vehicle purchase decision," says JD Power's Kristin Kolodge, executive director of driver interaction & human machine interface research. "However, it’s critical for automakers to offer features that owners find intuitive and reliable. The user experience plays a major role in whether an owner will use the technology on a regular basis or abandon it and feel like they wasted their money." The J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study found that Volvo owners are happiest with the technology packed inside their vehicles, followed by BMW and Cadillac, all brands that JD Power classifies as premium. The highest-rated mainstream brand is Hyundai, followed by Subaru and Kia. As was the case with the organization's Initial Quality and APEAL studies, Tesla's numbers aren't officially included because they are the only automaker that has not granted JD Power approval to contact its owners in states that require it. Tesla's projected score of 593 would have put it in second place, right behind Volvo's score of 617. The lowest-ranked brand in the TXI Study is Mini, with Porsche right behind. Diving a little bit deeper, JD Power's findings suggest that the technologies new car buyers care most about are related to helping them see their surroundings better. Camera systems, including rear-view mirror cameras and ground-view cameras, scored highest in five of the six satisfaction attributes measured in the study. The technology that owners could really do without? Gesture controls. Owners who answered JD Power's survey say they don't use gesture controls much at all after initially trying them, and they don't really care if their next vehicle has them. We have to wonder if those responses might be what kept BMW out of the top spot. The TXI Study also found that owners are split on automated driving helpers, like lane-keeping assist and automatic emergency braking. JD Power suggests that owners may need more training on those systems before they learn to trust them. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences.

Recharge Wrap-up: Alguersuari out for Formula E season 2, hydrogen range test video

A pair of hydrogen proponents drove a Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell 1,480.73 miles in 24 hours. Arnt-Goran Hartvig and Marius Bornstein, nicknamed The Viking and The Scientist, drove a 186-mile route in Germany repeatedly as many times as they could over the course of a full day to set the distance record. The advantage of short refueling times for the hydrogen vehicle helped the duo spend more time on the road. See the video above, and read more from Hybrid Cars. Jaime Alguersuari will miss the second season of Formula E. His license was suspended after fainting at the end of the Moscow ePrix, and he is still waiting for a diagnosis. "During the month of July I underwent several tests for which there has not been a medical resolution and I am still waiting for the final diagnosis," says Alguersuari. "For this reason I need to announce that, unfortunately, I will not be able to take part in the FIA Formula E Championship for the 2015/16 season with my team DS Virgin Racing." The former Formula 1 driver will make an announcement about his future in September. Read more at Autosport. Jeb Bush has come out against the Renewable Fuel Standard. In an interview in an Iowa Falls Dairy Queen, the Republican presidential hopeful gave his opinion about the ethanol mandate. "The best way to get to energy security, in my mind, is letting the markets work," says Bush. "So the RFS has had great success, and over a period of time I think it has to be phased out." Ditching the ethanol mandate could hurt Bush in the important corn-growing state of Iowa, though he thinks his record as Florida governor will help his status with voters. Read more at Grist, and from KCCI.

Hyundai recalls some 2011 Sonatas: Airbags might not deploy

Hyundai is recalling certain 2011 model-year Sonata midsize sedans, saying the airbags may not inflate in a crash. Hyundai says in a government filing that the airbag control unit may short circuit in a crash and prevent the front and side airbags from inflating and the seatbelts from tightening. The automaker says it is aware of four incidents in which owners of the 2011 Sonata reported airbag failure during a crash. Only 1 percent of models are estimated to be defective. The recall affects 154,753 Sonata models built between Dec. 11, 2009, and Sept. 29, 2010, at Hyundai's Alabama assembly plant. It starts April 20. Hyundai says the remedy for the recall is still being developed. This recall is not related to the massive global Takata recall. Separately, Hyundai this week issued a recall for nearly 44,000 Santa Fe and Santa Fe Sport SUVs, both from 2018, following reports of the steering wheel detaching from the steering column. In that recall, dealers will replace the steering wheel assembly, if necessary. Affected owners are to be notified starting March 16. Related Video: Image Credit: Hyundai Recalls Hyundai Auto Repair Safety Sedan airbag hyundai santa fe hyundai santa fe sport