I need help choosing an essay topic!

[Freya.greaves]

The initial message was deleted from this topic on 30 June 2021 at 17:31

[Alexandra]

That sounds interesting. If you're taking law, you could write about how laws or rules in F1 have been enacted due to teams finding loopholes in the existing regulations, i.e. the six wheel F1 car, the one with a fan on it, etc?

Best of luck

[Carlososos]

How about:
The move from ice to ev and the challenges ahead.
The joys of a first car.
How a car can become more than a bit of metal.
The rise of track days and prepping your own car.

HTH.

[ReverendCounter]

Compare the major developments in the world of taxis - from horse drawn carriages to uber to the next gen flying taxis; or compare taxi culture around the world.

[Mogsin]

How about the move to driverless vehicles and the changes in laws to accommodate the interaction of human controlled cars and autonomous cars?

[captain.scarlet]

Freya.greaves said:

I’ve got to do an essay for college and I’m going to do it on cars but I don’t know what area of cars I should cover as I have to be able to write 5000 words one to subject.
I was initially thinking laws within formula 1 as I take law and it’s quite a broad subject, but I don’t know if that it too broad. I was also considering doing the history of a particular car brand but that might not be good to write 5000 words about for an essay.
Any suggestions, it can be literally anything!

Is there anything within cars/car-related transport that intrigues you? Anything that you've thought about and has grabbed your interest and would be something you'd love to learn more about?

The more enthusiastic and curious you are about a particular topic, the better your research, writing and overall essay will be.

Also, are you investigating, discussing, analysing anything in particular? If so then your essay would need to follow a structure, with discussion, leading to a conclusion at the end. Someone else has mentioned the move to electric vehicles only. That would be a really interesting topic if you do end up stuck for ideas or what to choose to write about.

If you want to tie it in with law, think about standards, compliance, emissions targets etc.

Let us all know how you get on, and good luck!

[foggy]

Mogsin said:

How about the move to driverless vehicles and the changes in laws to accommodate the interaction of human controlled cars and autonomous cars?

I was about to post something similar. Could look at how the Highway Code has developed/is being developed to accommodate remote controlled parking and the upcoming implementation of Automated Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS) - the first self-driving tech to hit the roads. Or how different countries are treating the drivers responsibilities in self-driving cars - see UK vs. Germany and Japan for example if you want a meaty legal angle. First limited self-driving car launched to the public is now available in Japan (Honda Legend).

[InitialDave]

What things about cars interest you?

From a more tactical perspective, what automotive subjects are a blindspot for the person marking it, that will allow you to seem better researched in contrast by writing about them?

[foggy]

Another one - the effect of over-the-air updates on car design, development, build, type approval (legal..), sales, features, the customer experience etc.

Or changes in how you access or start your car over the years - carriage with a starting handle, keys, remote central locking, keyless entry, mobile phone app access, electronic key sharing etc. Convenience vs. security and theft etc.

[beambeam1]

You could write about the Citreon DS? Hear me out...

Wikipedia said:

...known for its aerodynamic, futuristic body design and innovative technology, the DS set new standards in ride quality, handling, and braking — thanks to both being the first mass production car equipped with hydropneumatic suspension, as well as disc brakes. The 1967 series 3 also introduced directional headlights to a mass-produced car.

It also featured in Back to the Future and 5th Element/12 Monkeys (I forget which...) so you could easily meet that word count with a segue about it's influence in pop culture too.

I wouldn't have been interested in this at all until I saw an exhibition about them in Brussels at the Autoworld museum a few years ago.

[sherman]

You could easily waffle 5000 words on the history of most of the major brands and how they came to aquire their subsiduary brands.

The VW family tree would take about 1000 words alone.

[forzaminardi]

Some of the ins and outs of specific F1 rules "dramas" would fit the bill if you're interested in laws and regulation. Spygate - McLaren/Ferrari/Toyota? Renault's 2005 Mass damper banning?

[glazbagun]

Or if you want to go historical, how the law changed innregards to cars- there was once no speed limit, death by dangerous driving was simply manslaughter, etc.

[shed driver]

One of my favourite subjects would be the World Land Speed Records in the 1920s and 30s. Sir Malcolm Campbell, Seagrave, Cobb, Parry Thomas and others vying to be the fastest men on earth with records seemingly changing hands constantly.

Good Luck.

SD.

[Muddle238]

So many options to choose from!

Another would be iconic vehicles that changed the face of motoring. Models such as the Ford Model T, the Citroen Traction Avant, original Fiat 500, the VW Beetle, the Land Rover Series I (spawning into the Range Rover (classic)), cars that made a real impact on the motoring world.

[Getragdogleg]

Since this is Pistonheads, An essay on the rise and fall of TVR as a sports car manufacturer !

Plenty of research material out there and its an interesting topic.

[Riley Blue]

'Personal transport in the post-electric era.'

[Exige77]

Classic small cars of the 60s that were re-invented 30/40 years later ?

Beetle / mini / Fiat 500 ?

[V1nce Fox]

If in doubt a good way to start planning an essay is to frame it as a question. You want to answer. This can help create structure and keep it focused.

[Soloman Dodd]

The legal ramifications of accidents involving autonomous vehicles on public roads.