In germany, policies in the 60ies and 70ies were designed to increase car ownership. People didn’t want cars. They wanted transportation from A to B and public policies made cars the most attractive option.
I’m not against public transit. I lived in Taiwan for a while which has very good public transport. But what’s good for a single person doesn’t necessarily work for a family living outside the city. The benefits of owning a car are pretty clear there.
> The benefits of owning a car are pretty clear there.
Today they might be, but for example the village I grew up in had light rail until an autobahn was built and the rails torn out. Today, the only way to get around is a car - but this is a deliberate choice.
How is the situation in Germany today? Are cities car-dependant or not? Does an average middle class German own a car? Do they use their car for commute to work?
That depends. In the city of Berlin, less than 50% of all households own a car. Where I grew up, public transport has mostly been gutted. Nearly everyone owns a car.
Of course they are seen as the mark of a succesful person...because they are the mark of a successful person. Cars are expensive!
And yes, they are convenient, comfortable and can be time efficient, but with extraordinary negative externalities.
The issue isn't "cars are inconvenient"--the issue is "cars have enormous (and compounding) negative externalities that need to be regulated away, and investment needs to be made in alternative infrastructure because cars really suck for everyone else--and eventually, for car owners themselves."
That’s why I’m happy about the move to electric cars. Remove the externalities and democratize access to transportation. Why should just rich people have access to cars?
No more waiting for public transport. No more getting soaked walking or riding a bike in the rain.
Convenience, comfort, time efficient.
To say a sedan would be designed today is a ridiculous take. Nobody forced cars on people, they wanted them.