NAVTEQ revealed the results of a new research study focusing on the travel and navigation behavior of Indian women. Conducted in association with TNS Global Market Research, the study was done across key metropolitan cities in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata and included a total of 760 respondents with 606 female participants between the ages of 18 and 45. The purpose of the study was to assess Indian women’s transportation modes, travel behavior and methods of obtaining guidance. It also measured the ownership and usage of navigation and mobile devices, as well as profiled the ownership base according to key demographics.
Highlighting some interesting findings, the study showed that 51% of Indian women surveyed feel unsafe travelling on Indian roads, and an overwhelming 73% of the women surveyed expressed fear for their physical safety when travelling at night. To find their way somewhere, most women prefer to seek directions from friends and family before setting out while en-route in unfamiliar areas, a similar number will seek directions from strangers in an aim to overcome the fear of losing their way.
The study also highlighted that Indian women are positively inclined towards adoption of navigation based devices and apps. Overall, there is an extremely high level of awareness (86%) of navigation devices amongst women respondents. 4 out of 5 women indicated that they feel more secure when travelling with a navigation device or app. Furthermore, 42% of the women surveyed indicated that navigation devices or apps would give them more confidence when they are travelling to unknown places and has the added advantage of making night travel somewhat safer.
Key conclusions based on city specific findings:
Delhi has a high market potential for navigation devices/apps
- Delhi is ranked as the city in which women feel least comfortable traveling alone and where an overwhelming 97% of women feel safer with the use of a navigation device/app
- Women in Delhi have the highest purchase intention with 43% of them saying they intend to adopt a navigation device or application
Women in Mumbai are the most active users of navigation
- As high as 85% of the women surveyed use some form of navigation app in Mumbai
- Of these, over half use navigation apps on their cell phones
- Only 7% of the women surveyed viewed Mumbai as unsafe and this could be because a large majority of the women in Mumbai already use some form of navigation app
Kolkata women feel safer than those in the other 3 major cities
- Kolkata women respondents indicated the lowest intention to purchase a navigation device/app at 1%.
- Ranked as a fairly safe city, they still seem to prefer to ask people for directions
Chennai is viewed as safer than Delhi but not as safe as Mumbai
- Majority of the women surveyed in Chennai feel safer with the use of navigational devices and nearly of them indicated that they intend to purchase a navigation device/app in the near future.
