Millennials depending more on ride-hailing service providers would mean not lower auto sales but a higher demand for cars in mega cities, including those in India, the Jaguar Land Rover CEO has said, differing with finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s logic.

Sitharaman had recently attributed a slowdown in automobile sales in India partly to millenials’ purported preference for hiring Ola and Uber cabs.

“We should not always see it in black and white. I look at it a little differently. If you look at the experiences of mega cities like London, this kind of trend will create a demand for more cars,” JLR chief executive Ralf Speth said here.

He had been asked how the alleged millennial preference for using ride-hailing services was affecting the auto industry.

For younger people, Speth said, “living in these mega cities, parking is expensive, transport services are not adequate”.

“Then you recognise (that) public transport is not capable of delivering the mobility people need. If I see the trends in India, it’s quite similar in mega cities,” he said.

Speth added that women hesitate to travel on the London Underground because of the crowd. “It’s better for them to call an Uber or any other such service,” he said.

“There will be even more vehicles on the street. This kind of mobility is easier, more comfortable, safer and there will be more cars on the road.”