Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
As far as the OP article, it might be interesting (and relevant) if she actually referenced sales data for cars AND light trucks, rather than emphasized cherry picked advertisements, and "studys" about urbanized Millennials.
It is no wonder that she considers "Yet, paradoxically, most of non-coastal America is just as dependent on cars as ever." The paradox is that she considers studys about about what a minority segment of urbanized Millennials may be currently thinking about as the be-all and end-all of the U.S. auto/light truck sales market.
I was irritated by this statement also, as it seems to indicate a shallow understanding of any possible decline in car ownership and usage. But it's the first of a four-part series, so maybe she will discuss in greater detail.
Originally Posted by
I-Like-To-Bike
Another perspective on the automotive market trends, perhaps more interested in market trends and less agenda driven:
2015 Auto Industry Trends
That article does come, in part, to a similar conclusion:
"
Shifts in consumer demand. Consumers appear to be rethinking their long love affair with individual automobile brands and viewing cars more as transportation machines. Although this is not likely to have a major impact on sales volume, it is affecting how much people are willing to pay for automobiles. That willingness is also affected by the waning of product differentiation, due partly to a general increase in vehicle quality throughout the industry. The Detroit Three have caught up with Japanese OEMs, and the mass market is catching up with luxury. Consumers are also demanding more sophisticated infotainment systems at a low price, and are expecting more high-end features to be standard."
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2015 Auto Industry Trends