Electric Vehicles (EVs) have generated a lot of excitement and governments around the globe have set aggressive and seemingly difficult targets to bring EVs into the mainstream. But research shows that hybrid vehicles are outselling EVs and they provide a plausible stepping stone towards 100 per cent EV adoption. Hybrid vehicles are a good strategy for countries like Pakistan where a dearth of infrastructure such as charging station networks, stable and green electricity supply, expensive batteries, high maintenance costs and pricey vehicles are some of the primary deterrents for widespread EV-adoption.
That being said, what does the future of autonomous vehicles (AVs) look like in Pakistan? These vehicles have been, until now, been tested mostly in cities where the traffic is quite orderly and predictable. The roads of Pakistan, where motorbikes routinely block the cars, cut through lanes and swerve around, present a perilous journey for an AV. Such haphazardness would definitely be a pressing challenge for these cars. Then there is the sorry state of the roads themselves to consider. Even the best of technologies, appropriate in western countries, would have a hard time proving themselves in countries like ours. My overall opinion on this matter is that AVs won’t be seen buzzing around Pakistani cities anytime soon.
Yasser Shah
Lahore