Automotive industry figures in Türkiye have dismissed Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's proposal to cap the number of registered vehicles in Istanbul at 2 million as neither practical nor effective in reducing the city's chronic traffic congestion.
Industry executives argued the plan could backfire, triggering a short-term surge in car and plate purchases as consumers rush to secure registrations before any freeze takes effect. Honda Türkiye's deputy general manager Ümit Karaarslan noted that no comparable scheme exists anywhere in the world, pointing to congestion pricing in cities like Tokyo and London as more proven alternatives.
Volkswagen passenger vehicles brand manager Birgül Ak Karacahisarlı questioned the proposal's basic feasibility, citing unresolved questions about whether neighboring cities would fall under the same restrictions.
Ercan Sezer, secretary general of the Automotive Manufacturers Association, warned that capping plate numbers would sharply drive up their market value, potentially pushing plate prices above the cost of the vehicles themselves. He called for more rational approaches to solving Istanbul's traffic problems.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in January 2007, in its own words.