Car as cocoon and car park as caravan park

I’ve often thought it would be good if cars were designed with a view not simply to people driving them, but sleeping and living in them too.

Many a person has slept in their vehicle at one time or another. I am not saying that this is always by choice and particularly comfortable, but this could be changed through modifications in vehicle design.

We already have lorries with drop down beds to sleep in at motorway service stations. Witness the growing popularity of multi-purpose vehicles, people carriers, off-road station wagons and so on and so forth. Caravans and recreational vehicles are in abundance.

The fact is that vehicles are currently not particularly affordable: they cost a great deal directly and indirectly as a proportion of most people’s income. Drivers have to pay for road tax, insurance, petrol, the price of the vehicle itself, and so on BEFORE they can even think about setting out on the road. As a result, the majority of people cannot afford to purchase a vehicle outright, but lease it or get credit such as a personal loan or a company car.

Nowadays, vehicle cost is not the overriding factor because you have to have a vehicle to get between organized society’s designated places. Under the current societal system of organization, everybody has to have a vehicle to work. Even child-minders need a driving license.

It would be good if we could get a higher return from our investment in vehicles. The fixed costs could be weighed against the multiple purposes the vehicle is used for. It is time we started using multi-purpose vehicles for multiple purposes.

 

Author: Simon Buckingham

What do you think?

To make a comment to the author, send e-mail to simon@unorgan.com

 

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