Press Release: The Rocket has a unique and interesting history, it started life as the Bedford TJ1090 truck which was
produced under license in large numbers and became the standard trucks in Pakistan. A large spare
part industry subsequently developed. However, due to factors of a lack of copyright, market
regulation and closure of the Bedford Company in UK, the truck continued to be produced in
Pakistan unlicensed.
Then wonders happened, these trucks consequently began to evolve slowly, and over decades
morphed into different trucks, immensely different from its predecessor, both visually and
functionally. In many ways the evolution of technology in this case has striking similarities to
Darwins theory of natural selection in terms of adaptability to the environment, a genetic drift and
survival of the fittest.
Researchers Shahzaib Ijaz and Dr. Omer Masood Qureshi at the Automotive Design and Safety lab,
Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad are trying to understand how technology evolves freely
when there is no actor large enough to control its evolution. The isolated evolution of the Rocket in
Pakistan is the Galapagos Isles of an endemic of a mammoth technological artefact.
The results are astounding to say the least. The findings so far indicate that functionality, efficiency
are only a very small preference in automotive design. If given a free hand, consumers tend to
evolve machines so as to give them human expressions and feel. They tend to anthropomorphize
their vehicles into human features and traits, they tend to assign emotions and will morph them
based upon their own social and psychological needs of status and power.
this study might contribute not only to the understanding of Pakistani trucks but will help future
designers understand the success, or failure of any design.