The Silenced Technology—the Beauty and Sorrow of Reassembled Cars

Abstract

Reassembled cars can be seen everywhere in Taiwan. In the past few decades, the government has repeatedly clamped down on them. It has also taken measures such as negative persuasion, technical requirements, alienation, phaseout, and developed standard agricultural vehicles to eradicate reassembled cars. But they are able to take advantage of the social context and rationalize their existence. Reassembled cars have not only gained support or sympathy but also overturned the conventional concept of safety, which allows them to fight against official clampdown. To compete against mass-manufactured vehicles, their best strategy is to respond to the circumstances of Taiwan's rural area and offer the best solution. Their external advantages include their services, adaptability to all kinds of environments, not to mention that they are license-free and tax-free. Internal advantages include their safety, low prices, and flexibility in production and use, thanks to the collaborated network consisting of salvage yards and reassembled car makers. By making good use of all the aforementioned advantages and following Taiwan's social development, reassembled cars have gained a competitive niche that has failed the clampdown actions over and over again. But most importantly, they have supported Taiwan's economic development in many sectors.