Results of the MobilKULT project

Infrastructures have a major influence on which modes of transport are available to people and whether and how they are able to use them. We use the term infrastructures not just to describe tangible infrastructure such as roads or internet connections, but also social infrastructure such as the supply with and access to specific services. Depending on the available infrastructure, it is easier or harder for people to meet their individual needs.

This is why we are interested in whether people live in urban, suburban, or rural regions and which mode of transport they typically rely on in their everyday lives.

As the study progresses, we gain deeper insights into how such regional structures correlate with decisions, ideas and attitudes toward (auto)mobility. 

Habits describe typical behavior: Which mode of transport do respondents normally use in their everyday lives or when going on vacation? Why do some tend to drive and others cycle when taking a trip? When might these habits change?

Mobility culture is formed by numerous factors - the habits of many people, existing infrastructures, and history - but also by peoples’ desires and expectations, which have evolved and are shaped by society. Culture influences the decisions we make and which aspects we take into consideration when making them. Our decisions keep a culture alive or change it.

In Germany, we observe a mobility culture that is strongly focused on cars. We call this car culture. This emphasis on cars influences all the infrastructures and thus our lives as a whole. In our study, we monitor seven factors through which car culture is expressed at the individual level. We address both the negative and positive aspects of driving cars.

These include:

1. Identification with cars: What does someone reveal by owning a car? Does this say something about the person?
2. Social pressure to choose sustainable mobility: What do friends and family think about driving a car?
3. Awareness of the negative environmental impact of driving: To what extent do cars contribute to climate change and air pollution?
4. Aversion to driving: Is driving associated with stress?
5. Positive feelings while driving: Does driving mean freedom?
6. Desired living situation: How would people like to live - in their own detached house?
7. Dependence on cars: Does your everyday life make it essential for you to own and drive a car?

Policy measures and instruments form the framework within which infrastructures, habits and mobility cultures can be shaped, established or changed. They are themselves also an expression of and part of the contemporary mobility culture. We therefore regard them as the key to understanding mobility today and to changing mobility in the future.

The policies intended to transform mobility can be divided into mandatory measures and incentives or price-based mechanisms: Mandatory measures are aimed at supporting change such as reducing car use through restrictions or regulations, for example, 30 km/h speed limits in city centers. Incentives or price-based mechanisms on the other hand are intended to lead to the increased use of sustainable transport modes by improving them and making them more attractive as well as modifying their price. We are interested in our respondents’ views of currently discussed measures in the mobility sector and which aspects related to infrastructure, habits and (auto)mobility culture are decisive for their acceptance or rejection.