Retired GM chief Dan Akerson likens rumored Apple car program to 'trying to cough up a hairball'

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  • Reply 141 of 143
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    desuserign wrote: »
    My point was that the last self proclaimed disruption of personal transportation (the Segway) disappointed since it really didn't effect anyone.

    So I guess you agree with me that the Japanese disruptions were not really all the innovative then.

    Accident Avoidance is one of the few fairly good innovations in the automotive space in the last 40 years. But you will notice that it hasn't really been at all disruptive. It's simply new technology bolted on to the existing problem prone platform. You could as easily call seat belts or airbags automotive innovations. Have any of these innovations changed cars and driving in any structural or financial way? Not really.
    You've yet to see a significant structural disruption the automotive space, but I'm sure you will soon. Tesla's efforts are the closest thing so far.

    Disruption, and innovation aren't one, and the same, nor necessarily go hand in hand. How many innovative ideas were rejected by the public? In reality it's consumers that decide to disrupt a market. The Japanese had been making gasoline economical cars for years, but it wasn't until there was a gas shortage that consumers decided to buy them in significant amounts.
  • Reply 142 of 143
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    pfisher wrote: »
    Apple is cursed for having the disruptive business model. They are expected to be disruptive. What will they do after the watch? Maybe the are forced to do a car.

    At the time the iPhone was released the average consumer had no little to no desire for a smartphone. It was a market ripe for a device everyone could embrace. As our computing habits became more mobile it became obvious that a device in between a desktop/laptop, and a smartphone would do well. Bill Gates had the right idea, he just didn't have the vision to implement it properly. The tablet market was little known to most consumers, and again ripe to be taken.

    The automobile market is a very mature one, and there isn't a product that fits all. There's 2 door coupes, 4 door sedans, minivans, SUVs, super cars, and now ultra cars. We had a few basic winters some 20 yrs ago in the Northeast, and suddenly everyone was buying a SUV. Gas prices going down, and now American muscle cars are the rage. It's a very fickle market.
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