Why would Apple, one of world’s leading brands align themselves with FCA? Why get into an uphill battle of fixing and rebuilding an ailing brand? Would it not make more sense to partner with a brand that builds cars that includes Seat, VW, Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti?
Irrelevant*. Tesla managed to break away from the more traditional controls and people appear to accept it. Apple has the reputation of doing the same.
*I happen to agree with you. It’s an ugly design in an otherwise reasonably good looking interior.
You win. I didn’t realize I was under obligation to list every manufacturer making a fully digital dash display.
Wrong. It’s exactly like that for people who can afford these types of luxury brands.
And yes, Apple has built a better mouse trap with many of their products. Nobody breathlessly awaits the next Samsung or LG phone. But people still line up the night before for a new Apple phone. Not because they have no other options but because they love Apple products.
Is it reasonable? I don’t think so. But what you or I happen to think about it is irrelevant when millions of people think otherwise.
To underscore my point, Teslas around here are ubiquitous. There is not a single day that I don’t see them on the roads. I wouldn’t have thought they’d gain such popularity in such a relatively short time but there is clearly a demand for them. I don’t see why there would not be a similar demand for Apple cars.
Thanks, Captain Obvious. I know it’s the Lotus platform. I’d rather have the original car, okay?
And here was me thinking that the new Apple TV with an App Store and a controller that is clearly going for gamers (as well as all the media consumption) was a very interesting development and clearly an attempt to get into a new market.
But if Apple built a car, would you have to replace it every couple of years because the battery is not user replaceable, or bloated software updates reduced the top speed to 20 mph?
For the life of me I cannot understand why Google and Apple would want to be automotive OEMs. It just makes no sense.
Mentioned by others already, the regulatory climate of the auto industry does not welcome new makers. It’s a battle not worth fighting unless you can offer something that nobody else can, which is why I think Tesla has been able to hang on.
To align with or acquire an existing OEM, FCA for example, also seems like a bad idea to me because they’d rather supply to all OEMs. Google an Apple want their products in every car, and they’re already infiltrating the industry with infotainment operating systems. They (Apple especially) aren’t interested in developing powertrains.
The very top paragraph of the article linked in the OP says what I think is the likely outcome.
They will continue to supply their product, using it to collect Big Data, which only they can handle and analyze. That will mean they own it. And that will mean they drive the future of automotive technology. But it’s best for them if you still have the option buy a Ford, Chevy, Honda, Nissan, Tesla, whatever and no matter what choice you make, you’re getting their technology.
I can sort of see how they would logically “back into” the position of considering becoming auto manufacturers:
• Gee, we could and should make the software that would enable cars to drive themselves based on GPS positioning, maps, information on other drivers and traffic conditions in the area, visual and other sensory input such as a human driver would have, and algorithms that only a superior software company like us can write.
•Hmm, we need to infiltrate the entire acceleration and braking and steering system including sensory devices like those used to detect slipping when braking. The clumsy and/or closed-system environments in existing autos don’t readily lend themselves to us just sticking some leads on or attaching some afterthought doohickeys; ideally the hardware needs to be designed from the ground up with our software controls in mind. Kinda like the Mac and the MacOS that runs on it.
• Hmm, the switchover from fossil fuels to electric power is already opening some space for a reconsideration of how to “do car”…
I agree with Barkis is Willin’; it makes no sense for Apple to turn into an auto manufacturer when instead it can supply its technology to any and all existing auto manufacturers. Microsoft already does this, with its Windows Embedded Automotive OS.
Actually, automotive Controller Area Network (CAN) does allow you to just plug in and communicate with the system. Add your doohickey to the CAN bus and voila, you’ve got all the sensory input you need. You don’t need to rebuild the brake system because you can just command it to give you 0.2G deceleration as needed.
And every OEM uses some form of CAN, so Apple’s and Google’s tech would be easily interchangeable.