I’m not against public transit. I lived in Taiwan for a while which has very good public transport. But what’s good for a single person doesn’t necessarily work for a family living outside the city. The benefits of owning a car are pretty clear there.

> The benefits of owning a car are pretty clear there.

Today they might be, but for example the village I grew up in had light rail until an autobahn was built and the rails torn out. Today, the only way to get around is a car - but this is a deliberate choice.

How is the situation in Germany today? Are cities car-dependant or not? Does an average middle class German own a car? Do they use their car for commute to work?

That depends. In the city of Berlin, less than 50% of all households own a car. Where I grew up, public transport has mostly been gutted. Nearly everyone owns a car.