4×4 Cars and the City: What are the Limits of Vehicle Manufacturer Responsibility?

This chapter explains the consequences of the sale and use of large, four-wheel drive vehicles in urban areas. Four-wheel drive vehicles are not necessarily endowed with specific off-road capability by design, and some vehicle manufacturers have introduced four-wheel drive versions of models that are more commonly found as front-wheel drive. A Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) is a description 'imported' from the United States market. The term 'off-road vehicle' is used to describe a vehicle that has, to some degree, the capability to be used off-road. The chapter focuses on two issues: safety and environmental concerns. The safety issue may be divided into those matters concerning impacts between vehicles, and those concerning impacts with pedestrians. The fuel economy measures outlined would not contribute to an improvement in the safety performance of the vehicles. The fuel economy benefit, and hence CO₂ emissions benefit, depends upon the degree to which 4x4 drive is switched off.