Are We Prepared for Progress ?
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Long-standing Prejudice Against New and Unconventional Features in Design May be Responsible for But Few, if Any, of the Numerous Suggested Post-war Innovations Reaching the Practical Stage
By A. W. Haigh, A.M.I.Mech.E., A.M.I.A.E.
ALMOST since the first days of thewar enthusiastic forecasts of the wonders which will be achieved in post-war road-vehicle design have, from time to time, appeared in the technical press In fact, so much has been said on the subject that readers of the articles are becoming slightly sceptical and are wondering whether these glowing prophecies will ever become reality.
But let us suppose that some manufacturer, more enterprising and cleverer than the rest, having taken the articles at their face value, has produced a vehicle embodying the suggested refinements. It has a backbone frame with the engine neatly housed amidships inside it, so that maximum space is available both behind and inside the forward-control cab. Independent suspension is employed; an engine of the internal-combustion turbine type is installed; the cab, at least, is all plastic with a transparent top-half; controls are either electric or hydraulic, and the transmission reduction is supplied by torque converter which eliminates all manual gear-change except for reverse.
The accelerator pedal, of the organ type, fits the foot snugly and is adjustable so that the dri,ver can place it in the position most comfortable for himself. Braking leverage is such that only the slightest pressure is required on the pedal, whilst the hand brake is operated merely by pressing a button. The seat, which is an armchair, is perfect. The air in the cab remains fresh and at constant temperature both in winter and summer, and there are no draughts.
Finally, the driver is entertained during his tedious long runs by the provision of an excellent radio. Let us also suppose that this super machine costs no more than its rivals.
Early Doubts as to the Machines Capabilities What would be the reaction_ of the average operator to such a vehicle The answer seems obvious; namely, that he would receive it as the answer to his prayers. But would he welcome it? A few of the younger and more enthusiastic might, but the more-seasoned owner would feel grave doubts about its capabilities. It would be so different from the machines he already owned that his first reaction would be to back away from it and stand with one hand in his pocket, the other stroking his chin. He would probably remark " Hum!" from time to time, to show that he was deep in thought.
After five minutes or so, when his-nerves had quietened down and he had recovered from the initial shock, he might venture to climb into the cab. He would bounce on the seat and proclaim it an improvement, but immediately his eye noted the absence of a pedal the first real train of antagonistic criticism would start.
He would go over the chassis from starting handle to tail lamp and systematically pull to pieces every departure from the orthodox which he encountered. Having found what he imagined were reasonable grounds for rejecting the vehicle, he would sum up by a profound statement to the effect that the machine was a very pretty toy but of little use to a practical man.
Despite his examination and the apparent support of his final judgment by • obvious defects in design, be would be merely voicing a decision he had come to the instant he saw the vehicle. His mind had automatically been made up for him by the sight of something he did not understand and, unconsciously perhaps, he inspected the vehicle merely to support a decision already made, That such prejudice against anything new does exist is amply supported by past experience both_ in the Private-car and commercial-vehicle fields. When the Denistoun Burney
alS car was first introduced it was as different from the cars then being produced as our imaginary vehicle is from present-day lorries. Opinions passed on the car, years after its inception, sup' ported the claims of the manufacturer that it was .a distinct improvement in design and gave correspondingly improved performance. But it was turned down, absolutely fiat, by a prejudiced public both here and in America '
Needless to say the tines of modern cars owe their origin to those of the Denistoun Burney product. Thus, although initial prejudice rejected this unorthodox and distinctly revolutionary vehicle, time has proved that at least some of the ideas embodied in it were sound.
Similarly, the introduction of front-wheel brakes met with opposition. Criticism was levelled at theth which has since proved to be entirely unfounded in fact. Brakes could not be applied to a steerable wheel because the accuracy of the steering would be upset; front-wheel skids, which are uncontrollable, would be induced, and considerable danger to the public caused; and so on. As all vehicles to-day are fitted with front-wheel brakes, the futility of such criticism :1i is now obvious.
Innovations Which Were Accepted Despite Prejudice The Fluid Flywheel and Lysholme-Smith torque converter were subject to adverse and, in most instances, unfounded criticism when they were first offered to the public, but their popularity, especially that of the former, refuted this prejudice as effectively as does the general use of front-wheel brales disabuse the criticism levelled against them.
But the prejudice against anything new still exists. In fact, we are such creatures of habit that over 90 per cent. of us, according to a recent inquiry, insist that we must have our bathrooms upstairs in spite of the fact that one can wash or bath quite as efficiently downstairs.
Such an outlook is not the prerogative of the buying public, but holds many manufacturers in an equally relentless grip. To the writer's knowledge, one of our leading vehicle manufacturers steadfastly sticks to designs which have gone liefore, add cannot be persuaded to try anything new until it has been proved efficient by someone else.
The reason fr this distinctly pessimistic outlook on the part of manufacturers cannot, however, be put down to their own lack of enterprise, for they know, from experience, that the public is prejudiced against new innovations and, therefore, introduce them only with the greatest diffidence.
If, then, as we are informed, we are to be treated to revolutionary vehicle designs, we must first educate ourselves to accept them. We must no longer stand at a distance and hum and ha, having already made up our minds against improvement We must be prepared either to examine the products with which we come in contact and assess them on their merits as we find them, or we must be prepared to accept the opinions of experts.
The manufacturers of our vehicles are the finest experts on the design of their ovep machines. If they market a design, no matter how revolutionary it may appear to us, they' have first subjected it to vigorous tests and, therefore, offer it to the public with every confidence in its abilities, no matter what their opinion may be of its reception.
Unless we are prepared to act in an unprejudiced manner the future prospects for the improvement ,of the British commercial vehicle are extremely dark We shall be in a state of stalemate where the manufacturer does not offer anything of a revolutionary nature and, even if he-did, the public would not buy it.