Evolution: Time for a few auto dinosaurs to die?
Can US automakers reinvent the Model T for this century?It is said that one of the critical moments in human evolution was the extinction of large dinosaurs, for it opened new environments for smaller animals to explore, to adapt and to evolve.
Today, with the US auto industry flailing, it's hard not to wonder if the US auto industry couldn't be revived with a little extinction, and many have made such a case. As fuel economy has become the critical factor for automaker survival, the inefficiencies of the dinosaurs of the US auto industry have become pathetically obvious and simply unacceptable to some.
On the other hand, building autos is no easy business, especially when Americans demand many millions of new vehicles every year, and building new generations of hybrid cars and electric vehicles will be even harder. So, righting these wayward ships of inefficiency seems the most efficient plan, but can US automakers be righted and can they be righted quickly enough?
Also, if a US automaker or two went under, would it only lead to more foreign made cars, or could emerging US companies quickly fill the void?
Labels: fuel economy, Hybrid Vehicles
posted by Dahcredyns at
8:57 AM
8 Comments:
Foreign automakers would fill the void with only slightly more fuel efficient vehicles. The loss of US automakers would be horribly detrimental to the US economy and what would be the gain? Slightly smaller SUVs? A couple of extra compacts?
How does that really help anything?
I don't disagree that foreign automakers offer little change, except for Honda to a small extent. Toyota, the hybrid car leader, still produces a lot of gas-guzzlers. So, I'm not sure there is any gain to be had. Then again, fresh starts are often very good.
Change can hurt. My dad lost his Timber based job when I was a kid, as did most of the town I lived in. We all survived and they were retrained for other jobs.
Sell GM off in pieces, plant by plant or vehicle by vehicle. Someone wants the Trucks division, buy them. Someone wants the Cobalt division, buy that one. Then the smaller dudes can sell some staples and introduce their own electric/hybrid models as well. Or GM will become so cheap, Tesla, Phoenix, Zenn, Zap and the multitude of small companies can join forces and buy them out and Kill THEIR products completely in an interesting twist of Irony!
Change SHOULD hurt...that's what it's about. If something isn't running properly, it needs to change.
If things get worse, so be it...it is what it is. But to state that things need to stay the same or not change drastically because it's too detrimental is ludicrous. This lack of change and resistance to fresh ways of thinking and opportunities is what is extremely detrimental to not just the US but to everyone.
Frankly, when we discuss issues about this planet's future, our future as a species, and what we are going to face in the near future, who gives a rat's ass if US automakers go out of business?
Just like your dad's loss of his job, it had to happen...why? Because timber has been such a disastrous industry to the environment I'm astonished people are STILL in that industry.
When it comes to the hand that feeds you (i.e. this planet), it's amazingly short sited to think we can continue to do what we do for much longer. If GM hadn't squandered away all these years building garbage and had the innovative ability to get involved in products that actually HELP the environment and improve people's lives, we'd not be in the position we are in.
I, for one, frankly do not care on bit about GM surviving. Whatever repercussions it brings we will need to deal with...it's a drop in the bucket compared to what will happen if we continue in the direction we are headed..if it's not too late already.
By the way, to see how pathetic GM is...this should be a good representation of their mentality....and you want this car company to continue to exist?
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/07/15/downer-of-the-day-chevy-beat-not-coming-to-u-s/
Honestly...it doesn't deserve to.
Your right, Noz, and if automakers, consumers, etc were acting intelligently, change wouldn't have had to hurt at all. In fact, US automakers would be flush in profit, instead of being in a position where they are now forced to change and bleeding money as they go further into debt trying to catch up to the changes they should have made years ago.
I know we've probably all moved on from this blog by now, but here is an example of where GM is putting some it's resources and R&D...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080717/ap_on_hi_te/windshields_older_drivers_2
That's a worthy investment, but not at the expense of fuel efficient investments.
Post a Comment
<< Home