'I blurted something out to my car on a road trip that left my friends stumped.'

At the risk of coming across as a bit loopy (not Britney-shave-her-head crazy, but not far off) I talk to my car.

In fact, his name is The Hulk (he’s a green Mazda) and we speak often. Well, I talk with words of encouragement and he replies in performance.

This has always been something I kept private until my girls found me out. Awks.

My girlfriends and I were on a bit of a road trip, and after a big hill with all four of us in the car I congratulated The Hulk on a good effort.

He’s very small, and in my defence, he was outrageously gutsy.

They spent the rest of the trip laughing at me. I will spend the rest of this article trying to prove I’m not the only one!

There’s always been something fun in naming your car, it feels like you have a friend and together you go on adventures. They become a part of your life, a signpost when you recall memories. Who you were driving at university? When did they go to the big car yard in the sky while you upgraded to a smoother, classier friend? Anyone with me?

Thank God there were a few of my MIX radio listeners who put their hand up to say, 'I, too, talk to my car.'

Mags told me she used to “sign my niece's Birthday card as Aunty Mags and Mavis”. Mavis was her Astra and they went everywhere together!

Apparently, her little niece would wait on the driveway for Aunty Mags and squeal out to her Mum, “Mavis is here!”, carrying her favourite Aunt.

John just refers to his car as “Old Girl”. Old Girl, as the name suggests, is getting on and in need a bit of a pep talk before any adventure. John will sit in the garage and ask Old Girl nicely to please help him get to his destination. He also expresses his gratitude when he does arrive at his destination soundly, which is becoming rarer.

Robbie reckons he cried when his Sigma Stevie went to the big car yard in the sky. Stevie was his “first love and car”. They met at high school and survived his first job together. Unfortunately, Stevie died as the first job kind of died too, so it was sad to lose Stevie both emotionally and financially.

Michelle says “Sue Subaru gets a pat” when she’s successfully carted the family home from a long trip. Sue and Manuel the Mitsubishi are a great pair and a part of the family in Michelle’s house.

Would you trust a stranger to drive your kids? Post continues after podcast...

Now hold onto your steering wheels...

How’s this for trippy? Car manufacturers are developing technology so your cars will talk back, like a friend would. The instruction manual, for instance, will be ingested into the car so you could have a casual conversation about any issues. The car could also become familiar with your favourite habits and give suggestions on how you could save fuel or take a better route.

Now this is next level. I promise I didn’t make this up to prove a point.

I’d love to hear what you name your car in the comments below. Help a girl out, I need to prove we are the majority!

Kristen Henry is one half of Kristen and Rod for Breakfast on MIX 106.3 in Canberra. Follow her adventures at kristenhenry.com.au