In the article, “India’s SMART City Plans Spawn
Innovative Ultra Electric Bus Concept from TATA”, Stubbs (2016) shared that
Tata Motor’s Ultra Electric Bus aims to align with India’s Smart City
initiatives through revolutionising public transportation. Running fully on
electric energy, and boasting of robust and progressive designs, the bus aims
to be an emblem of India’s dynamic, modern, and interconnected cities. Stubbs
(2016) also commented that on-the-go connectivity such as USB charging ports
and Wi-Fi on board are enabled to establish meaningful relationships with
commuters. Additionally, screen graphics symbolic of Indian architecture and
various other aesthetic details aims to make the Ultra Electric Bus easily
recognisable and provide commuters with a sense of reassurance and comfort.
Revolving around user-centric designs and
technology, I am of the opinion that commuters will laud the concept of the
electric bus as it improves their needs. As we all know, India is infamous for
its traffic jams and poor road infrastructure. Many problems have arised due to
the inefficiency of public transport, such as increased road congestions, as
well as health issues as a consequence of air pollution. In an article by
Mahpatra (2016), a solar enthusiast from India, it was mentioned that, “due to
the increasing population pressure and lack of space to expand the city
infrastructure, promoting public transport is the only option for many Indian
cities”. Similarly, I believe that in order to entice commuters to use public
transport regularly, it is essential to constantly seek to advance the
transportation system in the country in terms of design and technology.
One of the key technological features of the
Ultra Electric Bus is that it runs fully on electric energy. By switching to
non-polluting electric buses, the problem of air pollution and environmental
health risks can be greatly reduced. Chatterjee (2016) mentioned that in
accordance to the World Health Organisation, in India, approximately 1.5
million people died from the consequences of air pollution in 2012. This
environmentally friendly mode of transportation also helps India in its mission
to develop its cities to be citizen friendly and sustainable, as part of the
SMART City initiatives (Ministry of Urban Development, 2015).
Another important feature of the Ultra Electric
Bus is the availability of WiFi and USB charging ports. As a rapidly developing
country, ranked number 2 globally in Internet usage, this feature proves to be
extremely relevant and important (Taylor, 2016). Interestingly, however, Mohan
(2016) pointed out that due to poor mobile connectivity infrastructure,
Internet penetration in India stood at only 22%, leaving much room for
improvement. I believe that the Ultra Electric Bus could be a game changer in
this aspect. By providing Internet coverage and charging ports, more users can
access the Internet on-the-go. This aid in establishing a meaningful
relationship with commuters.
Lastly, another distinguishing feature of the
electric bus lies in its improved interior and exterior design. A striking
graphic distinctiveness is featured, boasting with high-impact highlights and
bold graphics. However, in the pursuit of modernisation and improving
connectivity, it is crucial to retain and preserve the rich Indian culture.
This is done through utilising patterns, symbolic of Indian architecture. Just
as how the yellow and black cabs are iconic in New York, I believe that with
time, the electric bus can be an emblem of India’s thriving public
transportation system.
In conclusion, the vivid concept of the Ultra
Electric Bus concurrently embodies pursuit of advanced technology. I believe
that these factors play a pivotal role through encouraging commuters to take
the public transport, whilst helping India align itself with its SMART city
initiatives and alleviating India’s transportation woes.
References
Chatterjee, P. (2016). India takes steps to curb air
pollution. Bulletin of the World Health
Organisation, 94,
487-488. http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.16.020716
Mahpatra, S. (2016, April, 25). Mumbai To Get Electric
Buses Soon. Retrieved
Ministry of Urban Development. (2015, June). Smart Cities -
Mission Statement & Guidelines.
Retrieved from: http://smartcities.gov.in/writereaddata/SmartCityGuidelines.pdf
Mohan, V. (2016, June 2). India Pips US in Number of
Internet Users. Retrieved from:
Pucher, J., Korattyswaroopam, N., & Ittyerah, N. (2004).
The Crisis of Public Transport
in India: Overwhelming Needs
but Limited Resources. Journal of Public
Transport, 7(4),
71-113.
Stubbs, E. (2016, May 11). India’s SMART City Plans Spawn
Innovative Ultra Electric
Bus Concept from TATA.
Retrieved from:
Taylor, H. (2016, June 1). Mary Meeker: India now has more
Internet users than US.
Retrieved
from:
http://www.cnbc.com/2016/06/01/mary-meeker-india-now-has-more-internet-users-that-us.html
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