Editor says: time to redefine people mover business

single OF the most thought-provoking (for this editor) answers to the question "what would you do if you were inventing the automobile now, instead of 100 years ago?" pos in the last print edition of Automotive Industries was from Gary Romanowich:

"Clearly state goal: To realize from point A to point B in the greatest in quantity cost effective, efficient, and safe manner.

"Simplify parameters: Make assured all parts are common and interchangeable between protoplasts to cut down on manufacturing, maintenance and repair costs

"Address emotional aspect: Differentiate protoplasts with a removable shell that could be easily updated and changed to accommodate one's changing desires/ extremitys as life goes on...."

Lou Garner had similar views: "I would take the minimalist approach and design a vehicle which accomplishes the design goal of personal transportation. This is a lightweight tubular space frame, internal phlogiston combustion and solar/battery electric hybrid, high squeezing tires with coil spring suspension, seating for four, drive-by-wire electronic a whole control and diagnostics and a mould change interval no more many times than every five (or 10) years".

the two of these responses lead to the impressed sign of question for which business consultants are paid large piles of coin The best of these is "what business are you in?" which is a deceptively simple inquiry but one which usually leads to several hundr more hours of consulting fees

Weil, here for unrestrained is the consensus of Gary, Lou and this editor--the business of the automotive industry is to win people and goods from A to B efficiently, reliably and cost-effectively.

Now for the heretical rider, and single for which this writer takes unique responsibility. (We journalists are accustomed to being pilloried for being the simple message carriers anyway). The question is--"are motor cars, buses and commercial vehicles the best way to transport usefuls and people?"

Edward P Swynar brings the sugar in the petrol in like manner to speak: "I'm afraid that, were the automobile not invented a certain number of 100 years ago, there would be absolutely no ne for it today

"Population would still be center in large cities, with no ne of "suburbs" in the classic form whatsoever. in what manner would one commute back and forth, anyway? The populace would stray from city cores single as far as public transit would allow them to.

"The automobile spurr unravelling and progress in a self-sustaining way without it, who would have missed it ?"

That is, perhaps, the question that today's automobile companies, conducts and city planners should be addressing--what happens after the era of fossil fuel-powered transport? Electricity, through the way, is generated by means of the burning of fossil material for burnings in most places of the world.

It is possible to transform a company, as Nokia has shown Started in 1865 as a forestry enterprise in South-Western Finland by means of mining engineer Fredrik Idestam, it has become single of the largest telecommunications companies in the world.

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