CAR EFFICIENCY

Should Cars Be More Efficient?

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Should Cars Be More Efficient?

Introduction

Industrial revolution has marked substantial advancement in people's lifestyles. Society upgraded itself and kept improving in technologies that have promoted great mobility, people have switched from carts, horses to cars, trucks, SUVs etc. It is mainly due to the marvels of fossil fuels; about 70 percent of US oil consumption is marked by transportation, contributing to emission of greenhouse gases while polluting the environment and depleting ozone layer. The benefits of the revolution thrived while downsides were nowhere to be found. With the emerging concern of global warming, the long hidden and unnoticeable facts hit us in the face with increased concerns on car efficiency, safety of the environment as well as utilization of scarce resources. Burning of fossil fuels largely contributes to global warming while depleting scarce resources. The problem is broad in its context and seems to highlight varying aspects of efficiency and cars (Friedman and Coon, 2009).

Auto industry has marked a significant growth and continues to grow but the apprehension remains that how many vehicles can the world support. Single driver caries three to five passengers in a heavy engine car to drive 300 miles while a vehicle with bigger room can carry thirty passengers with the same amount of fuel. It seems our societal practice to waste resources with the mask of personal freedom and lifestyle. Efficiency thus, needs to be understood and from micro point of view to educate people for efficiency. However, need for more efficient cars consuming lesser fuels and favorable to the environment has come to surface(Godoy, 2007). The major stakeholders include oil companies, environmentalists, automobile companies, government, and the general public.

Discussion and Analysis

David Friedman, Research Director at the Union of Concerned Scientists, argues that improved efficiency of vehicles can be beneficial for our economy as well as environment (Friedman and Coon, 2009). It would bring down oil import bills, create jobs, ease the transport system, and help resolve the long term problem of global warming. He states that there should be standardized fuel economy targets set for the automakers; this will increase competition while creating thousands of jobs and ensuring safe and protected environment. Further, Friedman suggests the steps that governments should undertake to reach these targeted standards and emphasized on incentives such as tax credits to achieve the purpose. He defends his arguments by emphasizing on why fuel efficient cars have been proposed as a measure to control our warming continent. He says that fuel economy has lowered and consumers are not left with the choice to rely on fuel efficient cars, the cars on the road are too compact to accommodate, that families and farmers have to base their choice on gas-guzzling car or trucks. Friedman articulates that fuel efficient cars should replace the existing transport system so that the consumer can enjoy the power, size and safety while saving thousands of dollars to be wasted in fuel costs and improving global warming pollution and heavy reliance on oil ...