Much Room for Improvement
This is the first editorial in 2023, unlike last year when there was uncertainty if we would be able to carry on with our daily life, unfortunately, the pandemic has reared its ugly head in China this year again and there is talk that it might hit India. Let us hope that it stays away from our country and we can carry on with our life.
As the editor of Car India, I travel and drive across the world, mostly in first-world countries, and thus get an opportunity to compare the traffic situation there with that in India. Last month I visited two countries in Africa, Rwanda and Uganda, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how people behave on the road and obey traffic rules. Nobody disregards a traffic light or drives/rides down the wrong side of a road. They are well mannered and give right of way to the traffic with no sign of unnecessary aggression or honking. They have single-lane highways, but the quality of the surface was superb. Why have we become so aggressive as a society and show total disregard for our fellow road-users? Although those were single-lane highways, the surface was as good as any you would find in Europe.
It is still not clear if an electric vehicle (EV) is cleaner than an internal-combustion engine (ICE) one. If one considers the impact an EV has due to all the mining required as compared to an ICE, it requires far more natural resources to make batteries vis-a-vis a petrol or diesel car. The plug–in hybrid makes the most sense as one does not require a big battery and is still able to meet all the norms.
I would like to wish all our readers a happy New Year. Wish you all happy and safe driving.
EDITOR – ASPI BHATHENA
