In the past few years, the auto industry has seen major breakthroughs in terms of designs, special features and keeping these automobiles on the road takes highly skilled technicians and mechanical engineers. "Today's mechanics are not the mechanics of five years ago. The training for auto technicians today is incredible. The industry is moving extremely fast with technology and so it is the ongoing and advanced training that our mechanics are engaged in", said Mac Cannon, a senior vice president, AUTONATIONS.
According to Cannon, five years ago, Bluetooth technology was just being introduced into few cars and now it is in most cars. Navigation equipment, voice activation, hybrid and electric cars are all new technologies and so engineers are continually being trained to explore more. Diesel vehicles have been enhanced and they are now cleaner, faster and more efficient and Africa has not been left out all this while.
Africa is now competing with the western world in the automobile industry. Africa has also contributed to the technology breakthroughs which the world is experiencing now in the automobile industry. Countries like Uganda has started with manufacture of Kiira hybrid electric cars, Kantanka Manufacturing Company in Ghana has also started with the mass production of engine-less cars, Innoson in Nigeria has also started with branded buses and Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV’s), Tunisia, Morocco and South Africa has already taken the lead with the manufacturing of fast moving sports cars. South Africa is known to have the biggest automobile industry in Africa. Most of these automobile manufacturing companies were established by the local African pioneers who have sacrificed their lives to raise the name of Africa high.
With all these exploits chalked by some African pioneers, there are some challenges the automobile industry in Africa face. On a visit to Kantanka Manufacturing Company in 2016 with my colleagues, we were marveled at the works done by local technicians of the company. Despite all the products they have come out with, they lack the license to sell out their product to the public.
The Ghana Standard Board has failed to approve their products for reasons which are unknown to the public. Also in South Africa, collapse of automobile industry has not been rare due to mismanagement and lack of support from the government.
Even though Africa has already commenced with production of vehicles, she is facing some challenges in the automobile industry. Some of which are; lack of support from government, her tertiary institutions lack equipment for practical education, mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds and resources, interference of politicians into the industry and others. We live in a continent where 70% of its education is based on theoretical knowledge. Most students are not exposed to practical education and the few that are exposed, got that exposure from the western world since they can afford that type of education. Politicians also mismanage funds which have been allocated for the automobile industry and they are shielded by their government. African countries invest too much into politics especially during election years and they record high rate of overspending just to win votes so that they can remain in power. Those monies can be spent to restructure the education system and also buy practical equipment for her technical institutions.
All hope is not lost; Africa can rectify her mistakes provided we are ready for a change. We can do so by changing our attitudes towards our own development. Restructuring our education system, reducing the number of imported cars, proper management of our automobile industries, exposing people who embezzle pubic funds, and also patronizing made in Africa goods. All these will help to boost the development of our automobile industries and also help come out with new ideas. The government should give all the needed support to companies who want to embark on such activities.
I cannot conclude without congratulating the people who lit the fire in establishing automobile industries in Africa. People like Chief Innoson of Nigeria, Dr Safo Kantanka of Ghana and all other universities who has played a major role in Africa’s automobile industry development. I also need to thank all the western automobile companies who has establish assembly factories in Africa. A great scientist once pinned that “if I can see further it is because I stood on the shoulders of those who went ahead of me”. We cannot survive without taking a look at what people have already done. Taking a look at what people have already done will help make amendments to their products and also help make new modifications.
