Videos: Ratan Tata responds to ctiticisms of the Nano's safety, emissions
In the video above, Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Motors, responds to critics who say the Nano is not safe and pollutes. Here's what he said yesterday:
Let me assure you and also assure our critics that the car we have designed and that we will be presenting to you today will indeed meet all the current safety requirements of a modern day car. Of late, when it became known that we will in fact be making such a car, the attention has moved to questioning the pollution it would create. Let me again assure those who have concerns for the environment, that the car we present you today will meet all current legislated emission criteria and will have a lower pollution level than even a two-wheeler being manufactured in India today.
Concerns are also now being expressed about the congestion that could be caused by the existence of our small car in large numbers. I believe this needs to be put in the right perspective. There is no doubt that India is woefully behind its neighbors in infrastructure. The government is now endeavoring to address this situation with its new road policy. Looking ahead, five years from today, were we to produce and sell 500,000 small cars every year, we would then, at the end of five years, constitute approximately 2.5 percent of all passenger vehicles in the country. This could hardly be considered the nightmare of congestion that is being raised today about our new small car.
Below the fold is another video where Ratan explains that he made the Nano because of unsafe driving on scooters by families. Also below the fold is a video where Ratan says the Nano will indeed retail for 1-lakh because "a promise is a promise." What do you think, readers? I have to admit, I still have doubts but I'm really impressed and excited with what he says.
Related:
- Here's the $2,500 Tata Nano, the Indian peoples car
- VIDEO: Live reveal of the $2,500 Tata Nano
- The World chimes in on the Tata Nano
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Throwback 11:41AM (1/11/2008)
I say kudos to Tata. Why shouldn't Indians have access to cheap reliable transportation? He is correct about the infrastructure and the motorcycles/scooters. Whole families (5-6 people) ride on them, I would not believe it had I not visited India and seen this first hand. I suspect companies like Honda, Toyota and the Europeans makes are going to take a hit in sales.
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rgseidl 3:45PM (1/11/2008)
Did anyone tell the Germans, French et. al. in the 1950s that they weren't allowed to switch from scooters to microcars? Were those clean or safe by California's standards of the day? Didn't think so.
http://microcarmuseum.com/
Westerners should be careful not to be condescending based on concerns India is well aware of but cannot afford to have yet. It's not like the Nano will be exported in its present form to Western markets.
We have no right to demand that entire nations forgo their economic development just because some of our countrymen feel it's their divine birthright to drive a gas guzzler and have running it cost next to nothing relative to their total purchasing power.
Congestion will get worse in India, but that's basically a local problem for that country to deal with. The consequences of the slow switch to four-wheeled vehicles for global oil prices will be a repeat of the Chinese impact, but again, this will hit emerging economies much harder than it does Western nations. If history is any guide, the newcomers will probably figure out and apply engineering solutions while the US continues to beat the drums of war.
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Dad 6:19PM (1/11/2008)
"the car we present you today will meet all current legislated emission criteria"
The use of language!! Who knows what current legilation emission criteria is he talking about?
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Ricardo 4:47PM (1/12/2008)
Wow this car already beats today the new USA standard which is going to be in effect like in 10 years!
Bravo India!
Aplauso!!!
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