·Japanese automakers or suppliers of technology companies
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With technology companies such as Google and Apple involved in the automotive industry, intending to change the way people own and drive vehicles, the days of affordable models such as Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla may be few. This is a warning from world-renowned Japanese industrial designer Ken Okuyama. The designer of the Ferrari F60 Enzo and Porsche Bokst said that disruptive autonomous driving technology may pose a threat to Japan's status as a major automobile producer.
At the opening of the Tokyo Motor Show this week, Okuyama Kiyoshi accepted an interview with the media at his industrial design studio in Tokyo. He said, "If you don't be vigilant, Japanese automakers may become suppliers to those technology companies."
Okuyama Kiyoshi pointed out that Google and Apple will be the ultimate test of Toyota and other mainstream car dealers. As programming becomes an increasingly important part of automotive manufacturing, Japanese car dealers are under pressure to prove to others that they have the ability to compete with technology giants in that area.
Google's driverless car products include the modified version of the Toyota Lexus SUV and the prototype of the pod-shaped driverless car Google Car. Both are currently on the road in the United States. Apple is rumored to be launching a driverless car in 2019.
Honda said on Tuesday that it is developing new auto-setup technology for crowded traffic and technology to support auto-driving cars through pre-programming. The company also acknowledges that it may face competitive threats from technology companies in the future.
“At the moment, it’s still unknown whether Google and Apple can make a car,†said Koichi Fukuo, president of Honda’s R&D. “But they are all actively recruiting talent to advance their car plans. From this perspective, we cannot rule out them. The possibility of eventually becoming our competitor."
Market or polarization Osan Qingxing expects that with the increasing automation of cars, the car market may gradually split into two camps in the future: cars that are only used to meet public transportation needs, such as those that can be summoned by taxi applications. Driverless taxis; and super-luxury cars designed for the rich.
He said that the car ownership rate will therefore decline, and the market demand for affordable traditional models such as the popular Honda Civic will be reduced.
“Automotive manufacturers use existing technology and road infrastructure to build cars and build emotional connections with drivers. This is how they have always added value to their products.â€
"But cars are already commoditized, so they have to become more advanced and more affordable." Okuyama Kiyoshi said. He predicted that there will be only minimalist "commodity" cars and luxury cars on the road ahead.
Okuyama Kiyoshi said that although this polarized market may take shape after many years, Japanese automakers must pay more attention to introducing advanced technologies that are beneficial to the car – an area that they have been falling behind for many years.
“Driver cars will eventually become ubiquitous, so car dealers will not only sell hardware, but also sell the overall system of running cars. Companies like Mercedes and Toyota are already working on this. But Google is already ahead of them."
Of course, Japanese car companies have also begun to show their own autonomous driving technology. Toyota will show the automatic lane change function and automatic entry to the main line on the Tokyo Expressway this month. The world's largest car dealer plans to launch its first driverless car in 2020.
Honda and Nissan also plan to bring their advanced driverless car products to market by 2020.
Currently, most automakers focus on developing automated driving features such as automatic braking, automatic parking and automatic lane change. Google and Tokyo robot startup ZMP go a step further – developing driverless cars without steering wheels or pedals. ZMP plans to launch a robotic taxi service before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.