Are Brits too dependent on satnavs when driving?

Did you know that almost a quarter of those aged 25-34 rely on a satnav every time they drive a vehicle? As more and more drivers rely on satnav technology to get around in the UK, we wanted to find out just how dependent we are, and which age groups and cities around Britain rely on them the most!

We analysed the demographic data, and took things one step further to see for ourselves how two teams of different ages could cope with driving around a city with and without a sat nav – check out that hilarious experiment below!

How frequently do we use satnavs?

We surveyed drivers across the UK to find out just how frequently we’re using satnavs, and which groups are using them the most/least. It might come as little surprise that 18-24-year-olds use their satnavs the most, with 23% stating they use technology every time they drive. This might be to do with the introduction of satnavs in driving tests and frequency in the latest models of cars over recent years, meaning new drivers are most likely to be used to their presence.

55–64-year-olds are the least reliant on satnavs, with 20.4% stating they never use one, while Newcastle is the least dependent city, with just 18.6% of drivers requiring technology to get around. The divide between cities is even more apparent when you consider that 1 in 5 drivers in Southampton use their satnavs every time they drive, the highest in the country.

How many people use different forms of satnavs?

We found that 93% of people in the UK have some form of satnav device, with 38.5% of people using navigation technology on their mobile phone. This figure rockets when you head to Northern Ireland, though, with almost 60% of people here reliant on their phone for directions on the road.

Men are also more likely to use a satnav than women, with 94% of males using a purpose-bought satnav compared to 91% of women.

How much do we rely on satnavs when driving somewhere new?

Driving somewhere new can be a little daunting - 1 in 5 people (19%) feel nervous when navigating unfamiliar UK surroundings, with 30% of women growing anxious - that’s three times more than men (10%).

We found that, because of those travelling tummy flips, 40% of people rely entirely on their satnavs when driving somewhere new, including almost half of women (45%). 35–44-year-olds are the most likely to rely entirely on their satnav (45%), while, comparing cities, 65% of those from Sheffield can’t get find their way around somewhere new without technology.

Are satnavs an important feature for UK car buyers?

Buying a new car is a big deal, and a lot of us tend to have quite a few requirements – but do built-in satnavs feature among top three needs for new cars? After speaking to representatives from across the nation, we found that the top three new car features are:

1. Installed Sat Nav - 41.7%

2. Eco Friendly - 40.6%

3. Heated Seats - 31.8%

Translating these results into a real-world experiment

Having found that 18-24-year-olds use their satnavs the most, and 55–64-year-olds are the least reliant on their satnavs, we wanted to put this to the test on the road! We asked two couples – one in their 20s, and another in their 50s – to drive from one location to another. The catch? They couldn’t use a satnav!

Megan and Allen, our couple representing the 18-24 category, and Cara and Gerrard, our 55–64-year-old representatives, both started in the city centre of Leeds and had to find their way to the town of Ilkley using only traditional maps and road signposts. Check out the video to find out who made it to the endpoint first!

Did you expect those results? Cara and Gerrard only took 51 minutes, while Megan and Allen took over 1 hour and 40 minutes – so the 55–64-year-olds coped best without their satnav and found the location almost exactly within the expected drive time!

If you’re looking to upgrading your car to something with a shiny new satnav, why not check out our car finance calculator to find out how much you can borrow to afford your dream model.