Skip to main content

Survey: British drivers’ biggest gripes are time wasted in traffic and searching for parking spaces

New online research, commissioned by Nuance Communications and carried out by YouGov, which quizzed drivers on their expectations around in-car digital technology, found that time wasted in traffic (70 per cent) and searching for parking spaces (53 per cent) were cited as British drivers’ most common gripes when on the road. This survey, of 2062 adults, of which 1621 have a driving licence, demonstrates that British drivers would look for in-car technology to humanise their driving experience, by enabli
May 17, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
New online research, commissioned by Nuance Communications and carried out by YouGov, which quizzed drivers on their expectations around in-car digital technology, found that time wasted in traffic (70 per cent) and searching for parking spaces (53 per cent) were cited as British drivers’ most common gripes when on the road.

This survey, of 2062 adults, of which 1621 have a driving licence, demonstrates that British drivers would look for in-car technology to humanise their driving experience, by enabling them to stay in touch with people and increase the enjoyment of driving.

Drivers are also more focused on the driving experience than expecting automotive assistants to help them be more productive. Indeed, many drivers expect their automotive assistants to act as guide while on the road (58 per cent), to help them stay connected with friends and family (21 percent) and to entertain them (22 per cent), while productivity was an important factor for just 10 per cent of respondents.

Further key figures include: 35 per cent of British drivers would prefer a biometric solution (face or voice recognition) to identify them rather than traditional car keys (27 per cent); Two-thirds of drivers would like their automotive assistant to learn from them and their past behaviour to deliver a better user experience; Two in five drivers want their car to learn from their preferred routes, while more than a quarter want their car to remember their behaviour, including individual preferences for types of cuisine, price preferences, off-street parking, etc;  Nearly half of UK drivers want their car to help them deal with car diagnostics, for example, to report issues, and help them understand new car features.

When provided with a list of high profile names to choose from as their preferred digital in-car automotive assistant, one in five chose Stephen Fry, with just 10 per cent selecting driving guru and former Top Gear presenter, Jeremy Clarkson.

Looking to the future, consumers would want their cars to proactively tell them if there is free parking at their destination, let them know if they don’t have enough fuel to complete their journey, and if they are likely to arrive late (60 per cent, 59 per cent, and 34 per cent, respectively).

Related Content

  • Changing driving conditions need ongoing driver training
    January 23, 2012
    Trevor Ellis, chairman of the ITS UK Enforcement Interest Group, considers the role of ongoing driver training in increasing compliance. It is over 30 years since I passed my driving test. The world was quite a different place then, in that there were only half the vehicles there are now on the UK's roads, mobile phones did not really exist and (in the UK at least) the vast majority of us drove cars which by today's standards exhibited dreadful dynamic stability and were woefully underpowered.
  • One in seven UK drivers would cross a level crossing illegally, says study
    October 5, 2018
    One in seven UK drivers would drive over a level crossing before the barrier or gate has opened, according to new research. Research agency Populus carried out a study on behalf of Network Rail which reveals six UK drivers have been killed at level crossings in the last five years. There are also around 46 incidents every week in the UK involving vehicles at level crossings – a third of which are caused by lorries, followed by cars at 28%. According to the report, one in nine drivers would go over a l
  • New survey reveals Edinburgh leads the way in urban mobility
    April 13, 2015
    A new survey from Xerox finds Edinburgh is making the best use of urban mobility opportunities in the UK. Edinburgh ranked first among 12 of the UK cities surveyed for having commuters who regularly use mobile services for parking, ticket buying and comparing transportation services. London was ranked second, Brighton third, while Glasgow ranked fourth. The research also suggested that integrating car and public transport options is a critical factor in increasing the use of urban spaces. While the majo
  • Motorists want ‘the right to drive’
    April 28, 2016
    More than 65 per cent of motorists want to retain the right to drive even though driverless cars are coming, according to new research released today by IAM RoadSmart – formerly the Institute of Advanced Motorists. IAM RoadSmart conducted an independent survey of 1,000 British motorists and a separate poll among its 92,000 members. Those 65 per cent of motorists believe that a human being should always be in control of the vehicle, with 53 per cent saying that the focus should be on making drivers safer – n