Across Russia, conversations with in-car navigation systems have become a common rhythm of daily driving. A large-scale study conducted by Rambler&Co, in collaboration with SberAvto specialists, explored how drivers perceive and interact with navigation devices. More than 150,000 participants from different regions contributed to the findings, offering a broad view of attitudes toward travel assistance technologies in contemporary mobility.
The data show a strong reliance on navigation tools: 85% of respondents use a navigator at least occasionally. Among these users, 38% switch on the device when they face an unfamiliar route, while 23% rely on it daily for guidance. A notable 16% enable navigation for long trips, and 8% consult the system to avoid traffic jams when needed. Only 15% of the surveyed group never uses navigation at all, indicating how embedded these technologies have become in everyday driving practices.
When it comes to navigating in unfamiliar environments, nearly half of drivers rely on the system to chart a route (45%). Some drivers actively seek out winding roads or scenic detours (8%), and a portion of users keep a watchful eye on speed limits and road cameras (7%). A smaller, yet meaningful, segment uses the device to monitor live traffic conditions and then decide whether to continue by car or switch to public transportation (5%).
The study also reveals a distinctive pattern of in-car interaction: almost half of drivers speak to the navigator during trips (49%). In detail, 23% outright express frustration when the system makes a mistake or when a traffic jam occurs, 11% vocalize their reactions to suggested routes, 10% engage in a conversation about the traffic situation with the device, and 5% even treat the navigator as an assistant that should perform better or faster for a desired outcome.
Behavioral insights emerge as well. More than a third of respondents, about 37%, rely primarily on their own judgment while driving and only glance at the screen sporadically. About one in three, precisely 33%, stays close to the advised route. Twenty-five percent place more trust in the voice assistant, using it as the main source of guidance, and a small 5% turn to the front-seat passenger for navigation input. This distribution suggests that drivers balance human judgment, voice guidance, and on-screen information in varied ways, depending on circumstances and personal preference.
In terms of adherence to navigation instructions, the study finds a spectrum of behaviors. Roughly a third of respondents (34%) follow every instruction from the navigator, while about half (49%) take a cautious approach and double-check the suggested route. A smaller group, 11%, focuses solely on the destination and drives without relying on the navigator, and 6% deliberately take a different path, choosing to ignore the system’s guidance entirely. These patterns illustrate the nuanced relationship between technology and driver autonomy in modern Russia, underscoring how drivers calibrate trust in automated guidance against personal experience and real-time situational awareness.