TOPIC: The main issues about Smart Car and its blurred future in the US
The idea of the Smart car was unveiled in the United States in the year 2008, at a time when fuel prices had skyrocketed and the country was also going into a financial recession. The launch of the Smart car seemed timely and very relevant to the needs of the people who were already suffering from the recession. The main features of smart cars offered the perfect balance between the high fuel prices and the effects of the recession. The manufacturers of these smart cars argued about their fuel efficiency and affordability. Also, there was the advantage of parking space due to the small size of the car. It is apparent that the small size of the car made it easy to maneuver and easy to park. However, there were many sacrifices that the consumers of the smart car had to make.
The manufacturer of these smart cars failed to recognize that most automobile customers in the United States, prefer large cars with adequate space as opposed to micro-cars. Also, it seemed that the stakeholders of the micro-car did not understand the American automobile consumers preferred four-door subcompact cars that also trade at a similar price and offer the same fuel economy. Furthermore, the experts also had the micro Smart cars be sold at the same price as subcompact cars, hence giving the other dealers a direct competition. Although there were many promises about improved safety, such as Euro NCAP four-star rating, the majority of consumers in the US felt that these Smart Cars were unsafe. Technically, most consumers mostly unsafe to sit in such a tiny car. This clearly shows some of the issues associated with the decision by Smart to stop its operations in the US market.