Traditional analysis of technology has been looking at the past to analyze the present. The social science system approach challenges the way we look at technology. It suggests that acceptance of a new technology depends not only on the technical factors but also on the economic, political and social ones. We have to understand the system as a whole and not looking only at one aspect of the system to try to understand it. The non-adoption of electric vehicles can be similarly explained by these socio-technical factor.
In the past, the electric vehicle is not readily accepted because of its technical challenges such as, weight of the vehicles, expensive batteries, lack of electricity, shortage of charging stations and inconvenient travel terrain. However, it is quieter, safer, cleaner and considered more luxurious to operate.
However, with the cheaper oil prices, discovery of new technologies, insurance coverage and loan financing being made available to conventional car, these economic challenges had move the shift from electric vehicles to conventional vehicles.
Later, political challenges, like the outbreak of world war 1, which has resulted in a shortage of coal, has resulted in gasoline vehicles being made a preferred form of war transport. Politically, regulations and incentives favoured conventional automobiles. The massive campaign of building roads has also made it easier for gasoline vehicles as no special arrangements were made for building of stations for electric vehicles. Economically, large automobile manufacturers have tended to promote gasoline vehicles to retain their market share. They suppressed new technologies and only started on research and development on alternatives under government pressure.
Socially, we have been conditioned to believe that the gasoline powered vehicle is the inevitable product of market competition and engineering advancement, not a product of compromise and negotiation. The need for individualism and own privacy also promotes the need to own a car.
Technology is the product of negotiation and compromise. Social and political decisions play a part in determining the technology. Most of the technology failure is not because of technical problems, but because it is not accepted by the consumers.
Done by: Lau Yu Zhong
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Hello!
ReplyDeleteYour entry was quite interesting. I totally agree that acceptance of a new technology does not depend only on the technical issues but also on the economic, political and social ones. I highlighted that in my entry. We do see that electric vehicles are not well accepted although it is technologically more advanced than gasoline-powered vehicles. How is that possible?
I wrote in my entry that electric cars were not well accepted because the availability of charging stations were limited. Another reason was that gasoline-powered vehicles tend to last longer than electric vehicles in terms of mileage. In addition, I agree with your statement that cheaper oil prices have led to the use of conventional vehicles. Also, the outbreak of World War 1 means that there were no other means of powering the vehicle in the battlefield other than gasoline.
We all know that large automobile companies are promoting gasoline-powered vehicles to retain their market share. I think that this trend is still taking place today. We also see that there are other technologies that are not accepted today. I quoted video calls as an example that was not popular with the consumers today as it evaded their privacy. It was the same reason why it was not accepted back then when the technology was first introduced.
I have to say that all the points you mentioned have clearly explained why electric vehicles are not readily accepted. I do agree with most of your reasons. As I said, it is how well the technology is accepted and not how good it is.
Comment by: Izzul Azhar