productivity, would provide a framework for the 

 transfer of special skills and nonproprietary 

 scientific and technical know-how, and would provide 

 management and technical training which is essential to 

 industrialization. Most importantly, it would help 

 create a variety of jobs and a means of acquiring 

 skills. 



Three elements in vehicle design and development 

 are of critical importance. First the vehicles 

 manufactured should satisfy local needs in vehicle use 

 or operating requirements (due to stage of economic 

 development, topography, climate) while maintaining a 

 substantial interchangeability of parts for 

 manufacturing cost, maintenance, and repair 

 efficiencies. Second, a propulsion system or energy 

 source should be used that is compatible with the 

 energy resources available in the host country. 

 Petroleum will need to be replaced by other liquid or 

 gaseous hydrocarbons or by fuel sources such as 

 electricity or hydrogen or ammonia derived through 

 electrolysis. Third, measures are needed to reduce the 

 air pollution produced by the large numbers of motor 

 vehicles in urban areas. 



We recommend that the United States convene a group 

 of experts to explore whether there are viable actions 

 that the U.S. government could take to accelerate 

 response to the needs described above. 



4. Overcoming Urban Congestion 



A special category of transportation problems 

 involves the movement of people and goods within 

 cities. Most big cities are heavily burdened by 

 traffic congestion and poor public transportation, and 

 many cities in the developing world suffering from 

 these conditions find the cost of conventional 

 solutions beyond their means. Lagos, Manila, Sao 

 Paulo, Mexico City, Bangkok, Cairo, and many others are 

 suffering from air pollution, high accident rates, and 

 the high costs of conducting trade and commerce. The 

 conflict between cities and cars continues to 

 intensify, and the buses, taxis, and animal and human- 

 powered transport that share the streets with the 

 automobile are caught up in the congestion. Everywhere 

 public transit is providing poor service at ever- 

 increasing costs. And telephone service is often so 

 bad that the city, once a center of communication, 

 finds itself grossly undersupplied even with the means 

 of exchanging information. People carry messages as a 

 substitute for making phone calls, but even this 

 expedient is proving to be inadequate. 



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