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Smartians Before Smart Cars
Constructive criticism told with decency wins the heart of one sitting in your opposite. And one such meme or slang going viral that my country is not for beginners. It sounds funny but deep in the meme, the narration favors showing the lack of civic sense powered by ill governance. Not everything can be superimposed on technology and not every expectation can be met. Bringing a new technology and adopting that technology are two different pictures. One can't imagine every use case of a thing as simple as a mug or a needle. Similarly, expecting only desired outcomes is just throwing a dart in darkness.
It is not only about the technology but also the environment that supports and adapts it. For example, in my nation smartphone per person ratio is 103% in urban cities whereas 67% in rural areas. This data can show you and tell you a lot many things as there must be a decline in the recycling of old phones. Or more consumeristic tendencies in the urban area. Similarly, in rural areas the purchasing power is limited, or the money to spend after basic needs are short. So basically local government tries to supply smartphones under scholarships to connect the unconnected.
In the very same manner as per usage principle, smart cars are not much different than smartphones. Though their purposes are different and their adaptation requires an environment without which the growth will remain stagnant. Smart car requires an infrastructure -
- Proper roads suited to image analysis
- Rules and regulations for drivers using that road
- Smart aiding technologies like anti-water logging pumps, oil cleaning devices, margin & indicators, etc.
- Web of network and communication among the surrounding devices and smart objects
- Algorithms, software, and AI advancements and
- Most Importantly - Smartians aka Smart responsible people.
That is why my concern is not about the technology as it will outpace the advancements in comparison of driving behavior and standards. Smart cars do expect a controlled environment. Without this, no amount of coding, or analysis can help solve the problem of irresponsible driving. I know that someday my roads will be up to the mark, street lights will be intact on their position, and the camera will be up there with his friend AI finding the mischiefs but what if the people don't develop themselves for adaptation?
What if the best of governance and people aren't able to provide the environment, will the tech survive? Will there be any use of R&D? Will people and government as a unit of the economy be able to reach the peak of its productivity?
The progress in smart car tech is amazing but despite the advancement poor infra and poor civic sense, no community will be able to utilize it. Hence for me, smartians are the core requirement for the adaptation followed by infra and governance. Awareness and transition will happen one way or another as one says - if there is a will, there will be a way.
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