Over the last 10 years, vehicle sales rose 118 percent from 1 million to 2.18 million according to Peter Wad of the Copenhagen Business School writing for the UN Industrial Development Organization.

While numbers are up, there has been not so much a shift away from the large gas-hungry people-carrier as an increase in demand for smaller, cheaper and faster vehicles loaded with gizmos and gadgets. Several factors are at play in this trend, not least the number and age of the population.

According to Wad, Africa and the Middle East are showing increasing demand, but still manufacture only one percent of the world’s cars. The necessity then is to import and the tendency is toward “affordable” — aka cheap.

Maktoob Research, through its TrendTracking Tool, monitors macro trends in the market place. It recently published the findings of its latest trawl of the regional automotive online forums and other public community websites to identify the automotive segment’s needs and evolving trends. The survey concludes that the most valued cars in the eyes of the Mideast consumers are something of an eclectic mix: Kia, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Toyota, Lexus, Nissan, BMW and Mercedes Benz.

Interestingly the survey notes that the biggest leap forward in 2011 “is the high demand for vehicles” that are “enhanced with advanced designs and technologies, which ought to make their driving experience very pleasurable.” Bling.

Drivers, says the report, are beginning to demand that they “be in touch with the outside world while they’re in their cars.” An interesting thought as they actually are part of the outside world and perhaps the idea of never losing touch with that fact might reduce some of the outrageous and downright dangerous antics that form part of driving life on the streets of the Kingdom.

One example given by the report is voice activated navigation systems. This is a device that a driver talks to in the hope of getting a moderately intelligent answer to a simple question about location. The advantage is that a driver having tried a few times and got nowhere it can be switched off; the human equivalent however cannot and continues to give advice until the batteries run flat, which they do not.

Another gizmo that seems to be in demand is Bluetooth capability “that allows phone conversations to be held via a microphone and speakers in the vehicle, with “hands-free” is also growing in popularity.” Bling.

This could be a great bonus, but then what would the driver do with his free hands? Text and clutch the coffee cup? Many do anyway, using the knees and even feet to steer.

Apparently there is a demand for “automobiles aiming (or claiming) to produce higher levels of car safety, comfort and vehicle security, embodied in the advanced steering systems, airbags and/or the vehicle stability control system,” say the Maktoob report. Bling.

These things, while worthy and a positive bonus when things get out of hand when driving past the limit of the car’s capabilities, are a double edged sword. Experience indicates that to fit such devices and rely on them tends to encourage pushing the car closer to its limits and perhaps beyond.

One of the least credible parts of the report is the observation that “what is also apparent is the public awareness of the environmental issues represented in the interest in the development of hybrid cars that are partially electrically driven or use biofuels (E85) as their energy source.” Enviro-Bling.

Really? Has anyone sold a Toyota Prius in Saudi Arabia yet (except perhaps as a desk ornament) or seen a biofuel pump or charging station? A proper hybrid car — a Range Extended Electric Vehicle such as the Jaguar C-X75 with twin micro–jet generators and a top end of 328 kph might extract a few halalas from the exceptionally well-sandaled. At the bottom end, so to speak, where the mortals with wallets that stretch only to the “affordable” live — I fear not.

“What is more, they are looking at hybrid cars not only for their environmental friendliness, but also their economy and value,” Maktoob avers. Not Bling.

In that throwaway line, we finally get to the nub; money — “value” as they put it. Buyers want more for their money and as the report says “higher speed vessels.” And they want cheap electronic gizmos in the car.

In summary then, buyers want to be connected to the world with more electronic gadgets in the car that enable this, make driving a “no risk” experience so the driver can live in the “outside world” while traveling faster and cheaper.

Brave new world.