In years past, the ultimate rite of passage for a teenager was getting handed the keys to an automobile. Cars are often the first taste of freedom for many youngsters, and a significant portion of teenage life used to revolve around finally getting the keys to a car. Now, however, it doesn't appear to be as much of a priority.

According to a recent study, younger drivers do not value their cars as much as older ones. Study participants were given a dilemma: would you rather give up your car or the internet? For the older folks, the answer was easy - only 15 percent chose the internet. Drivers between 18 and 24, however, made the choice much closer - just 54 percent said they'd keep their car.

"Back in the 50s and 60s, everyone was keen on getting their driver's license as it was liberating," said study author Thilo Koslowski, lead automotive analyst for Gartner, in a phone interview with CNN. "Today, it’s not the case. The freedom now lies in accessing data online and people are just meeting up on social media sites like Facebook instead."

Fortunately, we live in a world where you can have both - if you keep up with your auto maintenance and ensure your car stays on the road.