'Formatting' the future car
September 2, 2012 9:13 AM
German and Japanese car companies excel in building quality automobiles, catered to the individual taste. In their wake Korea and China prove themselves very fast learners. However, growing traffic clogging up our roads, adding stress when we need to go places, fuel prices eating away people's budgets, climate change... anyone in his or her right mind might conclude: "We only have to extrapolate developments to pinpoint in time when things will spin out of control. Perhaps it is time to explore alternative ways as well".
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There is more to creating a 'next-generation automobile', that is substantially more energy-efficient, cleaner, more durable, that looks and feels good, than having four-wheeled metal boxes roll off the production line. It sounds a bit like former vice-president Al Gore to say that one way of putting serious matters in a new perspective is how people in the future will look back on us struggling with those issues "in the present". Why the focus on the automobile? Well, its 'energy bill' easily exceeds that of heating, lighting and appliance use in most households, and car emissions are of direct influence to our living environment.
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There may be a lot more truth to the famous movie quote from James Cameron's SF classic Terminator 2: "No fate except for what we make for ourselves". Out of the ashes of having sold all major brands to foreign car producing conglomerates can grow something truly amazing. For instance, Gordon Murray's T-25 project is not only about an ultra-compact car but also about a new way of making them globally. Think of the small car as a 'format' - you know, like in advertizing or in TV shows. Small cars like the Fiat 500, VW Beetle, the Mini and Lotus Elan proved themselves to be strong 'formats'.
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No wonder Fiat and Volkswagen came up with a New 500 and a New Beetle, and that Germany (BMW) and Japan (Mazda MX5) made spiritual successors to the cars once considered quintessentially British. However, there is an 'automotive format' that looks promising too. In the 50's three German car companies each made their own version: the Isetta, the Messerschmitt and the Heinkel. Automotive icon, trendy must-have, cost saving and environmental consciousness -can- come together into a spectacular new vehicle.
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Ralph Panhuyzen
sevehicle@gmail.com
newisetta.com
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Source: https://connect.innovateuk.org/web/sevehicle/blogs/-/blogs/formatting-the-future-car
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