Analysis of Aspiration for Owning a Car Among Youths in a City of a Developing Country, India

Abstract

This paper attempts to investigate the aspiration for owning a car among young adults in Bangalore city in India. The data set used for the analysis is from a primary revealed preference survey of about 750 college students, who will be in workforce in near future. Apart from the usual set of personal and household socio-demographic information, the survey gathered the respondents’ perceptions of status, peer influence, car use, image of public modes, and miscellaneous attributes. The responses to these attitudinal questions are recorded on a five-point Likert-type scale. Through factor analysis, the responses are reduced to a number of factors that could reasonably explain the variability in the responses. Subsequently, a binary logit model is estimated for relating the attitudinal factors to car ownership decision in presence of several socio-demographic indicators. The main findings of the econometric analysis include, among others, the relatively higher propensity of the individuals who are qualified above bachelor’s degree to own a car; the direct association between participation in out-door sports and car ownership; and the positive influence of the factor relating the happiness derived from car use on car ownership, and that shows the rising aspiration for owning a car among youths.