Is there any point to car makers tweaking their latest designs for young consumers? Not according to a University of Michigan study published today, according to Automotive News. Teenager motorists - or potential motorists in their teen-age years, aka "Generation N" - are proving to be neutral in regards to the driving privilege. As United States light vehicle sales attempt to rebound from a record annual low of 10.4 million units in 2009, an ongoing lull in young motorists won't help matters.
Fewer adolescent motorists care about a driver's license
In 1982, 80 percent of teenagers had their driver's licenses. Now, that number has decreased about 20 percent to every 6 in 10 teen's ages 17 through 19, according to a study done by the University of Michigan researchers and the AlixPartners business consulting firm. The University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute researchers Brandon Schoettle and Michael Sivak explained that there has been a massive decrease during the last few years.
Thirty years ago, 87 percent of U.S. 19-year-olds had a license. Among 18-year-olds, the number was 80 percent, while 69 percent of 17-year-olds were licensed. In 2008, those numbers fell to 75 percent, 65 percent and 50 percent, respectively. In 2010, the numbers sank lower, to 70 percent, 61 percent and 46 percent.
No need for social contact
Sivak explained that shares of unlicensed drivers have dropped because of communication technologies and online social media advances. These things have made it unnecessary to have more contact outside of the online interaction. Face-to-face interactions have practically become obsolete through the technology. There was really a rise in the number of licenses motorists for people over 70 and for those ages 25 to 29, making two exceptions.
"In our previous research, we found that the percentage of young drivers was inversely related to the proportion of Internet users. Virtual contact, through electronic means, reduces the need for actual contact," he said.
Not making every person happy
In some areas, public transportation is so great that many people are starting to go without automobiles anyway. There are also a ton of teenagers that do not want to spend the money on new automobiles or do not want to cover car insurance. Teenagers do not feel the need to get licenses for social interaction anymore, and automakers may lose a ton of money based off of it. If parents are not getting automobiles for their teenagers, automakers will not sell nearly as many cars.
Civic engineers might have to begin restructuring cities to be able to add more public transportation also. Consumers will have to choose what they want to do with their taxes.
Fewer adolescent motorists care about a driver's license
In 1982, 80 percent of teenagers had their driver's licenses. Now, that number has decreased about 20 percent to every 6 in 10 teen's ages 17 through 19, according to a study done by the University of Michigan researchers and the AlixPartners business consulting firm. The University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute researchers Brandon Schoettle and Michael Sivak explained that there has been a massive decrease during the last few years.
Thirty years ago, 87 percent of U.S. 19-year-olds had a license. Among 18-year-olds, the number was 80 percent, while 69 percent of 17-year-olds were licensed. In 2008, those numbers fell to 75 percent, 65 percent and 50 percent, respectively. In 2010, the numbers sank lower, to 70 percent, 61 percent and 46 percent.
No need for social contact
Sivak explained that shares of unlicensed drivers have dropped because of communication technologies and online social media advances. These things have made it unnecessary to have more contact outside of the online interaction. Face-to-face interactions have practically become obsolete through the technology. There was really a rise in the number of licenses motorists for people over 70 and for those ages 25 to 29, making two exceptions.
"In our previous research, we found that the percentage of young drivers was inversely related to the proportion of Internet users. Virtual contact, through electronic means, reduces the need for actual contact," he said.
Not making every person happy
In some areas, public transportation is so great that many people are starting to go without automobiles anyway. There are also a ton of teenagers that do not want to spend the money on new automobiles or do not want to cover car insurance. Teenagers do not feel the need to get licenses for social interaction anymore, and automakers may lose a ton of money based off of it. If parents are not getting automobiles for their teenagers, automakers will not sell nearly as many cars.
Civic engineers might have to begin restructuring cities to be able to add more public transportation also. Consumers will have to choose what they want to do with their taxes.
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