ADAC Mobility Index: Sustainability in Reverse - Green and Affordable in Demand

The transport sector in Germany is failing to enhance sustainability following the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the result of the ADAC Mobility Index, which comprehensively understands sustainability and considers aspects such as climate and environmental protection, traffic safety, affordability, reliability, and availability of mobility. This results in an index value that provides an overall picture. For the reporting year 2022, the Mobility Index fell from 113 to 111 points. It has declined for the second consecutive time. This clearly shows that the improvements achieved during the pandemic were primarily due to mobility restrictions. Structural improvements are largely absent.

Climate and environment are not progressing

At least, despite increased traffic volume, there has been no further deterioration in climate and environmental protection values. Here, the ADAC notes stagnation. However, this is not sufficient for the set climate protection targets in transportation, according to the club's assessment. In terms of traffic safety and affordability, experts see a significantly negative trend, which results in the deterioration of the overall index. Other evaluation dimensions include reliability in transportation and the availability of mobility options. The evaluation dimensions recorded in the ADAC Mobility Index take into account economic, ecological, and societal aspects and comprehensively reflect the changes in mobility in both individual and public transport. The ADAC Mobility Index measures changes at the federal and state levels.

"The necessity of achieving climate protection goals must not lead to mobility restrictions. The acceptance of measures will significantly depend on whether mobility remains possible and affordable. Otherwise, in addition to the climate issue, we will face a social and societal problem. Our focus must be on attractive offers for climate-neutral mobility so that people can choose them," explained ADAC Transport President Gerhard Hillebrand, who particularly sees deficits on the supply side.

For the first time, as part of this year's Mobility Index, the ADAC evaluated the developments of certain indicators in the federal states, thereby supplementing the country reports. Topics on which the states can have a direct influence include improving traffic safety and expanding charging infrastructure. The number of serious personal injuries has decreased in all federal states from 2015 to 2023, although there are significant differences. The reduction in personal injuries ranges from just under 38 percent in Baden-Württemberg to around 8 percent in Berlin. Similarly, there are differences in the expansion of charging infrastructure: the range extends from an increase in public charging points from 2019 to 2023 in Hamburg of 126 percent to an increase of 425 percent in Brandenburg.

The results in detail:

• Of all five evaluation dimensions, climate and environment yield the highest index value. Despite the increase in traffic performance on the roads, the value remained at 120. The higher energy consumption resulting from the increase in traffic performance was offset by improvements in emissions of air pollutants, which in turn can be attributed to the increasingly cleaner combustion engines.
• Traffic safety deteriorated drastically compared to the previous year with increased mileage, dropping by 11 to 107 points. The negative trend was noted in personal injuries, property damage, and accident occurrences. There were more accidents in cycling, as increased cycling performance led to more frequent conflicts between bicycle and motor vehicle traffic. There was also an increase in single-vehicle accidents where no other road users were involved.