Young drivers these days are alarmingly ignorant about their cars, with one in ten motorists under the age of 20 thinking that a chassis is a type of alcoholic drink, according to a new study.
A survey from CarGurus claims that 49 per cent of young drivers know next to nothing about the cars that they drive, picking their next vehicle on looks alone and leaving the technical know-how up to mum and dad.
The study quizzed 2,000 car buyers on their car knowledge with some shocking results: more than half thought that an ‘automatic transmission’ was something to do with the radio.
Similarly, nearly a third mistook the car’s ABS anti-lock braking system for a chronic bowel condition, while one in ten thought that a chassis was a type of liquor.
As a result, the study found that 35 per cent of young drivers rely on their parents for advice, both when it comes to fixing their car and even when choosing which car they want to buy next.
CarGurus attributed the shocking lack of knowledge to the fact that, although young people are highly tech savvy and can access information quickly, they aren’t sure what’s important and what isn’t.
Sarah Welch, spokesperson for the company, said: “The car shopping process is complex and while there is plenty of information available, it can be difficult to know what is important and what isn’t.
“Even though people put in the research time, they still struggle to get to the information that matters.”
