MOSCOW, 20 May 2024. Russian Public Opinion research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a survey devoted to technological sovereignty of the domestic passenger car production.

Towards independence

The survey finds that Russia's focus on achieving technological independence in automotive industry, along with its media support, is likely to be supported by Russians. Potential buyers of cars show increased interest in news about the development of this industry.

On the importance of sovereignty with hope and optimism

A vast majority of Russians recognize the importance to achieve technological independence in passenger car industry (85%), including every second respondent who is fully confident (54% of those who say it is “extremely important”). This opinion resonates across all socio-demographic groups: among men and women (86% and 84% respectively), the rich and the poor (88% and 80% respectively), young and senior respondents (87% and 84% respectively), metropolitan residents and rural area inhabitants (79% and 87% respectively).

A desire to buy a car within the next years does not influence the answers: those who are going to buy a car in 88% of cases consider it important to achieve technological sovereignty; 84%, unimportant.

Three major feelings and emotions Russians express about Russia's focus on technological independence in automotive industry are hope (46%), optimism (32%) and interest (26%). Every fifth has doubts (19%; 24% of those who are going to buy a car); every seventh reports admiration (15%). Much fewer Russians express indifference (8%) and negative feelings (distrust — 11%, anxiety, irritation — 4%, each). The latter is often mentioned by those who have the lowest consumer potential (doubt — 30%, distrust — 25%), whereas most of those with good financial income have positive emotions. For example, 39% of respondents in this group show optimism 39% (vs. 16% of the poor); admiration is expressed by 21% (vs. 9%).

Interest in news about the automotive industry…

Fifty-seven percent of Russians are interested, to a varying degree, in any information related to the development of the domestic car passenger industry; the share of those who plan to buy a car within the next five years is 70%. Forty-one percent of Russians show no interest in this kind of information.

Those who are more likely to be interested in this topic are men (65% vs. 50% women), Russians with good financial income (64%) and those who adhere to a mixed media consumption model (65%). Older Millennials and those whose adulthood fell on the Perestroika period find this topic interesting too (61% and 66%, respectively).

…and media coverage intensity

Russian opinions on the intensity of the media coverage of the automotive industry are equally divided: 39% consider that media outlets provide enough information about the development of the domestic car industry; 43% oppose them. Eighteen percent of respondents were undecided.  

Zoomers are one of few demographic groups who say that the information about the domestic car industry is sufficient: 49% consider the coverage sufficient (vs 41% among those who belong to the digital generation and 37-39% of older Russians).

VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide telephone survey was conducted 8 May, 2024. A total of 1,600 Russians aged 18+ were surveyed. Survey method: telephone interviews, stratified random sample based on a complete list of mobile phone numbers in use in Russia. The data were weighted for socio-demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

Key effectiveness indicators, survey of 8 May, 2024: cooperation rate (CR)* = 0.7686; minimum response rate (MRR)** = 0.0118; response rate (RR)*** = 0.0715.  calculations are based on corporate standards: https://profi.wciom.ru/principy_standarty/korporativnyj-standart-po-izmereniyu-rezultativnosti-oprosov-sputnik-vciom/

* CR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews and b) non-interviews with eligible respondents.

** MRR: the number of complete interviews divided by the sum of: а) complete interviews, b) interrupted interviews after successful screening and c) all the respondents where it is unknown whether they meet the selected criteria or not.

 ** RR is calculated in the same way as MRR, with the only difference that the number of respondents with unknown eligibility decreases proportional to the percentage of eligible cases in the total number of respondents with identified eligibility or non-eligibility.