This one is closer to the heart as it involves my father. Returning from a visit to Kodaikanal, a hill station in Tamil Nadu, he was driving down the ghat road in his Mahindra Thar and he got into an accident with a bus. It’s a drive that he has done a million times, and while no harm came to him (not even a scratch), I couldn’t but help thinking about what he told me and how lucky he was.
Post the accident he called me and told me that the brakes failed. Then he sent me an image on whatsapp showing just how much the Thar skidded. At this point I realized two things – the road was wet from a recent drizzle and secondly, the brakes didn’t fail but the wheels locked. I can understand why my father thought the brakes failed, for a vehicle that gets into a situation where the wheels lock and traction is less than optimal; it’s going to feel as though the vehicle isn’t reacting to the brake input. Further to that, steering input gets impacted and the end result is a vehicle out of control and an eventuality of a crash. A crash that could have been avoided.
EBD systems by Bosch
The reason why I strongly feel that the accident could have been avoided or the damage further mitigated stems from the simple fact that there is enough technology out there to keep a vehicle from instantly losing so much control. I agree that cost is a major factor, but some elements can still work wonders. In this particular case involving my father, if the Thar came with ABS as standard, I doubt he would have slid into the bus. If nothing else, it would have prevented the wheels from locking up. The other element that could have also done its bit is an EBD (electronic brake distribution) system which could have further monitored the vehicle’s braking efforts and ensured more stability. Traction control could have been a third item, but the truth is that the list is technically endless and costs would spiral out of control. Sky would be the limit on pricing, unfortunately that is not how things work.
ABS by Bosch
What would work involves the Government sitting up and taking a little more responsibility. No, I am not going on a Government bashing spree here, after all, Prime Minister Modi is addressing road safety in the Parliament and better norms are slowly trickling in so we are moving in the right direction, but we need to do it faster and make it feasible to do so.
I am not an accountant or number cruncher, but I do feel that our tax structure is a big culprit in pushing vehicle costs rather high. Estimates put the contribution of tax to anywhere between 25-35 per cent of the vehicle cost. Now, just imagine if tax was just 7-10 per cent of the cost. That would make these vehicles a lot cheaper in their current state and instead of passing the complete benefit of this reduction onto the customer, manufacturers could fit their vehicles with more features and up the game on safety standards a lot easier, while customers would then continue to pay what they are paying for these vehicles already (or maybe a little less even). This would speed up the progress rate and the benefits would be there for all to see.
This is just an idea of what could possibly be done. I am sure there are more ideas – maybe wiser ones, but the point of the matter is that it is time that we bring about a change for a safer driving environment through active and passive safety measures. Risking our lives on a daily basis has to stop. While we can request manufacturers to do their bit and the Government to step in for their contribution as well, the onus still lies on us to be safe. Everyone has to make an effort, and the combined result of that will definitely speed things up. I pledge to be a safer driver and I request each and everyone of you to do the same. Be the change, not a part of the problem.
On a parting note, I would love to own a Mahindra Thar that came with ABS, EBD and traction control. I would love it if it had at least two airbags, and I would feel more at ease knowing that when my father is driving around in it, he has a bunch of safety features to rely upon should a situation arise.
If you have any inputs or ideas, we would love to hear from you as well. Do take the time to share those thoughts. After all, it isn’t just about getting the maximum bang for your buck. There are lives involved.
Note: My father has owned a Mahindra Thar for over two years now. It has been his trusty steed on many a trip and he enjoys its go-anywhere capability, especially on his farm. He swears by it, and I am sure he will continue to use it just as extensively as before once its back from the workshop. He doesn’t blame the vehicle for what happened, however the incident was a catalyst in making me think about just how important it is to have the basics in place when it comes to safety features.