IAA MOBILITY Trend Index 2025 Electric, Autonomous and Individual

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A recent IAA survey shows that the car remains at the center of mobility—despite digitalization, decarbonization, and an influx of data. Electric drive and autonomous driving are seen as enablers of change.

The IAA Mobility Trend Index 2025 provides a detailed examination of current mobility trends, offering invaluable insights into how different regions are adapting to changes in transportation technologies. Conducted by Civey in partnership with the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), the survey reached respondents in China, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the US, and the UK.

The survey shows that personal mobility is a key priority for people in their daily lives across the countries surveyed. Personal mobility in daily life is defined as "important" by high majorities, ranging from 83% in Spain to 96% in Germany and France, and 98% in China and Italy.

The car will remain at the heart of personal mobility in the future. In Western industrialized nations, it is expected to be the primary mode of transport for the next ten years. The survey asked which form of personal mobility will be most influential in the coming decade.

The US leads this assessment, with 55% of respondents stating that the car will most strongly shape personal mobility over the next 10 years, followed by the UK (48%), Germany (47%), and Spain (approx. 50%). In France (41%) and Italy (39%), a large proportion also see the car at the center of future personal mobility. In the majority of Western countries surveyed, public transportation ranks as the second most important factor for future personal mobility. This applies to Spain (26.9%), the United Kingdom (18.8%), France (18.0%), Italy (16.4%), and Germany (16.1%). In third place in most of these countries is the autonomous vehicle, including in Germany (15.3%), Italy (15.7%), the United Kingdom (12.0%), and Spain (8.8%).

Expectations in the US and China differ in part from this European pattern. While in the US the autonomous vehicle (11.0%) and public transportation (7.3%) take second and third place, China shows an even stronger technology focus: there, the car ranks second (17.9%) and the air taxi ranks third (10.5%). Nearly half of Chinese respondents (49.2%) see the autonomous vehicle as the most defining factor for their personal mobility in ten years.

Global Consensus: The Future of Powertrains is Electric

Simultaneously, there is a broad consensus on the future of powertrains. When asked which type of powertrain will prevail in the automotive sector, electric comes out on top. In France, 37,6% of respondents expect this, compared to 55% in the United Kingdom and 50% in the US. Germany (43%), Spain (46%), and Italy (44%) also show a clear orientation towards electrification of the car.In most countries surveyed, hydrogen powertrain follows in second place. It is considered a prevailing future technology, particularly in Italy (31%), China (29%), Spain (22%), and Germany (21%).

High Trust in the Industry and its Innovations

Despite profound technological shifts, the automotive industry enjoys enormous trust as an anchor of economic stability in the surveyed countries. The statement that "the automotive industry, as a driver of innovation, is also a guarantor of prosperity" received nearly unanimous agreement in China (98%). In Spain (86%), Germany (76%), as well as in France, Italy, the US, and the UK (each around 70%), the industry is viewed by a majority as a guarantor of prosperity and innovation.

Autonomous Driving and Willingness to Share Data

The fundamental willingness to use driverless vehicles is very high. It ranges from 50% in Germany to nearly two-thirds in Italy (63%) and Spain (66%). In China, 98% of respondents can imagine doing so. This high acceptance of innovation is also evident in the willingness to share data. A large majority of respondents would share anonymized driving data to enable innovations in safety and the driving experience. This willingness is highest in China (95%) and is also expressed by a majority in Western countries, such as Spain (70%), the US (66%), the UK (65%), and Germany (62%).

The first IAA MOBILITY Trend Index shows a clear picture: personal mobility is a central, highly valued part of daily life for people all over the world — and the car continues to play the dominant role.

Jürgen Mindel, Managing Director for IAA at the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)