Driving home for Christmas - the radio is still king

Almost 14,000 drivers were asked to choose from a list what they do to keep themselves entertained when driving alone – and it was the radio that scored the highest overall. Over 50% of the votes went to tuning in to a favourite radio station rather than listening to anything else whilst driving according to research by Korean car brand Genesis, undertaken in partnership with The AA.

Reasons why radio is so popular:

Local News and Traffic Updates: a go-to source for real-time local news, weather, and traffic updates.

Talk Shows, Quizzes and Sports: Many listeners enjoy live talk shows, sports broadcasts and daily quizzes.

Convenience and Familiarity: Radio is easy to use and does not require a subscription or extensive setup, making it a convenient choice for many drivers.

Digital Radio: offer a wide variety of channels, including music, talk shows, and specialized content, appealing to a broad audience. Digital radio also provides high-quality audio and a wider range of stations.

Background Listening: Radio is often used for background listening due to its passive nature, where users can tune in without needing to actively engage.

Emergency Alerts: Radio remains a reliable medium for emergency alerts and public service announcements, ensuring its continued relevance.

“While streaming services, podcasts, and other digital content have grown significantly, radio is still at the top of the list,” commented Jonny Miller, Brand Director for Genesis Motor UK. “We know that Genesis customers rate their in-car audio systems highly and having a quality system on board is an important part of driving a luxury car. That’s why we work with the finest audio partners in the world, such as Bang & Olufson and Lexicon, to create a great in-car stage for music or spoken performances to make sure our customers are never alone on their journeys.”

Almost 14,000 drivers were asked to choose from a list what they do to keep themselves entertained when driving alone – and it was the radio that scored the highest overall.

Over 50% of the votes went to tuning in to a favourite radio station rather than listening to anything else whilst driving according to research by Korean car brand Genesis, undertaken in partnership with The AA.

Just under 40% of the votes overall were for listening to their own playlists and albums, with that figure doubling when it comes to younger drivers aged 18-24, with 80% of them voting to sing along to their own music streaming service to while the miles away. Interestingly, almost 10% of the votes overall were for driving in silence, in-line with a new trend for travelling long distances with no form of entertainment.

Survey data found spotting landmarks and road features (13%) was more popular than listening to podcasts (10%), with audiobooks (8%) coming in last.

Genesis also discovered that women are more likely to turn the volume down than men when they need to concentrate; almost three in five women enjoy peace and quiet in the car, compared to just two in five of men.

Surprisingly, it’s the younger drivers who were also more considerate in built-up areas, turning their sound systems down when they get closer to home, while they were also more likely to turn the music up if they are feeling tired.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “In the past you were lucky if your car had a built-in radio, and most didn’t, which led to a major problem of stolen car radios being sold in pubs. Today almost all cars have some form of infotainment system that offers much beyond basic radio. However, the joint Genesis/AA research shows that radio is still king as digital radio is the drivers’ favourite in-car companion.”