new strategy of GM

[boardman]

GM, Ford and Chrysler are abandoning the sedan because no one wants to drive them and those that do are happy with a Camry or a Hyundai which are lower priced and about as maintenance free as it gets. Sales have been declining for several years in favor of pickups, SUVs and high end sedans. I remember when it was damn near an event to see a Maserati or a Bentley on the road and you knew it was someone famous, now you see them all over Houston. Why build something no one wants to buy?

Convincing individuals to give up the freedom of driving themselves will be a generational transition. I agree with three sides that it will be less than 10% in 20 years. It will be a balancing act for manufacturers of the vehicle and the components that make them autonomous. How much money do you spend on a product that no one wants to buy?
It's possible some states or even localities may mandate it somehow under the guise of relieving traffic congestion, cleaner air etc but that will be heavily challenged and logistically challenging.

The real money will be spent where the potential for returns is the greatest and that's in trucking. Imagine not having to stop a truck for drivers timing out on their DOT limits and not having to have driving teams. You can keep a truck moving 24 hours a day with no labor costs.
Dallas to Phoenix is 16 hours. A driver has to stop after 10 and rest 8 so that trip takes a full 24 hours. That same truck could be more thatn halfway back to Dallas if autonomous. Chicago to Seattle is double that. That's a money maker and that's why truck manufacturers from Paccar to Daimler and Volkswagon are all investing in the technology.

After a couple of generations of people seeing that the technology works and discovering how they can be productive while riding instead of driving then the cars may go that route. At some point only the rich will own sports cars and they will be kept and driven at special tracks like the one near Rosharon but we'll never see it that extreme in our lifetime.

[Winchhandle]

I agree with Boardman on the cars driving themselves.

On the sedan market it has become very competitive and with the union baggage and poor management GM and Ford just can't compete. However, instead of exiting the market altogether they need to learn how to compete because the SUV and truck market will be lost next if they don't learn now. Those Camry buyers will remember how reliable they were and when they purchase a truck they will stay brand loyal.

GM had a chance to become free from some of the union baggage but Obama pailed them out to keep the union intact there. That probably hurt GM more than anything in the future because the next time they fail they may not stay an American company.

[VitaMan]

Pick ups have always been the big moneymakers for manufacturers. SUV probably second.



For the big cities, the solution is to not keep building more and more and more freeways. The solution is to only let people drive their cars 2 or 3 days a week. Everything they need to get done, they can get done during those times - no more impulse or random trips to the store. But...it will never happen.


When you hop in your car, and start to see all the other vehicles on the road - ever wonder where they are all going ?

[Fizley]

I remember when Google announced their driverless cars. My first thought is how will that affect the hobby?

Something tells me with driverless cars it will much easier to track in the future

[Slitlikr]

There is actual speculation that autonomous vehicles will become rolling brothels.
I'm down with that!

[Russ38]

Originally Posted by Slitlikr

There is actual speculation that autonomous vehicles will become rolling brothels.
I'm down with that!

I’m thincking an autonomous short bus filled with midget hookers? Sign me up for that shit.....

[pyramider]

Originally Posted by Slitlikr

There is actual speculation that autonomous vehicles will become rolling brothels.
I'm down with that!

TexasJohn would probably be interested. I believe he was known as the "powerchair matador."

[gnadfly]

Originally Posted by VitaMan

Getting closer to a nanny state all the time. Or is it just technology advancing that is making humans....useless.

If you have a Android phone the nanny state is already here. They can track your location, who you call, emails, take video of, even voice commands and what you say into the phone.

Originally Posted by Oralist

...

As for self driving cars, no thanks. I enjoy the pleasure of driving. Maybe for Mellennials, who are more concerned with texting than driving.

No shit. I was out Christmas shopping and nobody was going through the light after it turned green because people were on their "smart"phones. Made me wish for self driving cars for the idiots but I wondered why I was such an idiot for not using Amazon that day.

Originally Posted by boardman

...

It will be a generational thing but it will be 90% of the traffic in 20 years. At least in the city. The govt will figure out a way to "encourage it." Once it becomes reliable women will demand to have it. It will be like a smartphone or clothes washer.

Originally Posted by VitaMan

Pick ups have always been the big moneymakers for manufacturers. SUV probably second.



For the big cities, the solution is to not keep building more and more and more freeways. The solution is to only let people drive their cars 2 or 3 days a week. Everything they need to get done, they can get done during those times - no more impulse or random trips to the store. But...it will never happen.


When you hop in your car, and start to see all the other vehicles on the road - ever wonder where they are all going ?

A lot of people around me "work from home." The fiber optic (and wireless) is responsible for much increased gas mileage and personal productivity.

Originally Posted by Fizley

I remember when Google announced their driverless cars. My first thought is how will that affect the hobby?

Something tells me with driverless cars it will much easier to track in the future

It will be imperative that the driverless vehicle be tracked constantly.