• Automotive News, Monday, June 7, 2010 11:01 AM

Sheryl Connelly, who tracks cultural trends for Ford Motor, says that cars don't connect with today's youth the way that they did with boomers, or even Gen Xers. Smartphones and the Internet are more apt to serve the role as "magic carpets" that sweep kids away "from the square world of mom and dad."

Some facts: In 1978, nearly half of U.S. 16-year-olds and three-quarters of 17-year-olds had driver's licenses; by 2008, only 31% percent of 16-year-olds and 49 % of 17-year-olds did. The share of miles driven by Americans 21 to 30 fell to 13.7% in 2009 from 20.8% in 1995.

Some analysts say the dwindling love affair with the auto will have a significant impact on sales. Carlos Gomes, an economist with ScotiaBank in Toronto, predicts growth in U.S. new-vehicle sales of only around 0.6% annually over the next decade, down from 1.1% from the prior decade.

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