Spotify AI tool Seat Belters promotes driver safety with playlist hack, based on fresh research

West Australian

2 days ago

You're driving down the freeway and a car screams past with frenetic music blasting from the windows.
There's every chance those blaring beats are directly linked with the driver's reckless behaviour.
We know music can have a powerful effect on our emotions, and it turns out it has a major impact on how safely we drive, too, with studies showing songs with a beat-per-minute count of more than 120 to be the worst culprits.
These up-tempo tracks have been proven to negatively affect reaction times and overall awareness, producing more erratic driving patterns and riskier on-road attitudes.
New research from Allianz Australia reveals one in three (32 per cent) Aussie drivers believes music affects their driving, with a third of those (33 per cent) reporting decreased concentration when listening to high-bpm music on the road.
But if you think this category of music is reserved for heavy metal or bass-rich techno, think again. Your favourite song may well be within the BPM danger zone.
Taylor Swift's pop banger Shake It Off and OutKast's Hey Ya! both come in at 160bpm, while Beat It by Michael Jackson (138), I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor (132) and Bye Bye Bye by NSYNC (173) are all well over what is considered safe for on-road listening.
At exactly 120bpm, Lady Gaga's Poker Face, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk, Adele's Rolling In The Deep and ABBA's Dancing Queen are also just out of bounds.
According to Allianz's data, more than half (52 per cent) of Aussie drivers sing along to music while in their car and 44 per cent will crank up the volume when their favourite song comes on, potentially creating dangerous conditions without us even realising.
Road safety expert Andry Rakotonirainy has investigated the connection between auditory inputs, like music, and cognitive performance while driving and was fascinated by the findings.
'The emerging data from Allianz Australia is particularly interesting to me, as it shows how music tempo can influence concentration, reaction time and even speeding, highlighting the need for me to explore this further, especially as in-car entertainment becomes more pervasive and immersive,' Dr Rakotonirainy says.
'When we think about running, we often choose fast-tempo music to push our pace. The same concept applies to driving, as higher bpm tracks can subconsciously encourage faster speeds and reduce concentration.
'It's not surprising that the tempo of the music we listen to can influence how we behave behind the wheel.'
Yet clearly it's hard to pick a harmonic hazard if earlier examples are anything to go by.
Dr Rakotonirainy says there are some genres that are more likely to have a lower bpm, in the 'ideal' range of 60-80, including classical, ambient, acoustic and jazz.
'These types of genres generally have slower tempos and fewer sudden changes, which could help maintain a steady pace and reduce the likelihood of risky driving behaviours, such as speeding or reduced reaction times,' he explains.
Some popular songs that fall into the 60-80bpm category are The Beatles' Let It Be (72), Etta James' At Last (87), Billie Eilish's Ocean Eyes (73), Sam Smith's Stay With Me (84) and TLC's Waterfalls (89).
However, we don't have to manually look up the bpm of our favourite songs to make sure they are suitable for driving.
Bolstered by the research, Allianz has partnered with Spotify to create a new in-app tool, Seat Belters, which generates personalised playlists that sit within the 60-80bpm range while considering users' music interests.
Utilising Spotify's steaming intelligence to promote a more focused state for those behind the wheel is a crucial innovation, Dr Rakotonirainy says.
'Tech platforms like Spotify have enormous reach and can personalise content in real time,' he says.
'By embedding safety-focused experiences like Allianz Seat Belters into everyday music listening and making the experience available to all Spotify users, Allianz is helping to encourage safer driving behaviours at scale.'
He adds, 'If Australians could take a moment to consider the music they are listening to before getting behind the wheel, it could have a positive impact on their behaviour.'
As for whether there is a genre of music that can turn us into better drivers, there isn't yet conclusive research.
'Driving behaviour is closely linked to psychological states such as mood and arousal,' Dr Rakotonirainy says.
'Music has the potential to positively influence mood and enhance the driving experience. However, from a research perspective, isolating the effect of specific types of music on driving performance is methodologically complex, due to individual variability in music preferences, baseline mood and driving context.'
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, Seat Belters aims to strike a balance — especially when 58 per cent of Aussie drivers say they 'always' listen to music while on the road and 13 million people around the country are active Spotify users every month.
'The in-app experience is a great chance for music lovers to combine safety and entertainment in a fun, relatable and accessible way,' Dr Rakotonirainy says.
As artificial intelligence infiltrates our daily life at an exponential rate, Dr Rakotonirainy is continuing to investigate the intersection between technology and driver safety.
'While many people are familiar with automated or driverless cars, technologies heavily reliant on AI, its potential goes well beyond automation — it will improve safety,' he says.
'AI can also enable real-time monitoring of driving conditions, detect distraction or drowsiness, assess cognitive load, and even adapt in-car environments or vehicle speed accordingly.
'Beyond music, AI could also enhance route planning and deliver smarter in-vehicle alerts, creating a more responsive and human-centred driving experience.'
+ To create your own personalised Seat Belters playlist, visit open.spotify.com/site/allianz.
+ Allianz's research was conducted in April 2025 and sampled more than 1000 Australians aged 18 and above who hold valid driver's licences and listen to music while driving.