I must admit that I’m one of those “weirdos” who hardly ever listens to music while driving. From the moment I start the car until I reach my destination, there’s only silence in my car. Well, that and my constant complaints when another driver doesn’t use a turn signal or when there’s heavy traffic.
But beyond peculiar and unusual cases like mine, practically everyone listens to something while driving. From the classic radio to Spotify playlists and even podcasts on iVoox, technology allows us to enjoy a wide range of content so we don’t get bored while traveling.
But what do people prefer? To answer this question, the company Edison Research conducted a study that reveals the tastes and preferences of people who travel in a car, comparing those who use apps adapted for vehicles, such as Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, with those who do not.
The study recorded the amount of time people traveling in cars spend on audio products throughout a day, among U.S. users over 13 years old. The respondents also answered various demographic and consumption-related questions, including the presence of in-car audio infotainment systems in the main vehicle they drive or travel in.
The most notable finding of the study is that neither podcasts nor music streaming services like YouTube Music or Spotify are the most listened to by the majority of people traveling in a car: the undisputed winner is traditional radio. It is favored by 46% of users who use Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, and 67% of those who do not.
Yes, even though many millennials may find it hard to believe, radio is more alive than ever today and is the clear favorite for many people, both while driving and when working, doing household chores, or cooking, to name a few examples. Will this trend continue over time?
