Are Carmakers Ready for the «Peak Car»?

This chapter investigates the problem of the so called «peak car», that is: the possible structural decline of cars’ demand. Specifically, we try to investigate to what extent the «peak car» in Europe finds it premises in the evo- lution of the principles and policies for sustainable urban mobility (SUM), here including innovative principles of design and use of urban space. Our hypothesis is that significant progresses are taking places in the overall perception of utility derived from owning a private car and in the concept of quality of life related to urban living. The ongoing change is also reflected in the principles stated by documents that outline EU policies in the field of sustainable mobility, were an evolution of the approach to the traffic and congestion issues can be read over time.