What do you think about this?

[DoctorStiches]

Apple investing $3.6 billion in Kia for Apple car production, report says

Apple is reportedly investing $3.6 billion in Kia, which will build an autonomous electric Apple car, a new report says. Production is scheduled to begin in 2024.

www.foxbusiness.com

Its an interesting idea and i wonder if kia will aquire advanced tech from this deal

 

[Luc343]

Judging by the number of driver deaths in Tesla auto pilot, I'm going to give auto pilot a miss.

These days it appears that so long as tech works most of the time, thats good enough

 

[colnago1331]

The problem with Tesla is that it's a tech company masquerading as a car company; and while it does the tech stuff pretty good, it's a mediocre car to drive. Hopefully, by partnering with Kia, the Apple Car will be both tech-savvy and a good car.

 

[Blue Bucket]

If I can't drive the car, I don't want the car. Simple as that.

 

[DaveC]

It's in keeping with the rest of the current world. In five years, Amazon and Apple will be the only companies left. Haha.

 

[app_master]

It's in keeping with the rest of the current world. In five years, Amazon and Apple will be the only companies left. Haha.

Google too ... they all own us

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Manual transmission is dying off.
Combustion-based vehicles are dying off.
Performance cars and/or enthusiast cars are dying off.

The market is greatly shifting in a direction I personally am not a fan of but understand why it is going that way... I love to drive my cars and do it myself... but alas that is all going away...

Probably within the next decade or so the majority of cars will be hybrid or electric and have either partial autonomous driving or full autonomous driving...

 

[Revvdmedia]

Actually I think the more plausible direction for automobiles, if driven by green factors, is that car ownership will likely become a thing of the past. I would imagine autonomous ride sharing in mass with no need to own a vehicle. I recall this being the direction that Ford planned to take regarding autonomous driving vehicles. Perhaps the exemption would be specific work vehicles (those who do field work in oil and gas, etc).

I'm also of the opinion that autonomous driving will not be into full swing until ALL vehicles are autonomous. Until you take driver error out of the equation, autonomous driving is prone to failure due to human intervention (error).

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

Actually I think the more plausible direction for automobiles, if driven by green factors, is that car ownership will likely become a thing of the past. I would imagine autonomous ride sharing in mass with no need to own a vehicle. I recall this being the direction that Ford planned to take regarding autonomous driving vehicles. Perhaps the exemption would be specific work vehicles (those who do field work in oil and gas, etc).

I'm also of the opinion that autonomous driving will not be into full swing until ALL vehicles are autonomous. Until you take driver error out of the equation, autonomous driving is prone to failure due to human intervention (error).

Yeah it's definitely going in that direction... but the question is what about all the people who live out in the middle of nowhere?

I feel like I was born a bit too late to be a car enthusiast... idk... the fun of driving is being taken away from most cars... and yes probably in my lifetime I am going to see everyone using some flavor of public transportation or ride-sharing...

 

[Ohiocruiser]

Actually I think the more plausible direction for automobiles, if driven by green factors, is that car ownership will likely become a thing of the past. I would imagine autonomous ride sharing in mass with no need to own a vehicle. I recall this being the direction that Ford planned to take regarding autonomous driving vehicles. Perhaps the exemption would be specific work vehicles (those who do field work in oil and gas, etc).

I'm also of the opinion that autonomous driving will not be into full swing until ALL vehicles are autonomous. Until you take driver error out of the equation, autonomous driving is prone to failure due to human intervention (error).

We will own nothing, and we will be happy. At the same time we all will be owned.

 

[DoctorStiches]

I will be a rebellious soul if they try to take my cars away believe me

 

[Blue Bucket]

I literally shave 3 hours of commute time off my day by having my own car. If someone wants to pay me to take public transit, I would think about it.

 

[Kamauxx]

Performance cars and/or enthusiast cars are dying off.

That's an interesting statement. Care to elaborate?

IMO, we're in a golden age for performance cars. Sure, some may be electric but that doesn't always take away from their credibility. I can't think of a single time in the history of automobiles (including the 60s muscle car era) where there have been so many performance oriented vehicles from so many automakers. I can't even think of an automaker that currently isn't making some type of performance vehicle. Even Toyota/Honda/Kia/Hyundai are in the game, and those four are arguably the ones you'd least expect to make go-fast cars.

 

[DoctorStiches]

"This is a bad time to be a mustang fan" lol

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

That's an interesting statement. Care to elaborate?

IMO, we're in a golden age for performance cars. Sure, some may be electric but that doesn't always take away from their credibility. I can't think of a single time in the history of automobiles (including the 60s muscle car era) where there have been so many performance oriented vehicles from so many automakers. I can't even think of an automaker that currently isn't making some type of performance vehicle. Even Toyota/Honda/Kia/Hyundai are in the game, and those four are arguably the ones you'd least expect to make go-fast cars.

Sure!

I do agree that many manufacturers are stepping it up and building fast cars which would put many sports cars from even a few decades ago to shame... but... manual transmission is dying off which does remove a huge portion of the enthusiast market. Furthermore, with regulations becoming stricter, the majority of cars (stock from the factory) do not sound as good as they did before. Certain performance cars are being axed entirely... Evo is gone... Mustang is gone... etc... Also, more and more countries are pushing to ban fossil-fuels and eliminate or greatly reduce the use of combustion-based vehicles.

Yes, we have incredible machines on the road today... and heck a brand new Accord or Camry are putting down Ferrari (pre 1990's) 0-60 times which is amazing... but look at how much has changed... BMW is no longer building the majority of their cars for driver enthusiasts... sure we have the M2 but... it's not the same... the M3/M4 sound like garbage... Audi cut off manual transmission... my buddy loved his S5 with the old school stick-shift... Evo is dead... Mustang is a SJW Vegan...

Performance has improved greatly, I never denied that, but the heart and soul of driving and being a motorsport enthusiast is dying. You can buy a Tesla that will go 0-60 in under 2.5 seconds but it has no soul. You can buy a M3 and cruise around, throw it around, but it has no connection or feel to it. That is what I meant by "Performance cars and/or enthusiast cars are dying off."

 

[Kamauxx]

Sure!

I do agree that many manufacturers are stepping it up and building fast cars which would put many sports cars from even a few decades ago to shame... but... manual transmission is dying off which does remove a huge portion of the enthusiast market. Furthermore, with regulations becoming stricter, the majority of cars (stock from the factory) do not sound as good as they did before. Certain performance cars are being axed entirely... Evo is gone... Mustang is gone... etc... Also, more and more countries are pushing to ban fossil-fuels and eliminate or greatly reduce the use of combustion-based vehicles.

Yes, we have incredible machines on the road today... and heck a brand new Accord or Camry are putting down Ferrari (pre 1990's) 0-60 times which is amazing... but look at how much has changed... BMW is no longer building the majority of their cars for driver enthusiasts... sure we have the M2 but... it's not the same... the M3/M4 sound like garbage... Audi cut off manual transmission... my buddy loved his S5 with the old school stick-shift... Evo is dead... Mustang is a SJW Vegan...

Performance has improved greatly, I never denied that, but the heart and soul of driving and being a motorsport enthusiast is dying. You can buy a Tesla that will go 0-60 in under 2.5 seconds but it has no soul. You can buy a M3 and cruise around, throw it around, but it has no connection or feel to it. That is what I meant by "Performance cars and/or enthusiast cars are dying off."

I get what you mean. I've already decided my next car will be AWD and electric. Probably a Audi e-Tron GT. Electric cars might not have the smell or sound of a full bolt-on, cammed, cat-less 6.2 liter V8 BUT they GO. And really, when buying a performance car I just want a whiplash machine, and nothing snaps your head back like a sub 3 second 0-60. Maybe I'll pump in some exhaust notes through the speakers.

 

[WRXtoStingerGT]

I get what you mean. I've already decided my next car will be AWD and electric. Probably a Audi e-Tron GT. Electric cars might not have the smell or sound of a full bolt-on, cammed, cat-less 6.2 liter V8 BUT they GO. And really, when buying a performance car I just want a whiplash machine, and nothing snaps your head back like a sub 3 second 0-60. Maybe I'll pump in some exhaust notes through the speakers.

100% know what you mean!

I worked for Tesla for a year and got to experience some pretty insane cars... There is something about having a sound and feel of shifting that I love too much though... I am sure in 20+ years when I am in my "mid-life" range of age my personal preferences will change...

 

[Revvdmedia]

Heart and soul performance machines are being killed off by the manufacturer's bean counters, environmental regulation and also the consumers. The bean counters are there to ensure the manufacturer turns a profit, and while you can have profit margins in a sports car, it takes volume to recoup the R&D cost of building a bespoke platform that has many particular intricacies for that particular vehicle. The volume on a sports are typically doesn't exist to earn back all the R&D, hence why so many partnership vehicles these days. Some vehicles reside on nameplates that can sell for exorbitant amounts of money, meaning it can be viable for a manufacturer to turn a profit (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche) although at least the latter are owned by VAG who allows these cars to be built since Volkswagen makes up the volume. Environmental regulation chokes off the exhaust, both sound and pollutants, with pre-particulate filters, and turbochargers in an effort to keep power while reducing displacement. Lastly, the consumer dictates how the car needs to be built to satisfy the largest number of buyers. Electric power steering ties into parasitic loss (fuel economy) but the request of autonomous parking and lane keep assist requires this technology. The desire for AWD hurts RWD sales and makes cars on average heavier. Consumers want cars that are quiet but also fun to drive, you can't truly have both to a full extent. Once you add refinement and sound deadening, coupled with noise restrictions, you can't expect to hear that beautiful exhaust unless you open the windows, the cabin is just too isolated. Manual transmissions are dying in a threefold mission - pursuit of performance (PDK/DCT is simply faster), low volume sales on manual, and costs of developing multiple transmissions. If you can bolt on a one size fits all transmission, in some vehicles depending on sales split, it'll just be more economical for the manufacturer to put an auto in all cars.

Let's not talk about the "SUV" crisis that is going on right now as well, basically killing all cars in general.

We reap what we sow.

 

[stoopid]

There's a chance that fossil fuel alternatives may end up going into our tanks, similar idea to ethanol but more realistic to grow (thinking algae alternative fuels). The issue with electric has been the battery tech, which is advancing but not at the pace needed for more widespread adoption (yet), and that many people with on street parking/public garage don't have the ability to charge a car even if they had an EV. The infrastructure for an EV dominated world isn't there (yet). This has me believing we'll see alternative fuels compatible with our existing combustion engines holding us over while the industry (slowly) migrates to all electric.

 

[Revvdmedia]

There's a chance that fossil fuel alternatives may end up going into our tanks, like ethanol but more realistic to grow (thinking algae alternative fuels). The issue with electric has been the battery tech, which is advancing but not at the pace needed for more widespread adoption (yet), and that many people with on street parking/public garage don't have the ability to charge a car even if they had an EV. The infrastructure for an EV dominated world isn't there (yet). This has be believing we'll see alternative fuels compatible with our existing combustion engines holding us over while the industry (slowly) migrates to all electric.

On the EV front, both Tesla and Toyota have stated that the infrastructure required for charging EV vehicles is not up to the task. Now considering Tesla in particular, but also Toyota wanting to move into EV, you know there is a problem when the manufacturer of goods states that they can't sell you enough of them because it won't work.