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

  • October 9, 2017
    Over half Victorian motorists no longer consider petrol combustion engines in next purchase, Australia
    More than half of the 15, 047 Victorian motorists who participated in EastLink’s first annual self-driving vehicle survey are no longer considering a traditional petrol combustion engine for their next car purchase. The findings come as toll route operator announced the overall results from the survey. EastLink’s survey, with the support from the Australian Road Research Board, was conducted online over a 4-week period for motorists between 11 September and 8 October.
  • November 5, 2021
    The world was your Oyster
    Embracing digital payments and transparent journey planning is key to changing traveller behaviour and accelerating integrated public transport, says Martin Howell of Worldline
  • October 22, 2018
    Kapsch TrafficCom: 'The city is not made for cars'
    Traffic can be a really big challenge. When you’re stuck, you’re stuck. Everything comes to a standstill. But Alexander Lewald describes how existing infrastructures can be used more efficiently and how demand can be managed. A few figures to start with: in Los Angeles, the average driver spends 102 hours a year in traffic – that’s more than four days. This figure is 91 hours in Moscow and New York, 74 in London, 69 in Paris, 51 hours in Munich and still 40 hours in Vienna. Traffic is what causes
  • March 28, 2017
    Commuting habits come under scrutiny
    Cities have a moral responsibility to encourage the smart use of transportation and Andrew Bardin Williams hears a few suggestions. Given the choice of getting a root canal, doing household chores, filing taxes, eating anchovies or commuting to work, nearly two-thirds of Americans said that they wouldn’t mind commuting into work—at least according to a poll conducted by Xerox (now Conduent) over its social media channels at the end of 2016.