Am I the only one that doesn't see the demand for EV or Autonomous vehicles ? GM is changing their entire business plan.
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Google isn’t too big to fail either. All it takes is a change in public perception and they’ll go the way of Yahoo. Personally I can’t wait for that day, they have become way too big and powerful.
I love Google, and I agree someone needs to come up with something that makes you want to use their platform, but Google will probably buy them up anyways. Google Maps, Chrome, Gmail, and Google Seach they own everything good. Not to mention Youtube Google own the internet.
I've read this entire 20 page thread, but it all goes back to the original post.
The auto industry said there was no way that Tesla would survive. At every point the industry had reasons that Musk was going to fail, but he worked through them and the model 3 is up and running. Were there problems? Yep, but they were solved. The auto industry now realizes they can't laugh off EVs. Anyone who doubts this needs to go test drive a model 3 before dismissing EVs as the future.
Also it's become obvious that google's AV tech is close. Are they close to driving in a blizzard in Minnesota? Nope. Are they close to driving autonomously around a place like Phoenix? Definitely.
So these two points boiled down tell Detroit that:
1. Their knowledge isn't needed to build a car anymore. (Tesla learned how to build a factory and the car doesn't have an ICE or transmission)
2. They don't have the knowledge to design the car of tomorrow. (AV tech isn't something easy to develop)
Sure, they have parts that will be valuable, but if they don't fill in the areas where they are lacking they will get left behind or swallowed up.
It's also important to understand the size of google. Google has a little bit over $100 billion in cash and short term investments while GM's current market cap is about $50 billion. Google can pay cash for GM, but wouldn't it be easier to lure away their top employees and let GM collapse?
Great post and now it is starting to make sense.
So these two points boiled down tell Detroit that: 1. Their knowledge isn't needed to build a car anymore. (Tesla learned how to build a factory and the car doesn't have an ICE or transmission)
I disagree with this. Tesla utilized the down turn in Detroit to hire many Engineers and Designers , at least for the exterior and interior styling. His chief exterior stylist has 26 years in the automotive industry. I know at least 15 people that went to work there. Tesla also bought his way into the industry, purchasing tool and die shops here in Detroit. So basically Tesla had the funds, but needed the knowledge, at least for the "car" part. Do they need it now, no.
2. They don't have the knowledge to design the car of tomorrow. (AV tech isn't something easy to develop)
This makes sense, and they don't have the funds to do it, without making changes.
I love the Tesla, and hope the company excels. That being said, I think the interiors lack from what the mainstream automotive manufacturers have. I can't exactly put my finger on it but when I was crawling around the interior of a Model X it just looked off. I'm currently a designer in the automotive industry.
1. Their knowledge isn't needed to build a car anymore. (Tesla learned how to build a factory and the car doesn't have an ICE or transmission)
I disagree with this. Tesla utilized the down turn in Detroit to hire many Engineers and Designers , at least for the exterior and interior styling. His chief exterior stylist has 26 years in the automotive industry. I know at least 15 people that went to work there. Tesla also bought his way into the industry, purchasing tool and die shops here in Detroit. So basically Tesla had the funds, but needed the knowledge, at least for the "car" part. Do they need it now, no.
We actually agree.
There is nothing the traditional automakers have that a Tesla type company can't hire away or create in house. The intellectual property at traditional car companies is declining in value very quickly.
I'm not an Elon Musk fanboy, but it's incredible what he has done with Tesla. Sure, it still might not work in the long run, but he built a new car company. When was the last time a new car company made it? The economies of scale necessary to do that have been insurmountable for decades.
The last time the big three domestic auto makers faced this type of change was when the Japanese manufacturers showed up and changed the rules.
My Mom was one of eleven kids, from the mountains around Park City, UT. One of her brothers was killed at age nine, I believe - by a horse-driven buggy. But your point is taken, the automobile has increased our productivity and freedom such that a certain number of deaths per year (currently about 50 thousand in the U.S. alone?) is considered "worth it". Personally, as someone who is maybe twenty years from having their driver's license pulled due to old age (God willing), I'm looking forward to self-driving cars being available. If the only advantage was to offer mobility to people who cannot drive on their own, it would be a Good Thing.
Yes, Im looking forward to quite few benefits once these things get more mainstream.
Im glad someone else brought up how we have tolerated all the deaths and injuries in relation to motor cars, and how the benefits still outweigh the negatives, so I dont understand it when people keep talking about concerns for safety with SD cars...Id bet they have NO problem with motorized cars today...even though they have led to countless deaths and injuries over the years, (not all from driver error either)...
I dont think we can even speculate about how SD will impact our lives, just like in the days when the first motor cars came out, there is no way they could foresee all the benefits they have led to, and all that would come later on down the road....maybe we will find SD to be the greatest thing ever after 50-70 yrs...maybe it will lead to other new inventions, technologies, stuff we cannot even imagine right now, and any deaths or injuries as a result of SD, 'working the bugs out' will be tolerable and accepted by most?
I drove from Mpls to Duluth and back last weekend, the generic freeway signs stating what is available on each exit ramp (gas/food/lodging, etc...) EV charging was on many of these signs in middle of nowhere. I was very suprised to see all of these once I took notice.
I drove from Mpls to Duluth and back last weekend, the generic freeway signs stating what is available on each exit ramp (gas/food/lodging, etc...) EV charging was on many of these signs in middle of nowhere. I was very surprised to see all of these once I took notice.
Yeah, Tesla and many different municipalities worked hard to build out charger infrastructure they pretty much have the entire country covered now.
Reading through posts.. they said.. they will... they did..
Always that enigmatic "they".
Like as if everyone sort of feels there are some they, just can't really spot who they are..
This is great example of how the world is really run. Whoever has enough wide view to look at pieces, currently happening around the globe, will clearly see the world wide trend. What proves only one thing. The real bosses gave the command. The underbosses said Yes, Sir, and wheels started turning in that direction. Media will tout electric and autonomous. Marketing gurus like Musk will do their job. Countries will start banning petrol and diesel engines. Other countries will start running autonomous truck logistics. Yes, it's already done in Europe. Big automakers will unite to turn over to electric and autonomous.
All this shows one thing - the enigmatic they, the command center, decided how it will be. The underlings went to work, united as one.
No one there gives about your opinion down here. You WILL be forced to go electric and autonomous. All it will take is in years few, some politician will start a campaign about how dangerous non autonomous vehicles are, followed by massive media campaign, followed by YOU voting to ban them "for the best of the children and safety of our families".
As reality of life, where I park - major Seattle hospital - Jaguars and Maseratis disappeared. It's all Teslas now. So the whiff got to the doctors, at least.
Reading through posts.. they said.. they will... they did..
Always that enigmatic "they".
Like as if everyone sort of feels there are some they, just can't really spot who they are..
This is great example of how the world is really run. Whoever has enough wide view to look at pieces, currently happening around the globe, will clearly see the world wide trend. What proves only one thing. The real bosses gave the command. The underbosses said Yes, Sir, and wheels started turning in that direction. Media will tout electric and autonomous. Marketing gurus like Musk will do their job. Countries will start banning petrol and diesel engines. Other countries will start running autonomous truck logistics. Yes, it's already done in Europe. Big automakers will unite to turn over to electric and autonomous.
All this shows one thing - the enigmatic they, the command center, decided how it will be. The underlings went to work, united as one.
No one there gives about your opinion down here. You WILL be forced to go electric and autonomous. All it will take is in years few, some politician will start a campaign about how dangerous non autonomous vehicles are, followed by massive media campaign, followed by YOU voting to ban them "for the best of the children and safety of our families".
As reality of life, where I park - major Seattle hospital - Jaguars and Maseratis disappeared. It's all Teslas now. So the whiff got to the doctors, at least.
Exactly! Basically what I said in an earlier post we buy whatever they produce no matter how much we try and make it seem like we had such a choice, and a deciding factor whatever we buy they decided years ago they were going to make.
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what Ive been saying all along... 
