[tzs]

> with almost universal automobile ownership

Around 92% of US households have at least one car. That's higher, but not a lot higher, than some European countries.

France was around 86% in 2015.

I couldn't find recent household car data for Germany, but did find that 72% say they own their own car, 7% said that they have a company car, and 13% said they use a family member's car.

In Italy 89% of households own a car.