Are urban mobility policies favoring the purchase of new vehicles?

Abstract

This research aims to determine the extent to which citizens are uncertain about the mobility policies adopted by regulators and how the decision to purchase new vehicles may be motivated by doubts that individuals develop regarding the vehicle type to purchase. The automotive industry's technological innovations, promoted by governments, may not have the environmental impact desired in certain regions. To address this issue, a survey was conducted in the city of Madrid. An exploratory factor analysis, followed by a discriminant analysis, was used to validate the constructs and predict the decision-making. The results confirm that the policies adopted by regulators generate uncertainty among individuals regarding which vehicle to purchase. As such, the purchase of a new vehicle may be postponed. This has the opposite effect that is intended, since a delay in the decision to purchase a new vehicle increases the average age of the vehicle fleet, thus contributing to more pollution from the mobility environment. These results highlight the need for governments to work on policies that align environmental needs with the social and economic context in order to achieve the most efficient transition possible, and an global discussion on the technology and innovation applied to consolidate sustainable mobility.