# Exploring Factors that Influence Connected Drivers to (Not) Use or Follow Recommended Optimal Routes

## TL;DR

This study explores why drivers sometimes ignore or follow recommended routes, revealing factors like familiarity, local context, and perceived suitability that influence navigation app usage.

## Contribution

It provides qualitative insights into drivers' decision-making processes and highlights factors affecting adherence to recommended routes, emphasizing personalization needs.

## Key findings

- Drivers follow recommendations mainly in urgent situations.
- Familiarity influences route choice over recommendations.
- Unfamiliar routes and lack of local context cause deviations.

## Abstract

Navigation applications are becoming ubiquitous in our daily navigation experiences. With the intention to circumnavigate congested roads, their route guidance always follows the basic assumption that drivers always want the fastest route. However, it is unclear how their recommendations are followed and what factors affect their adoption. We present the results of a semi-structured qualitative study with 17 drivers, mostly from the Philippines and Japan. We recorded their daily commutes and occasional trips, and inquired into their navigation practices, route choices and on-the-fly decision-making. We found that while drivers choose a recommended route in urgent situations, many still preferred to follow familiar routes. Drivers deviated because of a recommendation's use of unfamiliar roads, lack of local context, perceived driving unsuitability, and inconsistencies with realized navigation experiences. Our findings and implications emphasize their personalization needs, and how the right amount of algorithmic sophistication can encourage behavioral adaptation.