PAMA Denies Existing Automakers are Challenging Auto Policy 2016-21
Only recently we heard the news that two of the Pakistan’s Big Three automakers, Toyota Indus Motors and Pak Suzuki Limited had taken a stay order against the new Pakistan Auto Policy 2016-21. The legal order was acquired from the Sindh High Court after Indus Motors and Pak Suzuki applied for the stay order against the new policy just last week.
But now PAMA (Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association) has jumped in the ring defending the automakers. In a statement recently released by the spokesperson of PAMA, it has to be stressed that the automakers are not against the auto policy and the stay order has been taken in a negative and totally out of context.
Also Read: Local auto manufacturers tackle heads with Govt. on the new auto policy
The spokesperson further said that the truth is, Pakistani automakers are glad the new policy is here, and they are ready for the potential challenges. Also, the carmakers are looking forward to working with the government and other industries to take the auto sector to new heights.
The issue came into the limelight with one of the points of the policy stating that all locally produced cars must have an immobilizer. The spokesperson said that it is not possible to implement the rule instantly in some of the cars. You might remember Toyota Indus Motors recently brought some updates to its Corolla lineup. And immobilizer was one of those updates. But this otherwise common and essential equipment is still not being offered in the most basic Corolla version, the XLi. On the other hand, Suzuki also has enough cars where installing an immobilizer is doesn’t make sense or is not useful. Some cars cannot be fitted with an immobilizer due to design limitations.
Also Read: Indus Motors Brings Toyota Corolla Updates – Immobilizer Offered In All Cars Except XLi
All the proposed solutions were not feasible or implementable. And that is when the car companies decided to ask the court for some breathing space fearing the production of few of the models will have to completely shut down until a feasible solution comes up. Hence the need for a stay order.
PAMA has assured the government and Engineering Development Board (EDB) that all the automakers are looking forward to working together bringing the industry to new heights. Another suggestion from the association noted that the immobilizers should be made compulsory for the upcoming new models whereas the vehicles that have been in production for quite some time should be excused. Almost half of Suzuki cars fall in the category (Mehran, Cultus, Ravi, and Bolan).
One can see the reason behind the stay order after the clarification from PAMA. Initially, it sounded like the companies are going for a confrontation with the EDB and government. But their point is valid that older cars are difficult to equip with such safety measures at least for now.
“Pakistani automakers are glad the new policy is here”, so what was that earlier when suzuki pak said they would take their invesment to Iran? Looks like more people have been paid off
Is this an enough evidence that current junkyard cards produced as zero meter cars are so obsolete that an common feature like immobilizer is impossible to fix on them. SHAME ON SUZUKI for having kids like mehran, bolan, ravi etc…
Immobilizer can only be put in an EFi engine. It mainly controls the fuel injector (details: the first gen immobilizers focused on the fuel injector, the new ones are more sophisticated).
Immobilizer: Toyota the world over is shy of putting immobilizer in their cars, for God knows what reason.
Let me quote Wikipedia as of today: “On Japan’s list of the most commonly stolen vehicles the HiAce currently
resides in first place. Because of a lack of a theft immobilizer, it is
fairly easy to steal a HiAce, as opposed to much more valuable SUVs and
sports cars, which have more sophisticated theft deterrent systems.”
These golden words are about the latest 200 series Hiace which was launched in 2005.
So when Indus people talk about immobilizer, they are not only talking about XLi, they are probably talking about Hiace (they sell Hiace here too), as they already have immobilizer in other variants of Corolla. It would be easy for them to install immobilizer in XLi, but for Hiace, in which there is no concept of immobilizer even in Japan, there are sure going to be problems.
On the other hand, it is a good chance for the government to remove obsolete makes and models from the market and get them to introduce new models. That’s how the government’s of other countries get the automakers to improve their state-of-the-art. They should even make ABS compulsory, just like when they made Euro-II compulsory, PakSuzuki had to stop manufacture of Alto and had to introduce Wagon-R, which despite its ugly looks is much better than RA410 Alto from the aspect of interior space, seating comfort, braking, acceleration, driving, A/c performance.
there is no age limit to the production of the models so this stay order clearly seems like an excuse and we should not expect anything new in the coming years
I don’t understand from where the concept of age limit comes. Nowhere in the world there is any concept of age limit.
Everywhere the government regulates the improvement process, which means new standards for fuel economy, safety and any other requirements. Whichever car meets the requirement is either continued or brought up to date, others cease being manufactured.
There are many long run models with 50+ years of history even in advanced countries of the world, whereas we in Pakistan (developing country) are obsessed with age limit and shape change.
Does all Japanese cars we import like Vitz, Honda Fit come pre-installed with immobilizer?
simple.. the concept of age limit comes from cars like Mehran :p
Right, but replacing junk with another junk is preferable, or just upgrading the junk so that it ceases to be junk is better?
(Admitted Mehran, Bolan, Ravi are past the upgradeability stage but other cars like Swift are not).
yeah obviously. upgrade the junk but that is not happening either that is why calls for limitation of models. but if they were to get better with every 3 or so years people would really stop complaining. talking of Swift, yeah it is better w.r.t cars like Mehran. Doesn’t justify its price tag like most of the Pakistani assembled cars
Yes
LIARS !
This is all bullshit rather chicken shit! They should close down the assembly line of the obsolete models. Do they produce Mehran a K a alto (1st Gen) in Japan? Where else in the world is Suzuki producing these junk vehicles?