Peer-to-peer carsharing as a digital mobility innovation: Market potential and policy implications in Italy

This study explores the potential demand and supply of peer-to-peer car sharing in Italy, focusing on the factors influencing individuals’ willingness to rent out their vehicles or participate as renters. We collected stated preference data from two nationally representative samples, each consisting of approximately 4,000 individuals, and analyzed the data using discrete choice models with latent variables. Our results reveal a significant asymmetry between supply and demand: car owners tend to be more skeptical and reluctant to engage in P2P car-sharing, primarily due to concerns about vehicle damage and disputes with renters, whereas renters are more motivated by perceived benefits, peer effects, and environmental sensitivity. The study also highlights that critical factors such as platform fees, insurance coverage, and the ease of vehicle access significantly shape users’ decisions. Crucially, the study underscores the enabling role of digitalization, without which the peer-to-peer car sharing model would not be feasible. Digital platforms serve as the foundation for matching supply and demand, managing transactions, and facilitating trust through transparent pricing, identity verification, and service quality assurances. According to our results, enhancing these digital features, such as clear tariff structures, reliable user verification, and guarantees of vehicle condition, is essential to reducing perceived risks and increasing user confidence. Importantly, the analysis also reveals that socio-demographic, psychological, and attitudinal characteristics, such as age, gender, education level, place of residence, risk perception, and sense of control, are key determinants of individuals’ willingness to participate, particularly under less favorable service conditions. These findings point to the importance of platform design and user segmentation in fostering wider participation in digitally enabled mobility solutions.