Cars Keep Evolving. Drivers, Maybe Not.

Breakfast-logic torque converters, Chrysler’s risky 1977 pivot, SUV-shaped ego problems, and a ₹139 sanity-saver.

This week on DRS Diaries: We’re decoding torque converters using idli batter (yes, really), rewinding to Chrysler’s bold front-wheel-drive gamble from 1977, stepping into The Driver’s Room to ask if India’s SUV obsession is turning us into worse drivers, and I'm dropping my favourite under-₹150 accessory that keeps your cabin cleaner than your conscience. Let’s get into it !

Car Tech Explained Like You're 5

Torque Converter, Explained With Idli Batter

Ever wondered how an automatic car moves smoothly without a clutch? Let’s stir into it.

Torque converters transfer engine power using oil - thick, flowing, idli-batter logic that makes everything smooth.

Let’s make batter. Because everything makes more sense with breakfast.(most imp meal of the day 😜)

Imagine this:

A gentle pour? Smooth creep in traffic.
A fast pour? Strong push when you accelerate.
The torque converter decides how much force flows from engine to wheels, all without your foot doing anything.

A pump spins the oil, a turbine catches it, and a stator boosts it; like three kitchen ninjas making sure the batter always flows just right.

So next time someone says “torque converter automatic,” picture this:
The smoother you pour and the smarter the flow, the smoother the drive.

And as we know it, better batter flow = better performance (at home, school, work, anywhere haha). Simple.

This Week in Petrolhead History : Dec 5, 1977 Chrysler Bets Big on Front-Wheel Drive ​ On December 5, 1977, Chrysler rolled out something that would quietly reshape American cars: its first ever front-wheel-drive models, the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon. At the time, America was still obsessed with big engines, big rear-wheel-drive sedans, and even bigger fuel bills. But Chrysler did something bold for its survival: it looked to the future instead of the past. The Omni and Horizon were compact, efficient, practical, and fundamentally different from what the company had been building for decades. They proved that American buyers would accept European-style engineering if it meant better packaging, better fuel economy, and lower running costs. This move didn’t just save Chrysler from collapse, it helped kickstart the wider U.S. shift toward front-wheel-drive architecture, a layout that would dominate economy cars through the ’80s, ’90s, and beyond. Why it matters:​ FWD changed everything. It enabled better space efficiency, safer winter handling, cheaper manufacturing, and the compact-car boom that shaped modern automotive design.

The Driver’s Room

Is the Indian SUV Craze Making Us Worse Drivers?

Let’s be honest: most people don’t buy SUVs for capability.
They buy them for ego, height, presence, and the illusion of safety.

And the moment that high seating position kicks in, something strange happens:
Perfectly normal drivers suddenly start behaving like road captains.

We see it every single day.

Big SUVs bullying hatchbacks out of lanes.
Forcing right-of-way through sheer size.
Parking diagonally because “mera gaadi bada hai.”
Tailgating like they’re auditioning for a Fast & Furious reboot.

The problem isn’t the SUV itself.
It’s what the SUV does to the driver’s psychology.

A higher stance + more metal + more mass = false confidence.
Drivers feel invincible inside, while everyone outside feels threatened.

Ironically, the stats tell a different story:

SUVs have longer braking distances.
Higher centres of gravity.
Greater rollover risk.
Worse visibility for spotting two-wheelers and pedestrians.
And yet, their drivers act as if they’re in bulletproof race cars.

Here’s the harsh truth:

India’s SUV wave didn’t just change what we drive.
It changed how we drive.
And not always for the better.

When size becomes a personality trait, the road becomes a playground for entitlement.
And everyone else; hatchbacks, bikes, pedestrians; becomes collateral.

Maybe the question isn’t “Should people buy SUVs?”
It’s “Are SUV buyers prepared to drive responsibly?”

Right now, the answer doesn’t look great, at least to me.

Keep revving,

Parth Kusalkar Founder, DRS Diaries.

Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. © 2025 DRS Diaries
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