Volvo Study – More Americans Find Daily Serenity While Driving Than While Doing Yoga
In a time when Americans are more stressed than ever, the desire to find serenity and calm amongst the chaos is on the rise, according to a new study from Volvo and Harris Poll. 75% of Americans are seeking more ways to find calm amid increasing stress – and are looking in surprising places to find it. In fact, more Americans find serenity on their daily drive (20%) than while doing yoga (14%).
Volvo sought to better understand how commuting and traffic drive stress levels amongst Americans, and what factors might help drivers decompress and find their own personal sanctuary on the road. Some other highlights found in Volvo Reports: Finding Calm in the Commute include:
- 94% of Americans believe serenity is important
- 76% of working Americans have a stressful commute; 33% of them are searching for serenity during their daily commute
- Stress is amplified as drivers’ commutes lengthen, not just while driving, but also around juggling other life responsibilities
- Americans are willing to sacrifice for a calmer commute
- 1 in 4 would give up social media for a month (24%)
- 1 in 5 would stretch their budget to buy a more relaxing vehicle (15%)
- 84% say they feel more relaxed in their own vehicles compared to using mass transit
- Top features that would help commuters relax in the car:
- Comfortable seats (52%), Seats that optimize posture (40%), Better noise insulation (31%), Air filters that prevent smells/pollutants (27%), Automated safety features (26%), Better selection of music, podcasts and other audio (26%)
- And it’s not just drivers who are feeling the pain: 72% of passengers find the riding experience stressful.
You can find the the full report here, which dives deeper into America’s “quest for calm” and how Americans are turning to their vehicles for serenity. Volvo, long a leader in human-centric design, offers a variety of meticulously crafted features that help provide a feeling of calm and relaxation for drivers – ranging from seats designed by orthopedic surgeons, to turn indicator sounds inspired by the snapping of birch twigs.
