Generation Y has been a huge pain in the neck for most automakers since youth don’t seem to be interested, or simply can’t afford to buy a new vehicle, and a new study hints at why young people aren’t interested in driving.
The study, which surveyed 618 people in three distinct age groups under the age of 40 who didn’t have their driver’s licenses found that the majority of respondents couldn’t be bothered to get their license, because they claimed that they were too busy or didn’t have enough time to get one.
That answer accounted for about 37 percent of responses, while 32 percent of respondents believe that owning and maintaining a vehicle is too expensive. One more popular reason for not getting a license was the ability to source a ride from someone else, like a parent, spouse or friend. Finally, other responses including the ability to rely on public transportation and the preference to walk or bike point to the fact that younger people are living in more urbanized environments.
According to the study, factors like environmental awareness and telecommuting were practically a non-factor in deciding to not get a drivers license.
While automakers continue to market smaller and cheaper vehicles like the Chevrolet Spark and Nissan Versa Note to young buyers, the biggest hurdle is encouraging young adults to find some time and get a driving license first.
[Source: UMTRI]