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The future of the car

With over a billion cars now in existence, is the car culture now at a critical crossroads?

The world's love affair with the car has been a defining feature of the 20th century.

There are more and more of them, a billion cars so far, with projections of there being over two billion cars on the road within two decades, unless consumers and designers decide to embrace an alternative.

So is the car culture now at a critical crossroads?

Will it remain a status symbol we all aspire to, the world over?

And can new car designs, especially for the emerging car markets in India and China, overcome problems of pollution, road safety and over crowding?

Expert opinion from car designer for India, Rohan Saparamadu, Californian transport adviser Professor Daniel Sperling and British authority on social attitudes to travel Professor John Urry.

Illustration by Emily Kasriel; The single-seater car as an office on the road to India's future.

Available now

41 minutes

Last on

Sun 18 Dec 2011 09:05GMT

Chapters

  • Part 1- The evolving car

    Duration: 17:06

  • Cars for India

    Duration: 05:54

  • Part 2 - 60 second idea

    Duration: 06:24

  • Can China avoid Western-style car dependency?

    Duration: 11:04

Broadcasts

  • Sat 17 Dec 2011 23:05GMT
  • Sun 18 Dec 2011 02:05GMT
  • Sun 18 Dec 2011 09:05GMT

Do you think political or business leaders need to be charismatic? Or do you prefer highly competent but somewhat stern people?

Do you think political or business leaders need to be charismatic? Or do you prefer highly competent but somewhat stern people?

We鈥檇 love to hear your views on charm and charisma for a future Forum.

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