Dirty Truth: Half of Young Americans Ditching Car Ownership Foreverpreferences
The Future of Transportation: Is Car Ownership on the Decline?
Studying consumer behavior and surveys can reveal valuable insights into the trends shaping the automotive industry. We know that Americans are wary of self-driving cars, still prefer gasoline-powered vehicles, and are skeptical of passenger screens in cars. But what’s new is a recent survey that suggests a significant percentage of young Americans may not be interested in owning a car at all.
Survey Finds Many Young Americans Willing to Ditch Car Ownership
Deloitte’s latest study, which interviewed 286 people aged 18-34 in the United States, 392 in the United Kingdom, and others in various regions, asked a simple yet intriguing question: "To what extent would you be willing to give up vehicle ownership in favor of a fully available mobility-as-a-service (MAAS) solution?" The results show that at least one-third of participants in every region were somewhat willing, willing, or very willing to no longer own a car. In the United States, a whopping 44% of respondents said they’re ready to give up car ownership.
A Closer Look at the Results
While we’re intrigued by these findings, there are some important considerations. A small sample size is one issue, as is the potential demographic skews of the surveyees. Do they live in urban areas where public transportation is readily available or in rural areas where cars are a necessity? Additionally, the gap between "somewhat willing" and "very willing" is significant.
What Does it All Mean?
While we’re not dismissing the survey’s conclusions entirely, we’re advocating for a deeper dive into this topic to gain a better understanding of the fast-changing transportation landscape. The same survey also shed light on other automotive topics, including electric vehicles and autonomous technology.
The Results are Interesting, but Not Without Concerns
When it comes to EVs, an astonishing 62% of Americans surveyed said they’d prefer their next car to be powered by a gasoline- or diesel-burning engine. Meanwhile, just 5% said they’d opt for an electric vehicle, 20% for a hybrid, and 6% for a plug-in hybrid. This suggests that the electric vehicle adoption is still in its infancy. Furthermore, 52% of Americans are concerned about fully autonomous robotaxis operating in their area, and 64% are concerned about commercial vehicles operating in fully autonomous mode.
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