[ad_1]
TTHE ANNUAL Presentation of electronic objects for the consumer (THESE) in Las Vegas used to be a gadget spree that you can put in your pocket or hang on the wall. This has not been true for some years. As vehicles move from being a mechanical engineering block to a digital platform for mobility services, and motor shows lose importance, automakers have sought new venues to display their products. In this year (virtual) THESE, which opened on January 11, once again joined the makers of smart phones, smart toilets and smart dog fins to showcase their smartest technology.
THESE it has gained importance because vehicles are changing. Bosch, a parts supplier, pointed out at the show that a typical car had 10 million lines of code in 2010; today it has 100m. This month, Ford had to idle a factory in Kentucky for a week due to a global semiconductor shortage that deprived it of the chips that run its cars.
The electrification of transportation will accelerate the transformation of vehicles into electronic devices. Battery power requires a new electronic architecture that will come with better hardware and software integration, and improved connectivity. Harman, an automotive technology company, envisions a “third living space” between home and work, using development to bridge a connectivity gap and offer new in-car services such as interactive concerts and games.
However, in other ways, cars are still a metal box. Although electrification has lowered barriers to entry into the auto business, which were formidable for heavy metal use, vehicles are still best made by companies that can build to scale and with a trustworthy brand.
As a result, auto companies are racking their brains on how much software runs the new electronic functions of their vehicles that they should develop in-house and how much to outsource to tech companies. TO THESE Daimler showed off Hyperscreen, a new touchscreen dash for its luxury electric models. Mary Barra, Head of GM, delivered a keynote address reiterating the Detroit stalwart’s electrical and electronic plans. In the fall GM It said it would invest $ 27 billion in electric cars by 2025 and launch 30 new models. Prior to THESE introduced a new logo, repainted blue to evoke clean skies and its “METERMade to look a bit like a plug. This week, the firm made more announcements about its electrification plans, including details on its BrightDrop electric delivery van and new electric Cadillacs (as well as, inevitably, a flying car concept).
Tech companies, for their part, are mulling over mobile hardware. Apple’s flirtation with electric cars exemplifies the complexities of the relationship. Rumors that he intended to make electric vehicles first surfaced in 2014. Two years later, when the problem and the expense became apparent, he abandoned the idea. On January 7, a news report on talks with Hyundai to build an Apple car sent the South Korean automaker’s share price up nearly 20%. Hyundai acknowledged that it was in early talks with the iPhone maker. Apple has yet to comment. Just as automakers look to Las Vegas, it seems like big technology is headed the other way.■
For more information on climate change, sign up for The Climate Issue, our bi-weekly newsletter, or visit our climate change center.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the title “Steel and Silicon.”
