Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Zipcar Study Reveals Urbanites’ Attitudes on Autonomous Cars

In Zipcar’s latest Urbanite Study, two in five urbanite respondents plan to sell their cars, while 83% of respondents believe automated cars will be on streets in their lifetime.

by Staff
November 30, 2016
Zipcar Study Reveals Urbanites’ Attitudes on Autonomous Cars

Photo courtesy of Zipcar.

2 min to read


Photo courtesy of Zipcar.

Zipcar, a worldwide car-sharing network, released the findings of its first-ever Zipcar Urbanite Study of city  dwellers nationwide. 

More than 1,200 members of "Generation City," comprised of urbanites of all ages, were asked about their attitudes and behaviors regarding work and money, lifestyle and technology, transportation, and urban citizenship.

Ad Loading...

The Urbanite Study is a progression of the company's annual millennial survey and last year's research on urbanites over the age of 50, who have returned to city living. The Zipcar studies revealed that city dwellers share similar attitudes and behaviors regardless of their age. According to the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects 2014, 54 percent of the world's population today resides in urban areas, and predicts that number will grow to two thirds by 2050.

Key findings of the study, which was conducted by KRC Research, include:

  1. Mobile phones are urbanites' most valued piece of technology. In fact, when comparing which tech loss would have the greatest negative impact on their lives, urbanites were twice as likely to select their smartphone than their car (37 percent vs. 19 percent). The 2015 Millennial Survey showed that urbanites are nearly tied in how upset they would be if they lost their car (31 percent) or phone (32 percent).

  2. Half of today's city dwellers don't own a car or, if they do, don't drive every day. More than half of urbanites who own cars (51 percent) plan to decrease the amount of driving they do in the city, while two in five plan to sell their cars altogether. However, nearly 70 percent prefer to drive themselves rather than have someone else drive them.

  3. Eighty-three percent of urbanites belive automated cars will be on the streets within their lifetime. On average, urbanites think self-driving cars will begin to outnumber regular vehicles in about 25 years.

Millennial urbanites are nearly 25 percent more likely to think self-driving cars are safe than urban boomers (61 percent vs. 37 percent).

Nearly 50 percent of people within the study would be open to riding in a public automated vehicle like a city bus, while more than 40 percent would consider purchasing a personal automated vehicle or using a car sharing service for self-driving vehicles. Millennials are more than twice as likely to consider purchasing self-driving vehicles in the future versus urban boomers (56 percent vs. 23 percent.)

Ad Loading...

For the full findings of the Zipcar Urbanite Study, including data on Generation City's attitudes regarding work and money and urban citizenship, visit Zipcar

More Rental Operations

Julian Gritsch with an MBA class in a classroom.

Brazilian Executive MBA Targets Growing Domestic Rental Car Industry

Rental car companies face a unique combination of challenges that are rarely addressed in traditional programs.

Read More →
Green Motion team with banner bearing Japanese flag.

Green Motion Expands Into Japan With Master Franchise Agreement

Japan's tourism industry, business travel market, and demand for vehicle rental services are reasons the country represents an important market for the company.

Read More →
ACRA Chairman Sharky Laguana on stage at the ICRS event in Grapevine, Texas.
Legal & Legislativeby Martin RomjueJune 24, 2026

ACRA Carrying Fuller Industry Load As AI and EVs Lurk In Future

The leading car rental professional business group details an active legislative, regulatory, and macro-trends agenda affecting car rental operators.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Light blue horizontal bar graphs on a chart showing World Cup-related rental car booking trends.
Rental OperationsJune 23, 2026

World Cup Travel Data Shows Longer Car Rentals and More One-Ways

A recent analysis of FIFA bookings found varied demand patterns that influenced rental car pricing.

Read More →
Side view of ICRS speaker Sanchit Garg at podium in front of a floor lit red curtain
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueJune 22, 2026

A Leveling Force: AI Morphs Into A Rental Car Profit-Seeker

Revenue managers can’t match the emerging AI tools gobbling lots of data that could counter the competitive race to the rate bottom.

Read More →
Photos of Martin Romjue and Denis Gjoni on opposite sides of large headline for the video.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueJune 17, 2026

Stop Losing Money On Rental Tolls

Regardless of your rental fleet size and structure, fleet managers, executives, and owners can gain valuable insights into an often-overlooked area of fleet operations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Richard Lowden gesturing on stage in front of a red curtain at the Gaylord Texan Resort near Dallas.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueJune 12, 2026

Rethink The Future To Avert A Race To The Bottom

Rental car operators heard a sobering industry message and a stern challenge at the close of the International Car Rental Show.

Read More →
John Possumato holding microphone while asking a question during a live conference session at the ICRS Show.

DriveItAway, Free2move Plan Shared Fleet Program for Independent Rental Fleet Operators

Vehicles would be placed with participating rental operations to support car renter demand and provide additional fleet capacity.

Read More →
Close-up of a Jeep Wrangler front grille and headlight with text noting Stellantis’ recall of 1.3 million Jeep vehicles worldwide over a potential fire risk tied to power steering wiring.
Fleet Acquisitionby StaffJune 10, 2026

Stellantis Recalls 1.3 Million Jeep Vehicles Worldwide Over Fire Risk

Stellantis is recalling more than 1.3 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models worldwide over a fire risk linked to power steering pump wiring.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Franchisee standing with yellow U-Save branded sign in front of the rental car outlet.

Green Motion And U-Save Open Rental Operations In Guatemala

The brands will open their first rental car outlets in the country at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City.

Read More →
Ad Loading...