New technology makes cars less reliable, says Consumer Reports
The magazine says all-new vehicles or those with newly updated technology are more likely to have a ‘wonky engine’; vehicle makers, including Tesla, disagree
Detroit — New technology to stream music into dashboards or boost fuel efficiency is making cars less reliable, although electric cars, such as the Tesla Model 3 and the Chevrolet Bolt, should fare better than many conventional models, Consumer Reports magazine said on Thursday. The magazine said its survey of 640,000 vehicles showed that all-new vehicles or models with newly updated technology are more likely than older models to have a "wonky engine, a jerky transmission, or high-tech features that fail outright". Electric cars do away with many of the mechanical systems that prompt consumer complaints about conventional cars, the magazine said. Tesla’s Model 3, despite recent production problems, should have "average" reliability because it relies on technology already used on the older Tesla Model S, Jake Fisher, the magazine’s head of automotive testing said on Thursday at a meeting of the Detroit Automotive Press Association. The Bolt is the most reliable car in the General Mo...
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