The number of drivers keen to rev up their rides with upgrades and modifications is growing.
Figures from the Maximize Market Research agency suggest the amount spent on vehicle enhancements will increase by nearly 3.5 per cent a year until the turn of the decade.
The Middle East will not be bucking this trend, if the experiences of UAE Jeep specialist Offroad-Zone are anything to go by.
Company manager Hakob Harutyunyan says demand for the company's services has almost doubled in the past three years and he he can foresee no let-up in demand.
Offroad-Zone provides a range of Jeep modifications, geared to providing souped-up performance as well as personalised stylings, inside and out.
Most of the work the company's mechanics carry out is on Wranglers. Customers can choose two stages of upgrade, each of which takes about a day to complete.
Engine tuning in partnership with exhaust and air intake improvements will lead to superior performance, but modifiers keen on getting involved in extreme off-roading often opt for a suspension lift, which raises the vehicle higher off the ground.
The extra clearance allows mechanics to fit larger, chunkier tyres, which give drivers a greater chance of getting through the roughest terrain unscathed.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
The view from The National
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
