The big economic availability of the technology industry has allowed some players to approach the automotive sector. The barriers between the two sectors appear to be collapsed but we do not see carmakers produce mobile phones and tablets, we are instead in front of the Google car and the design of a car Apple. What’s going on?
version in pdf
“ Titan ” Even the name reflects the magnitude with which Apple appears to lean to the world of ‘ drive . Truth or fantasy that is, the news leaked a few months ago came bursting between insiders and beyond.
In early January in Las Vegas to the Consumer Electronic Show ( better known as CES) major automakers have showed off their innovations to the autonomous driving . BMW has submitted a i3 that ran independently for the large square, Volkswagen the E-Golf with autopilot to park and recharge wirelessly, Audi he has resulted in a car with semi-autonomous driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to test “normal” technologies. Also Bosch was not outdone with its own prototype demonstrating that the entire industry is moving in this direction.
Just a year before Google had launched on the same occasion ‘ Android car’ their version of embedded software of infotainment, navigation and telephony. An alliance which collected the most important car and that was the answer to the Apple Car, the IOS system combining devices of Cupertino with the car.
Apple was not present at this year’s CES, but in retrospect it seemed like a strategy to get out a few weeks later with rumors that are influencing the debate of ‘ automotive . To the point that at the Geneva, home of the big news and parterre that sees the presence of the elite world number one, the most frequently asked questions were: “What do you think the entry of Apple in the automotive sector?”, A catchphrase that has involved the same shareholders’ meeting of the “apple” of Cupertino, appropriately dribblate by CEO Tim Cook between a joke and not an answer.
In order to better understand the essence of this good news it is first to frame some premises. There are many signs of how the ‘ technology industry is being increasingly closer to’ automotive and vice versa. The Silicon Valley , known to all as the technological district for excellence, is being enriched with important appearances by other sectors. The Ford has recently opened in Palo Alto the most advanced research center of the group, led by Dragos Maciuca, coincidentally just coming from Apple and backed by a degree in mechanical engineering, an MBA and a long experience in Silicon Valley. with him a team of 125 people who will bring Ford Olympus technological innovation.
BMW, one of the first companies in the industry, has been operating for over ten years, the “ BMW Technology Office USA ” based in Mountain View a few meters from Google, to focus research on human-machine interface for easy management (among the most famous output, the system IDrive), the services of driver assistance or new materials and production.
Density search
But in the few miles that develops the Silicon Valley are active other research centers of Toyota, Honda, Mercedes, as well as large corporations such as Bosch, Continental, Delphi and Denso. None of the big players remained out of the arena of competitive research and integration of automotive and computer technology.
In a decade of intensive research and development can be “normal” a neighborhood ever closer union among the big names in their respective industries. It is no coincidence that Tesla was born right here. A concentrate of innovation that has encased itself new scenarios its automotive (such as technology electric drive ) and information technology (auto related, integrated management platforms distance, etc.), as well as peculiarities commercial atypical for the United States (direct sales and through dealer franchises).
Another important element revolves around the financial system industry. The car market is coming out of an unprecedented global crisis that in many cases has embarrassed entire historical groups. The investment in development have focused on the cost reduction , in safety, and only in recent years, thanks to the recovery of certain geographic markets and the application emerging countries , the auto industry shows dynamism by distant memories.
In contrast the ‘ technology industry has grown tremendously in the last decade with peak capitalizations from astronomical figures from young start-ups or established brands. A “bubble” that has not yet broken and which continues to find areas of growth in the neighboring sectors and integrable. And here is a first element.
The great disposable income industry has allowed some players to approach an industry such as automotive, famously based on barriers to ‘ entry very high. Until now, however, it was invest in products and componentistiche , also complex. Systems that did converge mobile technologies with the car to bring users new ways to enjoy and live the experience of driving. But now barriers are definitely collapsed and while we do not see Ford produce mobile phones and tablets, we are instead in front of the Google car.
The Mountain View giant is known for investments in sectors high innovation . The famous GoogleX, department of campus dedicated to secret projects, seems to churn out ideas among the most forward-looking: the complex systems, the robotic , the most improbable gadgets (as proved in part the google glass) up to get to the autonomous driving which, remember, Google is a reality for many years. 
More recently, Google unveiled little “egg” designed and built in their R & amp; D. On a recent visit I had the opportunity to personally see the prototype , while performing tests in an area of the campus technology. Compact lines, typical of the city car of the latest generation, stood out the unusual interior ergonomics, not yet disclosable as images, but focuses on a new way of conceiving space.
Two seats, no steering wheel and a mini “cockpit” with the most important information, projected onto a screen tablet style. Essentially the ‘ car as a PC .
It is not known how they will be developed interior definitive, but certainly the way Google is already in the finishing straight. But what is the goal of Google ? It is one thing to realize innovative prototypes, concentrates technologies to experiment with new forms of mobility. It is to build a different distribution system , commercial and after sales service. The car business is very complex and not just because of technology. Well aware of the top management of Tesla in America for several years struggling with the regulations and the lobby of the distribution network.
The network on the road
In fact a few weeks ago Chris Urmson , project manager of Google, announced that the group is looking partners in industry car bring the car on google roads .
And if Audi, Volkswagen, BMW and Ford have already concrete projects are in various large groups that could form alliances with Mountain View. Although it is not clear, however, where they will be regulated the first cars to autonomous driving .
Today we are in a legal vacuum that may soon become a problem for the realization of the pilot projects . Autonomous cars require a framework of legislative action to define the contents and limits of use of technologies, in addition to shared safety problems . And so, in addition to California, other countries will carry on.
‘ England has recently started studying for a number of regulations that can enable driverless cars to move freely in the streets. The British Transport Commission formally announced the start of work, with the goal of reduce road fatalities and accidents, especially in urban areas .
Very different path Apple and the many reasons why you could get into the automotive business. First Apple has a considerable financial availability , calculated at 180 billion dollars, which make the company capable of almost any investment in the sector. Second Apple monitors very closely the so-called “disruptive technologies” to draw future scenarios coming out of long-term horizons.
Many rumor last year gave Apple interested in the business of 3d Printing , another very topical issue that is revolutionizing the potential of the manufacturing industry. In that case the issue concerned the intention of Apple to produce a 3D printer to its own brand, as a new product for global distribution. Still being studied, the business would integrate well with the distribution network of Apple and a new piece of design in style Apple could complete even more the range of the Apple Store in the world. The investment in this case would be very small compared to automotive and less complex in the management of the entire supply chain.
It is more difficult to think of a Apple Car parked in the basement of the 5th Avenue in New York, home to the thousands of fans to the brand who attend one of the famous Apple Store like an entertainment venue. The strategic decision Apple would then have a much broader significance, from multiple origins.
Apple has accustomed us to high impact innovations in the daily life and the car is certainly one of the goods of mass popular. But revolutionize this industry is much more complex as a whole and therefore Apple should focus all efforts existing technology. That’s why it is said that the Apple car should be electric drive, to autonomous driving, certainly associated with your Iphone (which could even drive it ).
Of course we can not buy it in the normal dealers, so it would require a new sales network , in many cases integrated in the Apple Store (perhaps to set up the car, choose the different versions or see it through some form of augmented reality). The technical skills of Apple is no shortage of top executives with automotive experience.
Eddy Cue , “head of internet and software services”, is on the board of Ferrari, Phil Schiller , “head of Marketing,” is notoriously a car enthusiast. Luca Maestri , CFO of the group, Italian origins – manager extremely friendly and professional, met personally in a visit to Apple a few months ago – twenty years experience in General Motors. Finally one of the most important executives, Joni Ive, designer of the Big Apple, has lived a career alongside the passion for four wheels .
A number of these top managers are added Technical car to the point that it is rumored there are more than 200 people to work on the Project Titan . Ready also partners. It seems that the top executives have flown up in Austria at the factories of Magna, which already produces cars third parties and where there are production lines and also expertise in the electricity sector. Strangely enough, a few weeks after the indiscretion you find that Samsung SDI , a division of the multinational Asian devoted to energy and batteries, had bought all the business unit’s own Magna. Synergies of war or suppliers ?
Finally, if lacking specific expertise, no expense is spared and some managers were hired in Apple with bonus entry in the order of 250 thousand dollars. Many of these managers arrive by Tesla. But then why not buy directly Teslamotors? This is great variation of fantafinanza that was circulating in the area. That may make sense when viewed in the long term.
Meanwhile, the home of Palo Alto has already implemented many of the investments needed and shared with the vision of Apple. Although the strategy of rigid Elon Musk is to make everything always internally in order to acquire value and expertise. Therefore all the technologies of Apple should be reviewed and integrated with the work already done by Tesla with a possible conflict of merit.
Second Tesla now enjoys a big market advantage. The performance of the vehicles produced, the network of charging infrastructure that is being installed around the world and a brand of great value to its customers give the company a potential equal to the giants of ‘Car , while selling in proportion few thousand cars. But also Tesla is not free of defects, also recognized by customers and estimators. In particular, many finishes, details of assembly, interior details, are often considered not up to the value of the car. Venial sins and all in all well supported by customers, say more than anything else, “the pitfalls of youth” for a new manufacturer.
supercharger , systems of columns designed to deliver up to 125 kW Power in twenty minutes to recharge a Model S, so today are a great asset, but equally represent a closed system that can be used only by the customers themselves. Meanwhile, the automotive world has painfully found a technology alliance in the charging system called “ Combo2 “, leading in the coming years thousands of columns “universal” for many manufacturers (especially German and American) to the expense of Japanese technology used by Nissan and Renault .
In the medium term, then we will find charging systems and compatible with many popular cars , you will also have all the qualities typical of those who produce cars for over a century, then, the “closed” system of the world Tesla will be a limit.
There is no further information at the time and Cupertino mouths are sewn at all levels, with the risk that it is a great media speculation and Apple could easily become a preferred supplier of components for the automotive, avoiding each other many problems but guaranteeing fat margins. But even here there will be surprises.
Just in these days is the rumor, not too veiled, a new player interested in the sector of the electric car. The tycoon Richard Branson , on the sidelines of the press conference at the Grand Prix of the Formula E of Miami, said of a positive assessment of his group in the input field. We will soon see even a Virgin Car? The challenge is open.
The article by Charles Iacovini, Corporate Relations Manager of Energetic Motor Company, was published on 2/2015 of the bimonthly magazine QualEnergia with the title ‘The car that runs on the bit’ .
No comments:
Post a Comment