In the next few days, the fourth generation GlobalAutoRegs.com will launch. The new site is a complete redesign with new features to serve the automotive regulatory community. But it is also designed to answer a fundamental question: Should GAR continue? And that is a question only GAR users can answer.
The new design is intended to be lighter and more responsive across devices from desktops to tablets and mobile phones while offering more content and features.
The new site also features a sign-up option. In short, GAR will be split between a basic version and a version for professionals who want more information.
The pro side can be accessed simply by signing up in a process that takes less than a minute. There is no charge and no obligation; just enter a name, your e-mail address (strictly for use as a unique identifier), and password and you’re done.
The reason for the sign-up is simple.
Thousands of hours and some not insignificant financial investment have gone into building GAR during the past five years. As the site has expanded, so has the work involved to keep it up to date.
Now that the site has grown to include more than 7000 documents, 500 meetings, and 200 regulations and regulatory initiatives, the challenge is shifting from accessing information to analyzing it
In short, the future of GAR (if there is one) lies in providing “cleaner” information; providing information in a more efficient format with more context and even more importantly, with a greater focus on what this information means for future regulatory requirements.
Meeting this challenge will require significant time and additional resources. And the only reason to make such an effort is to meet needs across the automotive regulatory community.
So the sign-up system is a kind of survey to gauge support for GAR. If users sign up for more content, then there is a reason to continue its development as a resource for the regulatory community. If no one signs up, well, that’s a pretty good indication that GAR has not lived up to its mission.
So with this new version, I am placing the future of GAR in your hands and hope that you will find the new site useful in your work.
In the meantime, I would like to thank all of you who have been using the site during the past five years. It’s been a pleasure and a source of personal satisfaction as the number of visitors keeps growing month-by-month and I look forward to your response to the new site.
John Creamer
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