US auto reliability dented by new technology; electric cars fare better

Electric cars do away with many of the mechanical systems that prompt consumer complaints about conventional cars.

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."