Re-think the micro-dot, says Hyundai

2 July 2007
Immediate release

Re-think the micro-dot, says Hyundai

Hyundai says the Government has lost its way with its proposal to micro-dot all cars coming into the country.

In effect the imposition is yet another tax, putting a further high cost into the motor industry, plus it will impact on the environment, says the fast-rising South Korean brand.

Noted for its eco-friendly stance, Hyundai says the whole-of-vehicle marking plan brings a raft of problems.

“New Zealand lands some 18 thousand passenger cars and SUVs each month,” explains the Executive Director of Hyundai Motors NZ, Philip Eustace.

“Every one of those vehicles will have to be micro-dot prepared before anything else can be done with them.

“Just think through what that means: every single vehicle will have to be transported from the wharf to the premises of the marking applicator and back again.

“The micro-dot material must be applied dry, so every car will have to be treated in a covered compound.

“Here is an entire new step in the system at a time when the industry is trying to bring down the cost of vehicles for new owners.”

Mr. Eustace says nobody can quantify exact costs, but the figure is likely to be more than $200 per vehicle when the micro-dot process plus all the extra handling, transport and storage are taken into account.

“That’s about $43 million dollars per annum of transparent costs passed on to car buyers … not counting the costs associated to what will end up being lengthy delays.

“There are hugely expensive interest charges tied up in cars sitting around waiting for processes like micro-dot application … the whole programme could run into the hundreds of millions.

“This is yet another hidden tax that will be heaped onto the sagging shoulders of the car buyer.

“But just as important, is the impact on the environment.

“Just consider the extra carbon emissions from transporting all those hundreds of thousands of cars over a year.

“At a very quick calculation now, without knowing how this new mini-industry might develop, the trucking alone will emit at least an extra 25 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year … the figure could be much higher.

“That simply flies in the face of all the good work the Government, the motor industry and others are doing to reduce New Zealand’s carbon footprint.”

Mr. Eustace says the need for micro-dot marking is further reduced by modern cars, virtually all of which have immobilisers.

“For example all new Hyundai vehicles are fitted with transponders so you can't start the car without the keys.

“As a consequence the theft rate of Hyundai vehicles is very, very low.

“Some apparently high-risk brands such as Subaru are carrying out their own micro-dotting process already, so again what is the point of this latest scheme?

“We also need to consider: how long until the thieves get around this, for example spraying fake micro-dots onto cars, applying a solvent or painting over the dots?

“This is another of those worthwhile ideas which, on closer examination, brings as many problems as it solves.

“Examination reveals it to be another Government policy which is ill-thought out and costly for you and me.

“We are calling on the Government to re-think,”said Mr. Eustace.

ENDS

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