The underlying message in the clamor for revamping the COE system is this. The masses have lost the bidding war with the rich for COEs. They are now asking and will even demand that the government solve the problem. The suggested solution is simple: tag COE to OMV. Let the rich play in their own pen separate from the rest of us. This is no different from us shopping at suburban malls even as the well to do take over Orchard Road. Likewise they have their high end restaurants, we have our hawker centres and food courts etc.,
As the rich can freely patronize our hawker stalls, they are also welcomed to buy bread and butter cars. Not a bad idea if they do even if as a result the COE goes up somewhat.
This is more art than science. A new COE system must be open to many tweaks.
Update: 10:05pm
Maybe we shouldn't see COE as a long term solution. Driverless vehicles for the masses may be just it. And what is LTA doing about this? Just waiting for others to make one suitable for us? That would be the worst attitude.
A car is an essential utility to many from middle down to lower income classes. They should not suffer from paying high COE just because there are rich people who can afford to own a fleet of cars especially those who just want to "display" their four wheel assets in their condos and the driveways of their private residence. The latter should meet the COE in a separate category so as not to penalise the less wealth off who yet have to own a car for real utility purposes
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