Adapt or Die Is CEOs Stark Farewell Message to Carmakers

[bronxiteforever]

By Tommaso Ebhardt
January 15, 2018, 4:12 AM EST
Bloomberg

Marchionne of Fiat reckons, for example, that by 2025, fewer than half the cars sold will be be fully combustion-powered, as gas and diesel give way to hybrid, electric and fuel cell drivetrains...The pace of innovation was evident at last week’s CES trade show in Las Vegas, where dozens of technology companies were gunning for pieces of the electrified, self-driving future. Developing technologies like electrification, self-driving software and ride-sharing will alter consumers’ car-buying decisions within six or seven years, the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV chief executive officer said in an interview in Detroit, ahead of this week’s North American International Auto Show. The industry will divide into segments, with premium brands managing to hold onto their cachet while mere people-transporters struggle to cope with the onslaught from disruptors like Tesla Inc. and Google’s Waymo.

General Motors Co. said on Friday that it will begin testing a Chevrolet Bolt without steering wheel or pedals next year, putting it in position to be the first production-ready car on the roads without the tools for human control.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-01-15/adapt-or-die-is-marchionne-s-stark-farewell-message-to-carmakers

[PoliticAverse]

1. Or just be "too big to fail" and you will get bailed out. n/t

[snowybirdie]

2. Has anyone actually asked

if consumers want a self driving car? Seems to be a pipedream of engineers. No one has yet proven they'll perform in all kinds of traffic situations.

[PoliticAverse]

3. There are 2 types of people - those that like to drive and those that don't.

I believe the "don't" segment of the market is pretty large.

And I think the problem is more lack of ability to preform in all type of weather situations (like inability to see where the
road boundaries are on a snow covered road or sensors getting confused in torrential rain) although there are also issues in "traffic situations" like what to do if the car in front of you breaks down.

[bronxiteforever]

4. Yes but people didnt think the pc was going to take off

But to your point, whether the self driving vehicle succeeds or not will depend on technology. Will it be safe? I don’t know. If it becomes safe, these vehicles will succeed in the market.
One thing is clear, electric vehicles are here to stay and will gather a larger share of the market.

[PoliticAverse]

5. They'll never be 100% 'safe' (nothing is) but when they are significantly safer than the average

driver (which it appears they may be already).

[kysrsoze]

6. This from the guy who gave us the Chrysler 200 and has left Chrysler/Dodge a...

Wilting mess with no future. There’s no planned replacement for the unreliable current Dodge cars sitting on a nearly 30-year old platform and Marchionne keeps hinting at selling off Jeep. That will leave next to nothing.

Seems every other car maker is adapting... except FCA.