The cool comfort of air-conditioned cars
IN May, I was returning to Chandigarh from Rishikesh in a Mercedes with my wife Usha. Even as the heat outside was intolerable, it was comforting to be in the car. The journey brought back memories of the Ambassador car in which we travelled when I became the Rotary District Governor; we went to Moradabad and many other places in the summer. As I worked for Hindustan Motors, I could have the Ambassador car specially installed with an air-conditioner. After a three-four hours’ drive, this car had to make a halt for cooling the AC system.
In India, back in the early 1980s, the Maruti 800 came with just a blower; its 1984 model was the first ‘Made in India’ car to have a factory-fitted air-conditioner. The economic liberalisation of 1991 opened the floodgates for foreign vehicles.
Now, every car, big or small, has an AC. Indian companies with technical expertise are rapidly producing cars and buses with air-conditioning.
Usha and I were in the Saketri suburb of Chandigarh on New Year’s Eve; we distributed blankets at night among people sleeping in the corridors. We both suggested to Rotary Club to adopt Saketri to improve the economic conditions of its residents by helping children study and empowering women to earn a living. Rotary and Inner Wheel planned a five-year project for the overall development of the slum-dwellers. The comfort of ACs is elusive, but there are fans. Some students go to schools which have AC classrooms. This was the beginning of a bright future for residents of the slums. Since 2016, the project has transformed not only their lives but also ours.
Coming back to cars, the concept of green vehicles has been circulating in the automotive industry for quite a while, but it is still evolving. The constant evolution of electric vehicles, artificial intelligence (AI) and location technology have made driving a far better experience.
Another development that is making cars more sustainable as a mode of transport is autonomous driving for travel without any human input, using sensors, cameras, radar and AI.
To conclude, the advancements in battery technology, autonomous driving and AI-enhanced in-car experiences are not only making green cars more accessible and enjoyable but are also setting a new standard for what it means to be truly sustainable. As we continue to embrace these changes, the vision of a cleaner, smarter and more eco-friendly future in mobility becomes not just a possibility but a real commitment to preserving and cooling down our overheating planet for future generations.
