Discussion keeps the world turning.
On China's back roads, a cheap electric vehicle craze is booming,
filling a critical gap in rural transportation.
But are these so-called old man's joys a simple solution for mobility or a dangerous dilemma racing out of control
as they flood streets with little regulation and mounting safety fears?
We're live from Beijing.
This is Roundtable.
I'm Steve.
Thanks for being with us today.
And for the show, I'm with Youshan and Youshan.
First up.
Picture a rural Chinese road where a mini Maserati putters along at about 70 kilometers per hour.
No, it's not a luxury car, but a Lao Tou Lu directly translated as Old Man's Joy,
a low-speed vehicle that doesn't cost much.
Originally, a mobility aid for the elderly, it's now a gray market phenomenon sparking debates,
demand for affordable transport versus a growing safety crisis.
This is a story of the challenges of controlling a rapidly growing vehicle category.
So how can these vehicles balance rural mobility with public safety risks and what regulatory hurdles arise in formalizing informal transport.
It's a really interesting story because these vehicles are for originally, I guess,
as the name suggests, Lao Tau Lu, old man's joy for the elderly.