Although the trend is aimed at caring for the environment and encouraging car sharing, practice proves that the habits of the French are not ready for change: indeed, motorists usually prefer to travel alone by carespecially during daily commutes.

This observation was discovered by the second “Autosolism Barometer” published by Vinci Autoroutes in September 2022, analyzed by no less thanone million cars on highways french

Autosolism: the French prefer to be alone in the car

Vinci Autoroutes analyzed vehicle occupancy during May and June 2022 on 13 French motorways and found that only 14.8% of vehicles contained more than one personcompared to 17.4% in 2021. The attractiveness of solo driving increases noticeably in Ile-de-France on the A10 (+9.2 points), in Toulouse on the A62 (+6.1 points) or in Nantes on the A11 (+5.4 points).

This autosolism barometer also shows that traveling alone by car is a phenomenon that is particularly present in trips home-workwith an autosolism rate of 87% recorded between 7:00am and 8:30am, then this rate decreases until it reaches 79% from 10:00am.

Very often, the end-of-year celebrations, unfortunately, rhyme with SNCF strikes. Car sharing platforms are rubbing their hands together. https://t.co/1raJht35n7

— AutoPlus (@AutoPlusMag) December 18, 2021

Autosolism: a less frequent practice on the leisure route

But on the contrary, we can see that leisure travel tends to be done by several people: in fact, the weekend33% of drivers use an escort on Saturdays, while on Sundays this figure even rises to 39%.

Quite logically, Vinci Autoroutes indicates that the longer the journey, the less lonely the driver: vacation trips, to visit family, or on the road for weekends or holidays, French motorists are more inclined to share their car. For example, on the A83 motorway, which mainly serves long journeys, we measure an occupancy rate of 79.5%.

Infrastructure that encourages car sharing

Despite these statistics, carpooling motorists say they are satisfied with the infrastructure provided by Vinci Autoroutes: for example, 97% of surveyed users say they are satisfied with the free carpooling car parks located near motorways. Car fleets are practiced shared mobility for their positive impact on the environment (28%), convenience and practicality (27%), and because it is a source of savings (26%).

“The main problem that this 2^d the barometer remains the need to reduce independent driving during commuting. We are convinced that shared mobility can be used for trips to work and back: it is the business of all mobility participants, operators, communities, the state, tourism associations, to consult together and provide concrete solutions.– said Amelia Rung, Development Director of Vinci Autoroutes.

While fuel prices are skyrocketing, car sharing is attracting more motorists and the programs are experiencing real success. https://t.co/6lVdMKwloS

— AutoPlus (@AutoPlusMag) March 15, 2022

Source: Vinci Autoroutes