Wish Lists

If Harris Interactive Inc.'s latest online poll is on target, the U.S. consumer will pay dearly to save at the pump and save lives in crashes.

The polling and research firm's annual AutoTechCast advanced automotive technologies report, released in its inaugural form in December, suggests consumers are willing to shell out an additional $1,673, on average, for hybrid-electric vehicle technology on their next vehicle; $1,269 for fuel cells and $667 for clean diesels. They also will pay $500 to $700 for many safety technologies.

In fact, customers are willing to pay more for safety and fuel economy than infotainment, performance or convenience options, and they say safety and fuel economy are the biggest differentiators in swaying a buying decision, says Scott Upham, senior vice president of Harris Interactive.

The study — about 1,000 pages of charts, graphs and statistical analysis — aims to tell auto makers and suppliers which of 50 advanced technologies the 14,424 customers are most interested in seeing in future vehicles, and how much they would pay for them.

The technology list was gleaned during April interviews with Harris' supplier and OEM customers and presented to survey participants in November.

To determine demand, Harris asked participants to provide their own price point for technologies. Respondents consistently offered prices below the current-market value.

“This is a true measure of what people are willing to pay above and beyond the cost of the vehicle,” Upham says, adding that as scale production ramps up for technologies such as hybrids (which buyers say are worth $1,673, but cost more than $3,000), the actual price tag will be more in line with what mainstream buyers are willing to pay.