The road network in India is the second largest in the world, spanning over a length of around 4,865,000km. However, with predictions implying imminent growth in the passenger vehicle market, the network will struggle to cope, particularly within cities.
“If we don’t present solutions for both the public transport system and passenger cars, heavy traffic will cause our cities to collapse,” Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW Group India, told Automotive World. “We have to address the traffic issue and combat pollutants at the same time to improve quality of life.”
Speaking at Automotive Megatrends India 2015, Sahr described the state of air quality in Delhi, which is having a dramatic impact on public health. However, the issue isn’t exclusive to large cities: “It is evident in India’s tier two and three cities, where there is huge growth potential for the passenger vehicle market. The whole industry is growing, and will continue to do so over the next ten years. But there is a lot of work to do to manage that growth.”
He thinks BMW could double its sales volume in India over the coming ten years, but believes that it must present avenues to combat the implications of rising urbanisation and air pollution. And as these trends are global in nature, Sahr suggested that one of the best ways to do so is by offering models that emit far less greenhouse gas (GHG), pointing to BMW’s plan to expand its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) range that was announced in December 2014.
If we don’t present solutions for both the public transport system and passenger cars, heavy traffic will cause our cities to collapse
He also refers to low- and no-emissions zones, which are popping up in cities across Europe, and could become common in other continents. “Governments will start telling drivers that they can’t go through the city. We have to think of solutions to help them get around this,” which could be a big driver for electrification and other powertrain solutions.
Another area that could ease congested traffic in cities while simultaneously reduce emissions is car sharing. The younger generation don’t have or want a driving license, he said, and a lot of them will use apps like Uber because they don’t need their own car.
Relating to India’s consumers specifically, he added: “On the one side, India is an emerging market for passenger vehicles, growing steadily and strongly. On the other side, ownership of these cars isn’t as important as it used to be. BMW plans to watch this relationship very carefully, and find solutions where necessary.”
Concluding, Sahr stressed the importance of government influence on India’s passenger vehicle market, and the need for a firm stance to tackle emissions generated from growth in the automotive industry. “Impact has to come from the government if the quality of life is to get any better in cities. They must do all they can to shape the future, whether that’s implementing zones, incentivising sales or enforcing stricter requirements for OEMs.”
Michael Nash
