Simplifying the individual transport equation

Could cheap, basic vehicles with efficient low-emissions engines start to buck the long-lasting technology trend towards ever more electronics complexity?

At a time when automotive designers and engineers struggle year on year to meet what are apparently ever increasing end-user demands for more onboard systems, plus ever tighter legislation, Jean-Louis Ricaud, Renault's Executive Vice President, Quality and Engineering, is considering simpler solutions.

Renault and Dacia (of which the French company owns 99.43%) jointly build the ultra-low-cost Logan sedan (priced from €6000) in Mioveni, Romania, as a basic no-frills vehicle. It uses 50% fewer parts than a typical west European-built car of similar size, contains a greatly reduced range of electronic systems (no Electronic Stability Control), and its EuroNCAP safety rating is three stars. The majority of Renault models have achieved five. The car is compact, with a wheelbase of 2630 mm (103.5 in), and engines include 1.4- and 1.6-L gasoline and a 1.5-L diesel able to give the car a combined fuel consumption of 4.7 L/100 km.