WardsAuto Names Wards 10 Best User Experience Award Winners for 2017

DETROIT, Sept. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- WardsAuto has unveiled the annual Wards 10 Best User Experience list for 2017, and the honored automakers represent a spectrum of mainstream brands, challenging the notion that a great "user experience" can be found only behind the wheel of expensive luxury cars.

Easy-to-use smartphones are setting high consumer expectations, making UX a key aspect of new vehicle development. Automotive designers and engineers are now striving like never before to simplify connectivity with personal devices, information displays and advanced driver-assistance features.

There are camera-based forward vision systems to help steer a vehicle in its lane, radar-based sensors to prevent collisions and voice-activated technologies to minimize distraction from infotainment systems. All can either delight us with smart design and make our lives easier or cause drivers endless frustration.

"The Wards 10 Best UX competition is meant to identify technologies that are smart, safe and connected," says Drew Winter, senior content director at WardsAuto.

"We started this competition one year ago, and in that short time we've seen tremendous progress on the part of automakers. These are small steps toward the world of autonomous vehicles, but big leaps in simplifying how drivers and passengers interact with vehicle technologies and features."

The 2017 Wards 10 Best UX winners, with prices as tested including destination charges:

• Audi S5 Sportback ($68,350)
• BMW 540i ($82,360)
• Buick Enclave Avenir ($59,435)
• Dodge Durango SRT ($74,950)
• Ford F-150 Raptor ($65,715)
• Honda Odyssey ($47,610)
• Lincoln Continental ($79,780)
• Mazda CX-5 ($34,380)
• Subaru Impreza ($29,260)
• Volkswagen Atlas ($49,415)

The focus of the Wards 10 Best UX competition, which is a microcosm of Wards 10 Best Interiors, is to identify driver interfaces that are user-friendly, navigation systems that are easy to program, collision-avoidance technologies that are dependable and smartphone integration that is simple, allowing drivers safe access to text messages, emails and phone contacts while on the road.

WardsAuto editors spent July and August evaluating 23 light vehicles that are all-new or feature significantly redesigned UX features.

Honored automakers will receive their trophies on Oct. 5 during the WardsAuto User Experience Conference at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, MI.  Registration is open at http://wardsauto.com/ux.  The full story on the Wards 10 Best UX winners can be read here.

About WardsAuto

WardsAuto is a world-leading provider of automotive insights and analysis, having served the industry's information needs for more than 90 years. Southfield, MI-based WardsAuto provides a forward-looking perspective on all aspects of the automotive business.  Its WardsAuto Intelligence unit offers the premium WardsAuto.com resource and suite of customizable data reporting tools, multiple detailed forecasts on industry sales and production, the quarterly WardsAuto Outlook conference series, special reports and more.  Learn more at http://intelligence.wardsauto.com.

About Informa

WardsAuto is part of Informa, the international business intelligence, academic publishing, knowledge and events group. Informa serves commercial, professional and academic communities, helping them connect and learn, and creating and providing access to content and intelligence that helps people and businesses work smarter and make better decisions faster.

Informa has over 7,500 colleagues in more than 20 countries and a presence in all major geographies. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a member of the FTSE 100.

Media Contact

Chris Lamphear
Director of Marketing
WardsAuto
248 799 2658
[email protected]

SOURCE WardsAuto