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Interestingly this podcast says exactly the same thing, on a larger scale
As Automotive Empire reveals, motor vehicles and roads seemed the ideal solution to the colonial transport problem. They were cheaper and quicker to construct than railroads, overcame the environmental limitations of rivers, and did not depend on the recruitment and supervision of African porters. At this pivotal moment of African colonialism, when European powers transitioned from claiming territories to administering and exploiting them, automotive empire defined colonial states and societies, along with the brutal and capricious nature of European colonialism itself.
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/new-books-in-french-studies/id667467132?i=1000664572544
I think the cars are a symptom of a land grab mentality
Occupy as much area as you possibly can I think it’s some kind of reaction to the need to leave less impact on the environment.