Future Indications
Last month, I was in Japan to attend the Japan Mobility Show, where the mood towards future mobility was quite mixed. Whereas the Chinese manufacturers are betting heavily on electric vehicles (EV), their Japanese counterparts are looking at alternative modes of propulsion, such as hybrid and hydrogen, besides EV. In the past and even today, sedans have been the flag-bearers of super luxury, but that seems to be changing, with both Mercedes and Lexus showcasing luxury vans.
The president and senior management of Honda said that their focus would be on the United States of America, India, and Japan, and that they would be launching 10 new cars by 2030, seven of those being sport utility vehicles (SUV). One of the most important displays at the Honda stand was the Alpha 0 concept SUV that would come to India in 2027. It is a mid-size electric SUV.
It is a cultural shock when you visit Japan. The discipline and politeness ingrained in the Japanese people are at a different level. At a metro station, everyone stands on the left going up or down the escalator, leaving the right side free for people to walk up or down. While entering a train, everyone stands in a queue and waits patiently for passengers to alight from a compartment before boarding. There are a lot of people on the streets, but there is no chaos. Because the streets tend to be narrow, the vehicles stop a good 10 to 15 metres before an intersection, so that a big bus can make a turn without having to come close to other vehicles. Their discipline is so good that nobody crosses the white line.
One can easily imagine how shocked the Japanese would be when they visit India, with everybody moving helter-skelter in all directions and the prevailing norm being chaos.
EDITOR – ASPI BHATHENA
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