Part 5/11:
This car-centric lifestyle has financially strained many households, with personal debt levels rising dramatically. Currently, auto loans reach a staggering $1.6 trillion, more than twice the total from a decade ago when interest rates were significantly lower. A dangerous obsession with large cars and escalating debt has driven car prices to new heights, where the average new vehicle now costs almost $50,000—just shy of the annual median income.