Will auto shows ever be more shocking and disruptive?
Try selling an off-the-wall concept every once in a while
Have major automakers colluded against out-of-the-box-thinking?
Today is the first day of press days at the LA Auto Show, which is supposed to be the green auto show. Yet, there aren’t really that many buzzworthy green debuts expected. Automakers seem too big and stodgy to actually be surprising.
Couldn’t an automaker gain some real PR buzz by doing something completely unexpected and unanticipated?
Earlier today I was thinking about this in How Chindian hybrid vehicles could save America. Essentially, China and India are the future of the auto industry, but what we drive in America today is not going to drive the future of the Chindian market. Isn’t that a problem?
Why not start trying to build the future in America? Why not try to be more disruptive?
Moreover, why not use auto shows to actually do something shocking? Every auto show instead seems to be filled with trend du jours where automakers just go through the motions, to show us they’re going to build the future — one day.
Well, why not just give us a real futuristic product rather than just concepts? Or at least a product that breaks the mold every once in a while? I don’t mean just a new hybrid or plug-in vehicle. There are many interesting concepts out there, but instead of concepts, make these vehicles production ready and try to sell a run of them.
Yes, I know small production lines aren’t cost-effective, and maybe that’s the problem. Maybe new production systems need to be explored all the time so that the auto industry can become far more flexible, and adaptable. Isn’t that truly the path to becoming revolutionary?
Anyway, just ranting.
Horses are a good shock against gas prices.
Yeah, I just don’t see automakers showing any real vision, really trying to challenge the status quo.
Be a little daring for crying out loud.
Dahc – You’re absolutely on the mark here. These auto shows tend to be more pipe dream than reality. Who gives a shit about concept if you’re not going to ACTUALLY build the damn thing?
It would be sweet if someone came out with something unique and universal for the general public. Like I’ve bemoaned, why not an a la carte style of auto-building? Provide the basic model with no bells and whistles, and let the yahoos who want them to add them on at their own cost.
Oh, well. Might as well buy a horse…