America has had a love affair with the automobile for well over 100 years, and today the car is still an iconic symbol of freedom and adventure.

But cars do much more than move people. They also drive many industries in the American economy. They’re of course the bedrock of the carwash business, but automakers are also the largest manufacturing industry in the United States. They’re some of the largest buyers of aluminum, copper, plastics, rubber, textiles, computer chips and other products, according to the Alliance of Auto Manufacturers. Half the companies listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average depends on cars for revenue, they note.

But that’s not all. We’ve gathered some other data that highlights the astounding reach of America’s breadwinning auto industry, as well as some of the current trends and changes that are fueling it.

Cars in Operation

There were 21 million more cars on the road (about an 8% rise) compared to 2012, according to automotive market research firm Hedges & Hedges.

248.7 million
Number of vehicles (cars and light trucks) registered in the United States, 2012

269.7 million
Number of vehicles (cars and light trucks) registered in the United States, 2017

The Co$t of Driving

Average price of a new car, Dec. 2017: $36,113

Average price of a new car, Dec. 2016: $35,530

Average price of gallon of gas, Feb. 5, 2018: $2.637

Average price of gallon of gas, year prior: $2.293

81%: Proportion of consumers in 2017 who said cost and fuel economy were most important vehicle attributes

23%: Proportion in 2017 who said fuel economy is the most important factor

31%: Proportion who said the same in 2014

New cars were about 2% more expensive on average at the end of 2017 than they were at the end of 2016, according to Kelley Blue Book. Cost, along with fuel economy, are the two biggest influences on purchase decisions, the fuel economy’s weight has declined in recent years.

Technology

Consumer demand for high-tech cars is booming. Consumers are especially keen on telematics — technology that can, among other things, provide emergency calling, track stolen cars, update features and track certain activities.

33 million+
Number of light vehicles produced with telematics in 2016 (globally)

66 million+ Expected global production of light vehicles with telematics by 2023

29% Proportion of vehicle owners in the market for a new car in the next 36 months who are willing to pay for in-car wifi.

32% Proportion of car buyers who say roadside assistance is the most important telematics feature in a new vehicle.

28% Proportion who say stolen vehicle assistance is important

51% Proportion who want real-time traffic information

41% Proportion who want dynamic routing

36% Proportion who want wireless updates

Traffic

More cars means more traffic, and thousands of Americans are probably sitting in it right now — especially if they’re in one of five cities. People are driving more, too.

41
Average hours spent in traffic per year per driver during peak hours in 2017

$1,445
Cost per driver of that congestion ($305 billion total)

78.1 billion
Vehicle-miles driven on rural roads

183.3 billion
Vehicle-miles on urban roads and streets

261.4 billion
Miles traveled on all roads and streets in November 2017

5 most congested American cities:
Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami

5 most congested cities outside United States:
Moscow, Sao Paulo, Bogota, London, Paris

Most congested road in the United States: 1-95 Eastbound in New York City (Cross Bronx Expressway;
118 hours per driver per year wasted)

Worst traffic hotspot in the United States: Washington D.C., 1-95 S at Exit 133A to Fairfax County Parkway
(1,394 traffic jams during study period)

The Future

The market share of alternative-fuel cars — the next frontier in driving — is still relatively small. But it’s growing. Electric cars are stealing market share from hybrids.

73.8%
Proportion of alternative powertrain vehicles that were hybrids in Q1 2016

64.2%
Proportion of alternative powertrain vehicles that were hybrids in Q1 2017

20.5%
Proportion of alternative powertrain vehicles that were electric in Q1 2017

20.5%
Proportion of alternative powertrain vehicles that were hybrids in Q1 2016

51%
Proportion of potential car buyers who would consider an all-electric vehicle for their next purchase

13.8%
Proportion of alternative powertrain vehicles that were electric in Q1 2016

3.2%
Market share of non-gas/diesel vehicles in Q1 2017

2.4%
Market share of non-gas/diesel vehicles in Q1 2016

0.5%
Electric vehicles as a proportion of all light duty vehicles sold in 2016

47,100
Approximate number of public car charging outlets in the United States

17,200
Approximate number of public electric stations in the United States

Driver Demographics

People of all ages drive cars, though more women than men have driver’s licenses. A significant proportion of drivers are under 40.

Not surprisingly, people at peak working age drive the most miles, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

221.7 million
Number of licensed drivers in the U.S. in 2016

51%
Percentage who are female

50%
Proportion of all licensed drivers in 2016 who are under 40

4.0%
Proportion of all licensed drivers in 2016 who are 19 and under

9.2%
Proportion of all licensed drivers in 2016 who are 55-59 years old

35-54
Age group with the most average annual miles per driver (15,291)

16-19
Age group with the most average annual miles per driver (7,624)

13,476
Average annual miles per driver (all drivers)