Did you know that music impacts your driving mood and performance?

While driving home after a long day at work and heading out on a weekend getaway are two completely different scenarios, there’s one thing that unites them – music. Turning on the radio or music as soon as you get into your car is almost as natural as starting the engine. Soulful ghazals on a rainy day, rock music to pep up a boring one, and sometimes even your kids’ nursery rhymes can make a drive delightful. 

Driving music and its effect on the psyche 

On your mood: Listening to music while driving has benefits far beyond the aesthetic pleasure to your ears. Research states that music has the ability to alter or maintain our mood. It has been found that music can consistently keep the listener in a positive mindset while driving. The study further explores that the kind of music being played is mirrored in the driver’s behaviour. Happy, light-hearted music causes the driver to feel cheerful and positive, directly affecting the driver’s driving performance by encouraging them to drive safely.

On your consciousness: Listening to music has also been found to reduce perceived time duration. This means that the travel duration would be perceived to be shorter than it actually is by the driver and the passengers in the car. This can also reduce stress and anxiety and help keep road rage at bay. It can minimise the chances of someone getting worked up due to traffic or bad road conditions. Compared to a drive with no music, cranking your favourite melodies in a car lowers your respiration rate, a trait that can come in handy during rush hours. 

On your mind: Alternatively, music with a fast beat can generate excitement and increase energy levels among the driver and fellow passengers. It also keeps the driver’s mind more attentive to the surroundings and encourages safer driving. The reasoning behind this is simple; listening to music while driving can help combat boredom and drowsiness, thus, engaging the driver’s senses and keeping them alert. As a direct consequence, the ride becomes safer and more enjoyable.

In contrast, being in traffic congestion with no music can add to frustration and tiredness. By providing an added but non-essential stimulus to the brain, music increases the brain’s logical performance. It not only elevates your mood but also improves your driving performance. 

And, when it comes to elevating your mood, your MG is a step ahead to ensure you have easy access to the best of music. Installed with i-SMART connectivity and preloaded entertainment content, you can turn to your Premium Gaana account to set the driving mood with great music whenever you hit the road. The best part? You can control what you want to listen to through the convenient Voice Search feature in your MG Hector 2021, which has evolved to understand Hinglish commands. Simply say ‘Volume badhao’ and block out the incessant honking. 

So, the next time you command your MG to play you a song, you know that you are set for a pleasant drive!