A car website we may be, but we fully acknowledge the unsustainability of over-dependence on these four-wheeled things (OK, some cars have three wheels). According to the 2026 Ipsos Mobility Monitor, a staggering 77% of Malaysians rely on private vehicles as their primary mode of transport, when the global average is just 54%, according to a Malay Mail report.
It’s not a matter of cost, the survey suggests – some 62% of the 500 Malaysian adults surveyed think that public transport in their area is affordable, which is higher than the 53% global average. However, 55% of those surveyed said limited transport options make it difficult to reach their destinations, compared to 47% globally, suggesting a last-mile connectivity problem that pricing reforms alone cannot solve.
The government’s My50 unlimited travel pass and recent 30% KTM ETS discount aim to make public transport more affordable in an attempt to attract more Malaysians, but the Ipsos data suggests that these initiatives cannot make up for the gaps in network coverage and frequency.
According to the survey, only 10% of Malaysians use public transport as their main means of travel, while 8% rely on ride-hailing or taxis, and only 5% primarily walk.
Interestingly, the survey also covered EVs, autonomous vehicles and cars from tech companies versus established carmakers. 51% of the Malaysians surveyed expressed interest in driving an EV (versus 45% in Singapore, 47% global average, 60% in Thailand and 67% in Indonesia) while 61% would feel safe in a self-driving car (versus 36% global average, 39% in Singapore, 51% in Indonesia and 66% in Thailand).
Meanwhile, would you prefer to buy a car from a tech company or an established carmaker? The Malaysians surveyed answered 26% tech/39% established (versus 15%/51% global average, 21%/41% in Singapore, 26%/32% in Thailand and 34%/37% in Indonesia). Thoughts?
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quickly roll out self-driving cars , and sack all the lazy entitled drivers.
And 100% Malaysian would be happy if APs are eliminated after some minister said APs can ensure safety of EV cars sold here while it is the source of all corruption and low quality cars with inflated prices for decades.
cost of ownership for cars in malaysia is cheap mah.