Consumer-behaviour shifts: What is driving decisions on mobility and transportation?

Do you think that the trends in your International Automotive Report 2021 will change as we emerge from the pandemic? 

There will be gradual adjustments as time goes by to account for any unexpected changes that might arise. In regard to personal driving behaviour change (away from ridesharing), that will likely change minimally, with the caveat that, over time, the public will likely become more accepting of sharing vehicles.

Cars are perceived now as a personal safe space, and that desire for personal protection in a safe space will prevail and is something to consider, even as the use of public transportation picks up again. Insights drawn from our findings show a strong correlation between the consumer safety of a personal vehicle, even when shared within a household, as opposed to the unknown risks that are associated with ride-hailing and public transportation, including psychological effects (such as anxiety). Ultimately, this will most likely lead people to be more hesitant to share vehicles with strangers.

Almost conversely, omni-channel retail use (online digital retail) will only continue to grow, and customers will increasingly expect more flexibility throughout their path to purchase when buying a car online, including a seamless integrated omnichannel experience, whatever the route (both online and offline) that a potential customer might choose.

How do you see sustainability being managed by YouGov’s data?

Sustainability in the automotive sector encompasses a wide range of topics, from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and organisational sustainability in terms of production, all the way through to consumer usage of the automotive sector’s products and services.

YouGov’s Global Automotive Profiles – one of our syndicated data products – captures and provides living consumer data of the automotive industry, including electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids adoption, from speaking to thousands of consumers every day. These automotive sector insights enable automotive brands to understand the mobility sustainability attitudes in the market.

YouGov data enables brands to implement strategies resulting in the increase of the consumer adoption of EVs and hybrid vehicles. The data shows the month-on-month change of what consumers think, feel and want and, in turn, enable auto brands to best demonstrate the brand benefits most important to consumers – this increases usage, intent and consideration.

Given that global populations are rapidly aging, are transport professionals giving sufficient consideration to how their mobility needs can be met?

Transportation needs of the ageing population are not met holistically.

For example, the elderly population’s transportation needs aren’t being met in jurisdictions particularly where there is a desire to reduce personal vehicle mobility, with a push to use e-scooters, bikes, trams and buses – all forms of transportation that are not conditioned for this cohort. Even though our average lifespan continues to increase, it is still less likely to see an 85-year-old riding a bike to get to the train station, or even to their destination across town.

These sustainability-related initiatives do not take into account the elderly cohort who either cannot physically or simply will not adopt the forms of transportation that do not provide the comfort and perceived safety of a personal vehicle.

Are people willing to share their location data to enhance products/services, and do you feel that drivers will be willing to accept promotions/ads in their vehicles? If so, what do you think they’d expect to get in return for accepting ads/promotions?

Yes – if they get value in exchange, the data shows that people are willing to accept it. One caveat is that consumers must trust and feel safe that their data are being protected. Although there’s already wide acceptance of many websites who use our data in exchange for their use, such as Facebook or Google, this would need to be and feel even safer.