In a survey of 2.500 car drivers in five important markets have the management consultancy Horváth& Partners worked with the Fraunhofer IAO to determine willingness to pay and desired equipment for self-driving vehicles. The results are summarized in the study "Enabling the Value of Time".
Almost half of the car drivers surveyed are looking forward to a completely new driving experience: when the driver's seat becomes vacant, the interior can be transformed into a sleeper car, rolling office or multimedia center.
In Germany, the fourth-largest new car sales market in the world, enthusiasm is admittedly lower than in China, Japan or France at just under 38. For this, the willingness to pay is particularly high in this country. 34% of German car-driving respondents would use more than 1.Spend 500 EUR for the automated driving function. "German car users traditionally appreciate technical innovations and assistants in particular," says Dr. Thomas Becker, head of studies at Horváth& Partners.
As part of the study, interest in special vehicle concepts and special equipment was assessed for the topics sleeping& Relax, work& being productive, eating& Drinking, entertainment as well as beauty, well-being& Wellness queried. "At first glance, the results of the international comparison are surprising," says Dr. Florian Herrmann, Director of Studies at the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO. "Chinese show the highest interest scores in all topics. The highest willingness to pay on. In Japan, interest is second highest, but the Japanese show the lowest willingness to pay."
So these results are not related to the enthusiasm for technology in the respective country, as the study shows. An analysis of usage intensity provides the explanation: In Japan, car drivers spend only 44 minutes per day behind the wheel; the average is 70 minutes.
Relax on private journeys, be productive on business trips and work journeys
The special equipment that arouses the most interest among buyers depends primarily on the purpose of use. For leisure trips lasting more than an hour or on vacation trips, sleep-. Relaxation options most appreciated. On work-related trips, whether business trips or commuting to the place of work, productivity-oriented equipment is more important – from the desktop to the computer workstation to the high-quality voice assistant with dictation function.
Another relevant factor is the number of people traveling. The greatest interest of solo travelers, at 62%, is in sleeping and relaxation options. With two or more passengers on board, on the other hand, entertainment comes first with 65% of respondents.
Families especially open to sharing offers
Respondents with families consistently show above-average interest in special uses in all survey countries, in order to spend the free time newly gained through autopilot in a meaningful or pleasant way. According to the survey, families have greater financial strength and are therefore more willing to invest in attractive optional extras.