TÜV Study 2026: Car Remains the Most Important Mode of Transport

Walking in second place

The background to the survey is the question of under what conditions people would be willing to give up their own car. Above all, measures that restrict car traffic in inner cities meet with rejection. In smaller towns, this rejection is particularly pronounced.

City and country differ significantly

In smaller towns with fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, the rejection of such measures is significantly greater at 63 percent than in large cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants (49 percent). This reveals a clear urban-rural divide in the acceptance of transport policy interventions.

From the association's perspective, approval of restrictions is closely linked to the availability of efficient alternatives. Where buses, trains, and cycling infrastructure have been expanded, such measures tend to find greater acceptance. In regions with a sparse offering, the car often remains the only option.

Second cars losing importance

The study's authors also point out that willingness to give up a second car increases when municipalities consistently push back car traffic. In such constellations, the second car loses importance because travel is organized differently, for example through car sharing, improved local transport schedules, or shorter distances in everyday life.

The TÜV Association sees the results as an argument for a differentiated view of the transport transition. Blanket bans in urban regions are politically difficult to enforce, whereas targeted services and an expansion of local transport meet with greater approval. The association recommends that the federal government, states, and municipalities take greater account of this urban-rural difference.

Publication and methodology

The report was published in Berlin and disseminated via the dpa-AFX news service. According to the association, it is based on a nationally representative survey. Details of the methodology, such as sample size and survey period, are not available from the information at hand.

The results are likely to feed into the debate on the future direction of mobility policy. The TÜV Association acts here as an expert organization presenting its own data on transport usage. A direct statement from the federal government on the new figures has not yet been issued.

Overall, the study paints a picture of a society that clings to the car but at the same time shows itself to be flexible. The high approval for giving up a second car combined with the rejection of bans points to a pragmatic relationship with individual mobility.

For the coming years, the study's authors expect the car to continue to hold a strong position, particularly outside major cities. At the same time, they see opportunities to gradually reduce dependence on one's own vehicle by offering better alternatives.