Car Ownership and Usage in Relation to Family Life Cycle Stage

Abstract

The structure of a household auto ownership and its usage is empirically analyzed in relation to the Life Cycle Stage (L.C.S) of the household, using the survey data in Kyoto City. The 8 categories of the L.C.S. are classified and applied to test the validity to explain the daily travel / activity pattern of a household members. The shift of auto ownership for the last 10 years is plotted on the figure for each L.C.S. groups. It is shown that the L.C.S. and auto ownership can be dynamically related. The home-based cycle of auto is analyzed to classify auto usage patterns. The 4 major patterns based on the travel purpose are examined for L.C.S. groups.