It’s Friday here, and probably Friday where you are, too. Regulars will know that this is when we pick a blog written this week by one of our dealerships. We choose a blog that catches our eye for any number of reasons–media-rich, insightful, funny, topically relevant, etc.
This week we were drawn to Leith Porsche’s ruminations on the 717 electric sedan coming from Porsche in a few years. Though the focus of the blog was how this new power source will impact the iconic body style that has made Porsche into what it is, our thoughts used it as a springboard to another topic.
Namely, that the U.S. automotive industry is on the cusp of one of the most innovative moments in its history. By 2020, we will have gotten not only this new Porsche. We will have a first-ever car from Google, a first-ever car from Apple, and a whole host of electric and plug-in electric vehicles from every automaker with even an ounce of foresight. The automotive industry has been plugging along doing business as usual for decades, possibly even a full century. But now change is coming.
Besides new power sources and new Silicon Valley players, we will also see changes in what means to be a driver. Specifically, we are talking about cars getting smart enough to drive themselves. Many automakers say they already have the technology for self-driving cars. What’s holding them back is a lack of regulation (read:authorization) from the federal government. In five years, some of those regulations could be authored, which would fundamentally alter how we use automobiles forever.
So, enjoy the post from Leith Porsche.