A car-centric city is an urban area where streets, land uses and infrastructure are designed primarily to facilitate the use of private automobiles, making driving the primary or sometimes even the only practical form of transport rather than a genuine choice. Everyday destinations such as stores, schools and jobs are typically difficult to reach without a car because distances are long and alternatives such as public transportation, walking or bicycle riding are inconvenient or unsafe.
The use of cars is prioritized through the construction of numerous wide, multi-lane roads, extensive parking lots and zoning rules that keep homes, stores and workplaces physically separated, making walking between destinations difficult.
Car-centrism is usually measured indirectly using indicators including (1) the share of all trips, or of commuter trips, made by automobile, (2) vehicle-kilometers travelled per capita, (3) car ownership rates per resident or household, (4) traffic congestion or time lost in traffic and (5) road capacity or parking supply per capita.
Car-centric cities are most prevalent in North America and Australasia, where many metropolitan areas combine high car ownership with low-density suburbs and extensive highway systems. Among the most commonly cited examples in the U.S. are Los Angeles, Houston, Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth. However, even cities with good public transportation and walkability in their centers are often highly car centric in their outer areas.
In contrast, many European cities retain more compact, transit- and walking-oriented cores, although some countries have very high car ownership and suburban areas that are effectively car-dependent, even if inner cores remain more multimodal. Large Latin American cities often mix density with significant rail and enhanced bus networks, so even as car ownership grows, many trips still rely on mass and informal transit. In Africa and much of South and Southeast Asia, despite lower car ownership, extensive use of motorcycle and informal transit mean streets can be congested without private cars yet dominating travel as in North America.
Car-centric cities are more harmful to the natural environment than transit- and walking-oriented cities because of (1) the greater greenhouse gas and other toxic emissions from automobiles, (2) habitat fragmentation and destruction from sprawl and (3) the greater use of energy and other resources such as for manufacturing cars and paving roads.
Moreover, the quality of life is also often lower in car-centric cities. Residents face time loss and stress from traffic congestion, more traffic injuries and deaths, increased risks of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, higher premature mortality, and less space for trees, parks, and green corridors (which improve mental health, reduce heat, and support more outdoor activity).
In contrast to car-centric cities, people-centered cities, multimodal cities and 15-minute cities are structured so walking, public transport and bicycle riding are safe, convenient and attractive, making owning or using automobiles unnecessary for most activities. Some even create car-free or low-car districts, particularly in historic centers, to prioritize public space, safety, and environmental quality.