It certainly annoys me when they interview dullard athletes after sporting events for their thoughts on the previous game. Not only do they almost never provide any insight, but they actually detract from the sport viewing experience.

There is however, one thing that often comes out of the mouthes of professional athletes often that is pertinent to any situation… and actually makes a statement… maybe thats why they fall back on it regularly.

The is the concept of, “going back to the fundamentals.”

Right now… this very second… somebody is out there figuring out how to add more emissions reduction equipment, more batteries, and more technology to cars currently produced. Think… Lexus / Toyota, Honda, GM, Ford, etc. Think hybrids.

Don’t forget also, that the increase in global population along with the reduction in price of automobiles, as illustrated recently by the TATA Nano, an Indian car for 2,500 bucks, is going to require increased road construction, increased parking space, and increased support infrastructure.

The sheer size of cars, is increasing as well. If you are old enough to remember the Honda Accord in the 1970s, you will know that it was a “compact” car. Today the Accord is a full size car… and just about every other car keeps getting fatter and fatter.

So what does all of this mean? Cars are getting bigger, there are more of them, they are getting more complicated, and they are going the wrong direction.

What does a vehicle really need to do?

1. to get its owner, and its possessions from point A to point B
2. be affordable
3. be attractive to the consumer
4. be legally compliant
5. be fun… another aspect of attractive
6. be safe

Right now, for motorized personal transport, you only have the options of motorcycles, and automobiles. Automobiles are expensive to build, insure, operate, and take up a lot of space in urban areas. Motorcycles require more knowledge to ride, are more dangerous, are uncomfortable in bad weather.

Heck, motorcycles fall over unless propped up with a stick.

Lets combine the features of a motorcycle and a car. Volkswagen already has a concept for it.

Its not just Volkswagen though, other companies have come to similar engineering solutions to these issues.

This car is light, small, gets you and some of your toys from point A to point B, its faster than anything you have driven, and it gets better fuel economy too.

They could even put a roof on it.

But why does it put real cars to shame?

Because it is lighter. As Lotus guru Colin Chapman used to say used to say… just add lightness.

Do you really need a big booty car with space for junk in the trunk for commuting to work? Nah. Do you need all of the extra parts that Lexus installs in its car to isolate you form the machine? I don’t think most people do.

I also don’t think most consumers realize how much more they would get out of their cars in areas where it matters, by ditching luxury. Go back to the fundamentals.

Imagine now making this thing electric, a hybrid, or using all of that nifty tech that makes fat cars fuel efficient.

Come on Volkswagen, Subaru, Honda, give me something like this.

-The Digital Kitty