How Germans imagine the car of the future

The climate debate hasn't yet reached German drivers. The carbon dioxide emissions resulting from mass mobility are certainly known to German citizens. They also want to travel in an environmentally friendly way – as long as driving pleasure isn't compromised. A smaller engine is acceptable if it guarantees "high performance" (45%). While a car with a biofuel component (30%) and a hybrid drive (34%) is conceivable for German drivers, air conditioning (58%) and a navigation system (54%) are considered far more important. And an attractive design (36%) is also a must. This is according to a recent representative survey conducted by the newly founded FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ISSUES, sponsored by British American Tobacco, in which 1,000 people aged 14 and over were asked about their vision of the car of the future.

„There’s still a long way to go from climate change to a change in mindset,“ says Prof. Dr. Horst W. Opaschowski, Scientific Director of the Future Foundation. „Tuning, styling, car sound: all the senses are still involved in the car experience. The focus is on saving fuel, not extras.“ Fuel efficiency is therefore a top priority (76%), which isn’t surprising since driving habits don’t need to change. The young „Generation @“ up to age 34, in particular, doesn’t want to forgo the convenience of a comfortable CD player (69% – 55+ generation: 37%). And anything that saves money in the future, such as an air conditioner with a fuel-saving sensor, is certainly welcome. But a fundamental change in purchasing, consumption, and driving habits is not on the horizon.

„There’s still a world of difference between the car of tomorrow and the drivers of today,“ says Professor Opaschowski. „For Germans, the car has remained a multi-option vehicle that fulfills almost every individual wish. Clearly, along with the attractive accessories, personality traits are also being purchased as an expression of character.“

While some women are satisfied with electronic parking assistance (371% – men: 321%), men place significantly more value on horsepower and high performance (561% – women: 351%) as well as technical features such as a navigation system (641% – women: 451%) or flexible storage space for hobbies and sports (401% – women: 291%). Individually and psychologically, the car remains a vehicle for personal expression. And the environmentally friendly hybrid offensive is still pending among German drivers.