The 2024 China Automobile Product Quality Trends Symposium held in Beijing

Recently, Car Quality Network (www.12365auto.com), a leading domestic platform for collecting information on defective automotive products and handling consumer complaints, in collaboration with Car Research Consulting, held the "2024 China Automobile Product Quality Trends Symposium" in Beijing. During the conference, the "2023 Car Quality Network Complaint Analysis Summary Report" and the "2024 China Automobile Product Quality Trends Analysis" were released. In-depth discussions also took place on emerging challenges in handling customer complaints, new approaches to enhancing user experience, and other trending topics.

The "2023 Car Quality Network Complaint Analysis Summary Report" revealed for the first time underlying customer complaint data and related rankings regarding automobile quality and service in 2023.

• In 2023, Chezhi.com processed 168,725 valid complaints, marking a year-on-year increase of 25.38%. The complaint volume for new energy vehicles showed significant growth.

• There is an upward trend in quality-related complaints, with complaints concentrated in issues such as hybrid mode transition failures, fuel pump malfunctions, and driving safety assistance systems.

• Among the top 20 service-related complaints, the most frequently reported issue was system upgrade problems.

In 2023, among the newly listed complaints, issues related to price changes were the most prominent, accounting for 79.56% of the complaint volume. Changes in policies also proved to be a frequent cause of user dissatisfaction.

Leveraging product evaluation databases, the "2024 China Automobile Product Quality Trends Analysis" conducted in-depth analyses of quality complaints and research data on quality performance. It systematically reviews the development trends of product quality from three perspectives: market quality characteristics, consumer understanding of quality, and challenges posed by new technologies.

• At the market level, there is an increasing number of collective complaints related to body accessories, electrical components, and engine/generator issues. The reputation advantage of joint-venture brands in terms of design experience and reliability is diminishing.

• On the consumer level, there is a trend towards more rational understanding of automobile products, with complaints focusing on the core demand for issue resolution.

Over the past three years, female users have shown an increasing level of complaints about interior features, air conditioning, and driving assistance, while complaints regarding touchscreen displays have decreased. High-end consumer groups have higher expectations for perceived vehicle quality.

• In the face of quality challenges posed by new technologies, there is a sustained increase in complaints related to the new energy three-electric systems. Complaints regarding smart cabins continue to rise, although the growth rate has slowed down.

Car Research Consulting recommends that as consumer awareness evolves with technological advancements, automotive companies must strike a balance to respond to concerns from various perspectives. Solely focusing on novelty without ensuring the verification of fundamental functionalities may result in a failure to win the favor of the majority of consumers.

During the discussion session, several company representatives engaged in communication and sharing regarding the challenges and lessons learned in enhancing product quality amid the accelerating trend of intelligent electrification processes.