Analysis of the influences of attitudinal factors on car ownership decisions among urban young adults in a developing country like India

- Young adults' travel behaviour is sensitive to changes in socio-demographic attributes.
- Very limited research into young adults' car ownership decisions in India.
- This study employs primary attitudinal survey to investigate car ownership behavior.
- Individuals of car owning households are more likely to own a car in near future.
- The factor on comfort-orientation has significant effect on car ownership decisions.

Young adults' travel behaviour is highly volatile and sensitive to the changes in socio-demographics, land use, and transportation systems. Thus, young adults' mobility-related decisions, especially car ownership, are relevant to future transportation planning and policy for any country. Developing countries like India has a significant share of young adults, but case studies exploring the factors influencing the future car ownership decisions of young populace are very limited. Particularly, studies examining the influences of attitudinal factors on young adults' car ownership decision are very few. The present study contributes to the discussion on young adults' car ownership behaviour by presenting the results of an attitudinal survey conducted in Bangalore city, India. The survey gathered individuals' perception about status, peer influence, transport policies, car ownership, etc., apart from the usual set of personal and household socio-demographic information. Descriptive analysis followed by Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) is employed for exploring the car ownership decisions of young adults. The analysis suggest that those who do not intend to buy a car in next 5 years are significantly more likely to agree that an individual does not have to buy a car if he/she gets job near home, if public transport is good, if bicycle infrastructure is good, and also that people do not have to buy car if car ownership and other taxes are high. The statistical model reveals that individuals who come from car owning families are more likely to buy a car than who do not, and the effect is mediated by the factor related to comfort. That is the 'club effect' of car ownership appears to be due to the comfort-oriented outlook of individuals belonging to car owning families. Further, young adults who have a pro-sustainability mentality are less likely to own a car in future.