[mvadg]

Originally Posted by BHPjunkie

Well this is just stupidity by the government...

Not stupidity, as we assume. Just doing their job. It's not about safety at all.

IMHO, Tata is being favored. Look at number and variety of vehicles from Tata Motors in recent years. Like I said in my previous post, airbags and safety are easy and cheap to implement, compared to fuel efficiency, power, self-driving, etc. The government is using this differentiator to favor certain manufacturers (one).

Already, so many manufacturers have cut production and presence in India. Maruti will make way for Tata Motors like the others. In future, Tata Motors will dominate the small car market at a "reasonable" price. I now suspect that the likes of Spinny are also "helping" by reducing the supply of reasonably priced cars in the market.

Conspiracy theory? Too far fetched?
I expect Tata Motors to become a major global player soon.

[srvm]

Originally Posted by mvadg

Not stupidity, as we assume. Just doing their job. It's not about safety at all.

IMHO, Tata is being favored. Look at number and variety of vehicles from Tata Motors in recent years. Like I said in my previous post, airbags and safety are easy and cheap to implement, compared to fuel efficiency, power, self-driving, etc. The government is using this differentiator to favor certain manufacturers (one).

Already, so many manufacturers have cut production and presence in India. Maruti will make way for Tata Motors like the others. In future, Tata Motors will dominate the small car market at a "reasonable" price. I now suspect that the likes of Spinny are also "helping" by reducing the supply of reasonably priced cars in the market.

Conspiracy theory? Too far fetched?
I expect Tata Motors to become a major global player soon.

Certainly, sounds like a conspiracy theory.
By the same logic, Govt kept/keeps fuel prices high to favor those 'Kitna deta hai' champions like Maruti?!?

In this case of mandatory 6 airbag rule, I think it's more like Hanlon's razor (Never attribute to malice.....)

[hemj]

Originally Posted by AJ56

The notion that buyers in the entry level segments are somehow incompetent/too stupid to decide what’s best for themselves in their budget, without interference by an overly patronising government hell bent on artificially raising costs of production of cheap cars with unstable body shells, seems rather elitist to me.

One doesn’t have to be an Einstein to figure out airbags and seatbelts help save lives, and if they still decide to buy a car without these features, the authorities shouldn’t be getting in the way.

If I have to continue this discussion, we will be going drastically off topic. It seems to be like you are one of those Free market solves all problems and we need less government guy. I just want you to know that free markets can only exist if there is a govt with a whip controlling the capitalists. Otherwise their greed would suck the common people dry and then we will have chaos.

The reason we have govt in modern society is so that we can collectively decide what's the minimum standards for all of us to live by, because we can't individually decide all aspects of our life anymore as it's impossible to have basic knowledge in all fields.

So, it's the duty of the govt to ensure that I buy a safe enough car so that I can get back home.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by hemj

It seems to be like you are one of those Free market solves all problems and we need less government guy. I just want you to know that free markets can only exist if there is a govt with a whip controlling the capitalists. Otherwise their greed would suck the common people dry and then we will have chaos.

Yes the same greedy capitalists that gave us all the modern comforts we enjoy today from Amazon to Uber to Apple. The same greedy capitalists that helped, and continue to help lift millions out of poverty every year through economic growth spurred by free markets (ask China) specially in third world countries like ours. I’ll agree to disagree and leave it there.

[RaghuVis]

Close to 80 messages here and I can summarize the discussion from the perspective of the side that supports MSIL point of view.

Please take it lightly. Sitting in a boring online class where professor has no connect with his students.


MSIL: We are going to STOP smaller cars as they are no longer affordable for the common man due to government policies.

Enthu Guy 1: Totally agree with you! Down down Government!

Enthu Guy 2: Hey MSIL, I agree with you. The middle class doesn't need safe cars, bro. Give them Bluetooth connectivity and a 10-inch screen. (I am anyways buying a 20L car so I am safe)

Enthu Guy 3: Safety should never be mandatory. My analysis says airbags are not effective in most accidents. We are loosing freedom of choice.

Enthu guy 4: Government should cut taxes first, both on vehicles and on fuel. Then they should make better roads next. Then they should handle the traffic chaos. Then they should handle one nation one tax. Then we can give our opinion on airbags being effective or not.

MSIL: Guys, chill. We are not stopping small cars. We cannot forget thousands of crores of profits. You know Mr Bhargava - the loudmouth doesn't know what he speaks. Ignore him. He was talking about our profits.

Enthu guy 1: Totally agree with you. Down down Government.

Enthu guy 2: So a 5L car will have the same set of airbags as mine? Whatever - I don't care. They are still tin cans. and my car has wireless charging and sunroof. (Poor chap doesn't realize his car has poor crash ratings)

Enthu guy 3: By forcing manufacturers to take safety into account, the government is hand in glove with corporates to take away our freedom, one step at a time. Time for us to hit streets and protest. We should chuck helmets also. My head My choice.

Enthu guy 4: Government is looting us and no one is fighting. Maybe I will join the protest the other guy was telling. Hope it is not this weekend as I have a trip planned.

[hemj]

Originally Posted by AJ56

Yes the same greedy capitalists that gave us all the modern comforts we enjoy today from Amazon to Uber to Apple. The same greedy capitalists that helped, and continue to help lift millions out of poverty every year through economic growth spurred by free markets (ask China) specially in third world countries like ours. I’ll agree to disagree and leave it there.

Funnily enough, I absolutely agree with what you said here. Emphasising the word Absolutely. I love me some capitalism, but with checks and balances in certain aspects, because one really can't self regulate greed. Somebody gave a good example of battery fires, and everybody knows 2008. Unfortunately govts tend to overreach, but to prevent absolute disasters, we need govt regulation. It's just a matter of electing good govt, then we will only have optimum regulations. ✌

[amitayu]

If Maruti is vacating the space, surely there will be someone willing to step in.

Sometimes, a shake-up helps promote innovation and fresh ideas.

BTW, what will Maruti do if it stops small cars? They survive their scale of operations on small cars!

[Durango Dude]

I agree with R C Bhargava, small cars aren't the 'rage' they used to be once. Cheap isn't exactly selling these days as we have seen from the Nano debacle. Maruti has a surplus of small car's in their line up that may require a 'consolidation' of sorts and may make a few models redundant. The Govt's ever increasing hunger for taxes and it's knee jerk policies are really not auguring well for the auto industry. What we see the is the increase in product prices what we don't see the the increase in taxes be it on the product or fuel that powers it.

[Arsenic]

And now, this whole drama has been featured on the BBC!

Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-62145845

[jalex77]

Originally Posted by Arsenic

And now, this whole drama has been featured on the BBC!

Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-62145845

What's the drama there? The article has covered all issues regarding the matter in an unbiased way and it seems to be the best one out till now.

[Arsenic]

Originally Posted by jalex77

What's the drama there? The article has covered all issues regarding the matter in an unbiased way and it seems to be the best one out till now.

By ‘drama’ I don’t mean the article itself, which is very well written. The actual drama is this whole issue that R. C. Bhargava has created…