The International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA) announced that it had contracted a study to the well-known polling institute TNS Sofres in order to take an accurate measure of the state of the industry’s reputation on an international scale. OICA President Yong Geun Kim, also president of the Korean Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (KAMA), pointed out that during recent history, public attitudes towards the auto industry have shifted up and down in response to global events and, no doubt, by the media coverage of the issues those events have raised. He explained that this international study therefore comes at the right time. Matthias Wissmann, president of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) and OICA 1st Vice-President, added that “such study, both in terms of its subject and its scale, is in fact a world première”. The Automotive team at TNS Sofres conducted a survey amongst the general public in 18 countries (over 14,000 interviews), with the goal of capturing consumers’ attachment to the automobile and their image and opinion of the sector overall. “The conclusions are quite clear and positive, with the car seen as an object of desire, providing many important advantages compared to any other transport mode: globally, consumers view the car as comfortable, practical, fast, safe, and future oriented. Also the industry itself scores extremely high and is largely considered as an industry that can be trusted and is innovative”, Wissmann said. OICA President Kim welcomed the results of this study, which shows that the auto industry, its products and the mobility they provide, continue to be seen as a very important factor for society’s well-being, and that the auto sector is considered as doing the job to solve the challenges it faces.
Car Industry Remains Very Positive
