Two weeks ago, I wrote about an interview the „ATZ elektronik“ did with Professor Stefan Bratzel. It was about the threatening „de-emotionalization“ of cars. At the time, it really gave me pause.
Personally, I am totally satisfied with the mobility provided by public transport. If the distance is less than 20 kilometres, mobility generated by your own physical strength (on the bike) is the best, anyway. If I am not pressed for time, there is nothing wrong with more than 20 kilometres, either. For me, it is the best that can happen: I exercise, have fresh air and also a good method to counterbalance stress and prevent burnout.
But I am sure I am a little on the exotic side with this opinion. I am perfectly aware of it and consequently, I understand and accept all those who want to be mobile without using their own physical power and prefer not being “too public”. It is all fine as long as there is a reasonable pattern to it. For example, not too many human lives should be sacrificed for it and the famous CO2 footprint should not be inflated too much beyond the limits of acceptance. Consequently, I see the future “automobile industry” more as a provider for sensible “individual mobility” than as responsible for emotional enjoyment.
On a world-wide scale, however, we have a long way to go. In Germany, the car industry probably knows about this anyway. Using its lobbyists, it therefore keeps telling people all the time that it can only survive if at least three necessary requirements will continue to be met:
- The car must continue to be an emotional product.
Stefan Bratzel clearly said it in his interview. The car must remain our „golden calf“. After all, we want it to be sold as much and as dearly. - There must be no speed limit in Germany.
“Free rides for free citizens”, that is the slogan used for the right to ride as fast as you want. In Germany, this principle is sacrosanct. Every attempt at introducing a strict speed limit will immediately be shattered. All you have to do is hint at the expected damage such a step might do to the automobile industry, and the discussion is closed. Mind you, this happens regardless of what surveys keep telling us about the majority of the German population being in favour of a speed limit. - If you have declared a car as company car, you can get unlimited tax reduction for it.
The “company car regulation“ makes it possible for an enterprise to list all costs for the “official car“ and even to deduct all of the added value tax. That is even true if the official car is never needed for an “official” purpose. Allegedly, most of the premium-class cars driven on German roads are classified as “company cars or official cars”. This is another subsidy that seems to be untouchable – and again, they justify it by telling us about the damage otherwise done to the automobile industry.
Basically, an industry so dependent (or seemingly dependent) on these kinds of requirements should take pains to become independent.
Consequently, this is what we should do:
- Build a new and totally different kind of car
We need vehicles that can be sold for rational criteria, because they save energy and make it possible to be mobile needing a minimum of energy and money. The best approach would be to integrate these cars into a totally new mobility concept. And the concept would have to be “promoted” by marketing. - Introduce a strict speed limit
A speed limit should be seen as some positive pressure in order to make sure we have a future that includes individual mobility and to make this kind of development possible. The chances of selling more of the “new vehicles” is not the least of the reasons for this. - Abolish the company car regulation
Subsidies that promote old and no longer seasonable structures are counter-productive. Just abolishing this mega subsidy would quickly increase the degree of reasonableness when people decide to buy a car.
In the same way as we have been extremely successful „thinking the old way“ with excellent cars, we will now have to start developing a new kind of hybrid mobility (individualized/public). Unless the automobile industry manages to change in this way, they will soon be doomed. This is not only true for Germany. It is true for the producers of „motor vehicles” all over the world.
We in Europe and Germany can only be a success if we position ourselves at the top of developments that will take place, anyway. Even if other (formerly) rich countries (just like fast-growing newly industrialized countries) have not yet understood it, since they are still living in the past and have only just started to really catch the automobile spirit.
RMD
(Translated by EG)
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