THE COMMUTERS "AUTO" BIOGRAPHY

-National Survey of Commuters Reveals That Americans’ Driving Habits Reflect Who They Are - 

MOORPARK, CA, January 10, 2005 - According to the “AUTO-Biography Survey,” a poll of more than 2,000 U.S. adults conducted by Harris Interactive^® and commissioned by Auto Expressions^TM, eight out of ten adults use their own car as their primary mode of transportation to and from work.  As a result, the average person now spends more than 15 hours per week in their vehicle[1], amounting to more than 32 days each year, or twice as long as the average vacation.  With that much time spent behind the wheel, it raises the interesting question, ‘What are drivers doing?’

According to the nationwide survey by Auto Expressions^TM, a leading manufacturer of auto accessories, commuters[2] are using their time spent on the road to accomplish a variety of everyday activities to help maximize their travel time.  Data revealed that almost half of drivers[3]  frequently eat in their vehicle[4] and that one in four commuters actually claim to have finished getting dressed in their car.  Additionally, the survey showed that commuters are improving the appearance, comfort and style of their vehicle to make their ride more enjoyable.  The data indicates that four out of five commuters have customized their vehicle in some way, with more than one third of commuters adding items to improve their driving comfort and nearly half adding a simple air freshener.

“We commissioned this survey of commuters to get additional insight into what people are doing behind the wheel,” said Robert Kwong, General Manager for Auto Expressions^TM.  “It’s important that we find out just how drivers are spending their time on the road and the types of activities and items that they are incorporating into their ride, so that we can continue to develop products to make their driving experience more enjoyable.”

It is not hard to believe that, among commuters, women are twice as likely as men to finish dressing in the car and to keep a hair brush in their car.  They also are much more likely than men to try to make their car feel more like home.  In fact, female commuters are more than twice as likely to hang something decorative from their rearview mirror and four times more likely to have a stuffed animal in their car.  Male commuters, on the other hand, are two and a half times more likely to display a baseball cap in the car. 

The AUTO-Biography Survey also revealed interesting truths about the “road to riches,” with there being a strong link between commuting time and salary.  As one’s salary increases, so too does their time on the road.  According to the findings, commuters making more than $75,000 per year spend the most time traveling to and from work.  The same holds true for education levels, with commuters who are college graduates spending more time traveling each way compared to commuters as a whole.

According to the survey, 66% of all commuters report talking on a cell phone while driving, and chatty commuters admit to spending an average of twelve minutes every day talking on the phone while in their car. Not surprisingly, single commuters are more likely to talk on the phone with their friends while in their car while married commuters are more likely to talk on the phone with their family.  Single commuters report spending more time on the phone while in their car compared to married commuters.  In addition, commuters in the West spend the most time, on average, talking on the phone in the car. Many people view their car as an extension of themselves, which perhaps explains why four out of five commuters personalize their vehicles in a way that reflects their personality.  Younger commuters, aged 18-34, are most likely to add decorations to their vehicle compared to their older counterparts.  Commuters in the West are the most likely to use a sunshade compared to other regional commuters, and those in the South are the most likely to get their windows tinted. Commuters in the Northeast are most likely to have a survival kit and first aid kit in their car.

“With people spending more and more time on the road, it’s essential that drivers are given solutions for making their travel time as productive and comfortable as possible,” said Kwong.  “As a market leader in automotive accessories and air fresheners, Auto Expressions will continue to get behind the wheel to find ways to exceed motorist’s needs when they are looking to express their own personal style and create a comfortable environment in their car.

”To find out more about ways to enhance your commute, visit www.auto-expressions.net. 

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About Auto Expressions^TM
Auto Expressions^TM products are produced and marketed by Shell Lubricants.  Shell Lubricants collectively refers to the companies of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group engaged in the lubricants business. Shell lubricants companies are global leaders in lubricants and operate in approximately 100 countries worldwide. They manufacture and blend products for use in a range of applications from consumer motoring to food processing and heavy industry to commercial transport. The Shell portfolio of top quality lubricant brands includes Pennzoil^®, Quaker State^®, FormulaShell^®, Shell Tellus^®, Shell Cassida^®, Shell ROTELLA^® T, Shell Spirax^®  and a portfolio of car care products and Jiffy Lube^® services.

About Harris Interactive^®
Harris Interactive Inc. (www.harrisinteractive.com), the 15^th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world, is a Rochester, N.Y.-based global research company that blends premier strategic consulting with innovative and efficient methods of investigation, analysis and application. Known for The Harris Poll^® and for pioneering Internet-based research methods, Harris Interactive conducts proprietary and public research to help its clients achieve clear, material and enduring results.

Methodology
Harris Interactive®, via its QuickQuery^SM online omnibus, fielded the survey on behalf of Auto Expressions^TM between October 25-27, 2004, among a nationwide sample of 2,097 U.S. adults (aged 18 and over), of whom 1,267 travel to and from work in their own car (a.k.a. commuters). The data were weighted to be representative of the total U.S. adult population on the basis of region, age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity and propensity to be online.