The current State of the Commuting for Malaysians is bleak, Ford Survey Shows
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
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I quite admire Ford Motor Company and Ford Malaysia actually. They've actually paid money and commissioned a new survey surrounding the state of commuters in the Asia Pacific Region. And this basically means data about us Malaysians when it comes to commuting by car or by road transport.
According to the survey, Malaysian daily commuters were the second most likely to report an increase in the cost of their commute compared to a year earlier – at 75 percent, behind only Hong Kong – with rising fuel prices the most commonly cited reason. A majority of Malaysian respondents said they spend more time in traffic than they did a year earlier, and more than one in five said their commute was the worst part of the day.
Although 30 percent of Malaysian commuters said their commute was getting better, 37 percent said it was getting worse, and 33 percent didn’t notice a change one way or another. But a majority agreed on the amount of time spent sitting in traffic: 55 percent said they spent more time in gridlock than a year ago, while 17 percent noted a decline and 27 percent said it was about the same.
Ford's reason for this survey is to push Ford Smart Mobility systems in their cars (like the EcoSport, Fiesta, Focus, Ranger, Mondeo sold in Malaysia). The system is the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics. This includes everything from Ford’s in-car connectivity solution, SYNC (both the SYNC and SYNC2 infotainment systems), to the 30 global mobility experiments that have already been undertaken to gain insight into changing consumer transportation habits and preferences. What do these systems do? They make sitting in the car less of a pain obviously.
If you are a commuter in Kuala Lumpur, you could either get a smartcar (that has all the web link and Spotify or SYNC) or just take the LRT or MRT (which you will have to share tight spaces with others) or take the bus and suffer the same congestion as a car. The choice is there to lessen the amount of stress sometimes. When you get a few million people living together in an area, the cost of commuting increases.
So we have other things to keep us distracted whilst we are stuck in traffic. Of course, when the self-driving car comes along, we could be sleeping in our cars. And then there would be one cost saved.
Do read the press release for more figures.
PRESS RELEASE
Malaysians Lament the State of the Commute, Ford Survey Shows
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, May 17, 2016 – From frustration with gridlock to distress
over rising costs, to a sense of optimism about an improving daily commute, a new survey
commissioned by Ford Motor Company reveals a wide range of perceptions around the state
of the commute in Asia Pacific.
Malaysian daily commuters were the second most likely to report an increase in the cost of
their commute compared to a year earlier – at 75 percent, behind only Hong Kong – with
rising fuel prices the most commonly cited reason. A majority of Malaysian respondents said
they spend more time in traffic than they did a year earlier, and more than one in five said
their commute was the worst part of the day.
On the other end of the spectrum, Vietnamese respondents were the most likely to say their
commute had improved over the last year, followed by commuters in India and Indonesia.
The three countries also topped the podium for the most people who said they like their
commute. In Taiwan and South Korea, more than half of respondents reported no change in
the quality of their commute.
“Everywhere in the world, people face unique transportation issues that are local in nature,
and the results of this survey echoed that reality,” said John Larsen, director, Ford Smart
Mobility, Ford Asia Pacific. “These challenges are what motivate Ford Smart Mobility, which
aims to tackle global issues and provide local solutions that make a daily difference to
people all over the world.”
Ford Smart Mobility is the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility,
autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics. This includes
everything from Ford’s in-car connectivity solution, SYNC, to the 30 global mobility
experiments that have already been undertaken to gain insight into changing consumer
transportation habits and preferences.
Malaysians Express Dim View of Commuting
Although 30 percent of Malaysian commuters said their commute was getting better, 37
percent said it was getting worse, and 33 percent didn’t notice a change one way or another.
But a majority agreed on the amount of time spent sitting in traffic: 55 percent said they
spent more time in gridlock than a year ago, while 17 percent noted a decline and 27 percent
said it was about the same.
“At Ford, we strive to offer drivers solutions that make their commute safer and more
enjoyable. For instance, our Ranger, Everest, S-MAX, Mondeo and Focus feature our latest
SYNC 2 voice-activated connectivity system, meaning drivers can enjoy entertainment and
stay connected during their commute, without taking their hands off the wheel. Meanwhile,
safety features like Active City Stop and Blind Spot Information System, offer Malaysians
extra peace of mind as they go about their daily commute,” said Veemala Rethinasamy,
sales and marketing director, Malaysia, Ford Motor Company.
Malaysians were the second most likely to report increased commuting costs, at 75 percent,
behind Hong Kong (76 percent). Respondents overwhelmingly attributed the rise to fuel
prices (59 percent) and price increases for public transportation and toll roads (50 percent).
Some said that increased use of taxis (4 percent), taxi-hailing mobile apps (5 percent) and
car sharing services (6 percent) instead of less-expensive options also played a role.
For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and video, visit www.media.ford.com.
Follow at www.facebook.com/FordMalaysia or www.youtube.com/FordMsia
Almost a quarter of daily commuters said the commute is the worst part of their day (22
percent), while 33 percent simply called it inconvenient. But not everyone reported
dissatisfaction with their daily commute – 36 percent called it “not bad” and 10 percent even
said they enjoy it.
Driving Change with Ford Smart Mobility
The driving forces behind Ford Smart Mobility are four global megatrends that are reshaping
the world: explosive population growth, an expanding middle class, air quality and public
health concerns, and changing customer attitudes and priorities.
Ford Smart Mobility includes technologies already available in Ford vehicles worldwide, and
long-term research projects including autonomous vehicles, flexible ownership and car-
sharing models, and wearable technologies.
Ford has been a leader in in-car connectivity since it introduced the first generation of SYNC
in 2007, which remains the most popular entertainment and communications system in the
automotive industry. Coupled with SYNC AppLink, which enables drivers to control
smartphone apps via voice controls, Ford vehicles help drivers stay connected to their world
more than ever before – all while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
Beyond in-car connectivity, Ford has the largest fleet of autonomous vehicles of any
automaker, and is testing the technology across different climates in the United States,
including recent industry-first tests in snowy conditions. Ford will also triple its engineering
investment in its driver assist and semi-autonomous technologies over the next five years.
Many of these technologies are already available in Ford vehicles in Malaysia, including
Adaptive Cruise Control, Active Park Assist, Lane-Departure Warning and Lane-Keeping
Aid, and Blind Spot Information System.
“Ford Smart Mobility is about ensuring the freedom of mobility for people all over the world,”
said Larsen. “That means thinking about the needs of tomorrow, and working to make a
smarter, more efficient future a reality for everyone.”
# # #
Survey details: This online survey was conducted by GlobalWebIndex on behalf of Ford
Motor Company. 12,619 consumers were surveyed across 12 markets: Australia (1,053
respondents), China (1,058 respondents), Hong Kong (1,047 respondents), India (1,050
respondents), Indonesia (1,052 respondents), Malaysia (1,050 respondents), New Zealand
(1,050 respondents), Philippines (1,052 respondents), South Korea (1,057 respondents),
Taiwan (1,050 respondents), Thailand (1,049 respondents) and Vietnam (1,051
respondents). Fieldwork was concluded in January 2016.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With
about 201,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing,
manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified
vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles. At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing
emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in
connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience and data and analytics. The
company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information
regarding Ford and its products worldwide or Ford Motor Credit Company, visit
www.corporate.ford.com.
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