An automobile revolution | Doc du dimanche | France 5

12.3%. In the summer of 2008, the French reduced their consumption of fuel considerably. High-priced oil makes life difficult for the motorist and turns a car into a luxury item.What fuel should we bank on to end our dependence on oil? Bio-ethanol? Cooking oil?Electric cars, hybrids, economy models… they’re on the front pages of all our magazines. What will our car of the future be like?All included (servicing, fuel, tolls, insurance, tickets, sundry costs like cleaning, etc.) a car costs between 5,500 and 7,500 Euros a year. This item ranks second in our expenditure, between accommodation and food. And more than 80% of us own a vehicle. Between car-pooling and public transport, what can we do on a daily basis to reduce this cost?As the greatest automobile sales event – the Paris Motor Show – opens, what ways are manufacturers providing to help us get around without polluting and without spending too much?What is the place for the car today? Is buying a car still synonymous with pleasure? With freedom? But above all, in the midst of economic and ecological crises what is the future for the car? Tomorrow, in thirty or forty years, there will be no more oil… but will the car still be here?