Standpoint - Top Tech Trends That Can Work Here Too

The tech on offer at the consumer electronics show 2017, which took place in Las Vegas in January ’17, was severely criticised for being very west-centric. But Steve Blakeman does not agree. He believes all of the key trends witnessed in Las Vegas can work just as well in markets such as India. Here are the reasons why he feels so.

- Steve Blakeman

Automotive: The main tech themes for cars are around electrification, autonomy and connectivity. All of which, though in their infancy, have a place in the evolution of India’s automotive industry. Electric cars, particularly those fitted with backup solar panels on the roof, make a lot of sense in a country that gets more than it’s fair share of sunshine! Car sales are increasing in India. In 2015, 2.03 million vehicles were sold which was a record. While data isn’t yet available for 2016, initial indications are that the record will be broken for the second consecutive year. Interestingly, the sales of luxury marques have also witnessed a significant spike with sales of around 35,000.

To accelerate sales of electric vehicles in India, the ‘National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020’ was launched by the government in 2013. It is a strong indication that the government is keen to plan for a major switch to electric transport in the coming years with ambitious plans to achieve cumulative sales of 15-16 million units by 2020. This will also have huge implications on vehicular pollution in India. The next developmental stage will be the introduction of charging stations. Inevitably, it will take time, but these infrastructure issues are no different to the challenges faced by other countries around the globe.