The creator economy has had a huge boom in the post-pandemic era. The period saw the rise of thousands of creators in every micro-niche possible. Many of them are now considered authoritative by many. However, these creators sometimes create content that is partially true, or slightly misleading, to expand their viewership and followers/subscribers. A recent YouTube video is a classic example.
This short-form content was shared on the channel Dileep Pg. It starts by showing a Mahindra XEV 9e parked by the road. It has its ‘Groove Me’ feature turned on. The LED lights are seen ‘grooving’ to some interesting song that’s being played inside the car.
The voiceover says, “Mahindra has given this dancing lights feature on the XEV 9e. It is completely legal and the vehicle got all the necessary certifications. But if we try to do the same using aftermarket accessories, the MVD (Motor Vehicle Department) will confront us and get them removed. Again, people have to pay extra for the sunroof, but they will get into trouble if they stick their heads or bodies out of it. All these are contradictory.”
The narration seems confident and convincing. At least some of you would tend to believe it. In reality, however, most of the points mentioned in this video are blunders! The narrative is just partially true, and is not something that should be followed! Let’s debunk this...
Mahindra has packed a lot of technologies and a handful of gimmicks in the BE6 and XEV 9e. The ‘Groove Me’ is one of them. When engaged, it makes the lights dance according to the music that’s played inside. It works best on the BE6, as it even shows a dynamic equaliser on the full-width light bar at the rear. This can be seen as a more practical and Indianised version of the Tesla Light Show.
Yes, it is completely legal to sell this feature, and even to use it. Wondering why? Because it only works when the car is parked! The user manual of BE6 (and XEV) clearly mentions this. It says ‘ GrooveMe can be initiated only when the vehicle is in Park Mode.’ The software has been designed accordingly. This quashes all concerns of driver distraction or causing inconvenience to those around, or even of putting their lives at risk.
When you try to modify a regular car with aftermarket lights and make them dance to your favourite tracks, the safety side isn’t addressed! The software of neither the car, nor the system will insist on having it parked to get the show going. Aftermarket lights can thus be risky and many a time, a nuisance.
Now, let’s come to the second claim- sunroofs and why it is illegal to stand through them. People love having sunroofs in their cars, and are often ready to pay sizeable premiums for the same. Most of these buyers, however, are clueless about the actual use of having a sunroof in their cars. Sunroofs are not designed for passengers to stand up and enjoy the wind while the car is moving. Doing so is illegal in many countries, including India, for the safety hazards involved.
Forget all the other (more serious) dangers, popping a hand out when the car is going fast may disrupt the vehicle’s aerodynamics, byt creating drag and turbulance. On the more realistic side of things, there are a slew of other hazards like getting injuries from things that might be around to falling prey to serious injuries or even death if the vehicle does a panic braking.
Sunroofs are for ensuring proper ventilation and effective cooling inside the cabin and to let in more light so that the occupants won’t end up feeling claustrophobic.
In today’s evolving content landscape, it may not be a good idea to blindly follow what every other creator out there, says. There has to be a strict filtering when it comes to taking advices on sensitive stuff, especially the ones that directly affect a person’s health and wealth.
The only valid point in this video, is that in many countries, modifying a car into something that fits under set regulations is legal. In India, modification of all sorts are illegal. It would be great if the government could amend the policies to allow regulated modfications legal.