Editor, TU-Auto
Paul Myles, Editor, TU-Auto
Q: What interested you about joining the Advisory Board for AutoTech: Europe?
A: To be part of the debate considering the latest thinking on the challenges and opportunities facing the automotive industry in a time of extreme transition.
Q: What hot topics are you exploring most in the automotive sector currently?
A: Fighting against the knee-jerk reaction to forcing BEVs on the public when ICE powertrains are more suitable for most and can reduce greenhouse gases quicker. Secondly, promoting the more robust approach, in safety terms, by many automakers using a variety of ADAS sensors as opposed to those cost-cutters promising autonomous capabilities by employing limited sensor arrays, such as Tesla and its camera dependency.
Q: Are there any examples of a product or service from outside of the automotive industry that you have taken inspiration from? What was it, and how was it inspirational?
A: The telecoms industry has shown that users are happy to share data with a ‘trusted’ brand to gain the benefits of tailored services. This is a clear lesson for automakers to use their trusted brand status in all the on-board technology they provide and not fall into the trap of sharing tech across brands only for a consumer to see a ‘Powered by Toyota’ message come up on the infotainment screen of a Lexus!
Q: In what way can automakers build a more strategic business through shared learnings with a third party?
A: Automakers are cooperating more with the big digital plays, such as Google and Apple, but risk having brand diluted too much if they let the third-parties’ brands take too much of a lead role.
Q: How can automakers connect future visions with the reality of current applications and technology?
A: They have to find a way to future-proof their vehicles’ in-cabin experience. Naturally, OTA is helping to do this with software but there also should be a way of upgrading hardware. I don’t believe the rapid vehicle churn of the post-war period will ever come back (as much for climate reasons as consumer demand) so automakers will have to monetize the bolt-ons better or even consider recommissioning pre-owned platforms into ‘new’ products.