All those cars

Auto industry leader wonders how planet is supposed to hold cars produced by an industry regaining its health

ALONGSIDE recent stories about the auto industry’s reboundcomes this touch of irony: Bill Ford, great-grandson of Ford Motor Co. founder Henry Ford and the company’s current executive chairman, frets about how all these cars will fit on an ever-more-crowded planet: The world’s population will grow from 7 billion to 9 billion over the next 40 years.

Looking down the road those 40 years, he is less concerned about vehicle-related air pollution as the industry develops alternative-fuel technologies. Instead, he sees a chronic, global case of gridlock as the populations of people and cars grow unchecked even as cash-strapped governments are ill-prepared to deal with the impact.

Ford chose not to partake of the auto-industry bailout funds bestowed upon GM and Chrysler, but the company is nevertheless sharing in the industry’s remarkable growth. Carmakers are on a hiring binge to fill ’round-the-clock shifts, and their big concern now is a dwindling supply of parts. U.S. auto-makers will build some 14 million vehicles this year, up from last year’s 12.8 million.

So Mr. Ford says the onus falls on the manufacturers to perfect the technologies that will allow more cars to fit in congested areas without running into each other. To do that, cars will need to communicate with one another–probably using cellphone-based technology (of all things!)–to the extent that they could be self-driving as well as self-parking. (Is it too soon to fear the accident-causing glitches?)

Mr. Ford’s outlook rests on that and some other impressive numbers generated by Michigan-based LMC Automotive: Over the next four years, another 144 million vehicles will be added to the current 1.2 billion on the world’s roads; simultaneously, annual auto sales in China will rise from 10 million to nearly 30 million.

The mystery question is how most of those vehicles find their way to Interstate 95 between here and D.C. during weekday rush hours and on the weekends.

 Fredricksburg.com

5 Comments on "All those cars"

Kenz300 on Wed, 29th Feb 2012 5:31 pm 



Quote — ” Bill Ford, great-grandson of Ford Motor Co. founder Henry Ford and the company’s current executive chairman, frets about how all these cars will fit on an ever-more-crowded planet: The world’s population will grow from 7 billion to 9 billion over the next 40 years.”
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The real problem is that the worlds population continues to grow and will add another 2 billion people. We could not solve the worlds problems of poverty, hunger and despair when the world had 5 billion people and adequate resources. We will not solve the problems in a world of 9 billion people and limited resources. The worlds ever growing population is not sustainable and will only lead to more poverty and suffering.

DC on Wed, 29th Feb 2012 7:44 pm 



The auto companies love population growth, it is what drives(sorry) there sales. More people, more roads, and more countries commitied to our utterly bankrupt idea of cars-only transportation,(Yes thats you China), mean more profits. Nothing generates more profits than poorly built, complex, chemically powered mobile-trash bins. Better yet, when they are desingned to not last very long, and requirer a constant stream of mostly imported parts(and fuel) just to keep them operating.

Of course ford wants ‘smart’ cars. Dumb cars made the oil-auto complex kings of this planet. They prob figure selling a few billion ‘smart cars'(which will also be powered by oil and gas-make no mistake), to replace the billions of ‘dumb’ ones will just seal the deal for all time. And knowing us as I do, Im willing to bet were more than dumb enough to fall for it all over again…

vaseline2008 on Wed, 29th Feb 2012 10:56 pm 



In the US about 10 million cars are recycled annually so perhaps “only” 2.8-4 million more? Would it be logical to think that the more cars produced the more cars would be recycled as well?

Harquebus on Thu, 1st Mar 2012 12:55 am 



There are already enough vehicles on the planet to see out the remaining oil. We don’t need to make anymore.

BillT on Thu, 1st Mar 2012 1:37 am 



What is not mentioned is the FACT that there are fewer cars on US roads today than a few years ago. And there will be less and less as the Depression progresses. Yes, The Chinese and Indians are buying more now, but they too will be slowing and regressing in the next few years as their housing bubble and growth bursts and they return to reality. Personal cars will die out and be gone for the common man in a decade or so. Wait and see.