Generations Y and Z (sometimes referred to as millennials) are the most tech-savvy generations in many ways. And now new research shows that many of these younger Americans are very interested in getting more advanced technology into cars.

Modern cars already have quite a bit of technology in them, but until very recently, only the high-end and luxury vehicles have really had the bells and whistles that really turn heads. That is slowly changing, however. And car companies are integrating computers, entertainment centers and more into even inexpensive models.

What does this mean for us as your local auto shop? In many ways, it can mean that there are more things to break. The more complicated a car is, the more that can go wrong with it. But, it also means that an independent auto shop has to work very hard to stay up with all of the new technology. And many of the cars that have the cutting edge tech often lead owners to prefer dealerships over independent auto shops, because they feel that the dealership can better handle their proprietary technology.

Unfortunately, this isn’t always incorrect. Local auto shops usually focus on taking care of the essential car maintenance and aren’t able to devote as much of their time and energy to being able to repair the new technology in a handful of cars. Though as the numbers of cars with touch-screen computers and other technology grows, your auto shop may need to adapt or face stiff competition from others who do.

Research that we spotlighted several months back shows that most car owners still prefer independent auto shops overall, but your local auto shop may need to hire on some computer experts in order to be able to better service these new technology-laden vehicles. It remains to be seen if trends continue in this direction, but if other industries are any indication the move towards high-tech everything will only continue to accelerate.