Are you happy with your Windows Desktop? How about your Nokia\Samsung\LG Phone? Are you happy with your washer\dryer\blender? Are you happy with the innumerable gadgets you have which are not made by Apple? Yeah, I am not either.
What do you think can be improved about your car? Please leave your comments below..
- They let everyone know what a joke Nokia's state of the art smartphones were.
- They let RIM (Blackberry) know that phones can be a lot more than corporate email.
- They let everyone know that phones can be fun, easy to use and cutting edge.
In spite of AT&T and the iPhone 4 Antenna, iPhone has been the hottest smartphone on the planet since launching in 2007. Before iPhones, everybody accepted the non-intuitive user interfaces, ridiculous menus, boring devices which were overpriced, underpowered and overhyped (remember Motorola RAZR). Then suddenly Apple changed the rules, rejuvenated the market, developed a robust application development ecosystem and innovated consistently with each subsequent release.
So with that in context, let’s take another industry which is known for its problems and lack of progress - the car industry...
So with that in context, let’s take another industry which is known for its problems and lack of progress - the car industry...
Cars are posterchilds for overpriced, underwhelming piece of equipment. Bad design, confusing controls are usual. Expensive cars might have some of these issues sorted out, but more often than not it is not. A few simple things off the top of my head
- Heating and Cooling - If you can figure out the fan speed, set the right heating or cooling without a thermostat you are a genius. To exacerbate the problem, you have to constantly tweak it to stay comfortable.
- Diagnostics - Common people pretty much drive blind, they do not know the tire pressure, health of brake linings, battery without visiting the workshop.
- Blind Spot Indicator - A camera is part of any device now (must cost about $50) but not a car, please explain
- GPS - You can get this but only if you pay more.. a lot more, why does adding a $200 device require the buyer to chip in thousands of dollars. Go figure!
So I started thinking..what would have apple done? What would an apple car - "iCar" look like?
For starters the iCar would have surely looked better…
For starters the iCar would have surely looked better…
- The iCar windshield will be integrated with a camera with Augmented Reality built which shows directions, weather, enhance night driving etc.
- iCars would have complete touch\voice enabled controls without knobs, dials etc.
- In the iCar the ugly air-conditioner vents would be replaced by hidden vents and the iCar's inside temperature is maintained instead hot or cold air blowing in your face.
- iCars will be completely networked which allows immediate help in case of trouble, break down or other issues.
- iCar will have a application platform which allows users to download different apps and use them. For example Google Map, Pandora, Netflix and thereby not requiring a dedicated Navigation system, Radio or DVD player.
- iCar will keep track of its current health in terms of brakes, tyres, engine, batteries, lights and the car workshop can get a reading of all this diagnostic information wirelessly.
Some or most of these capabilities are already trickling down the legacy car makers R&D process but remember how slow RIM\Nokia was before iPhone launched.
What do you think can be improved about your car? Please leave your comments below..
Hey I don't know weather you are a graduate student and belong to the mechanical section; but when it comes to implementation of the last point you mentioned in cars is not an easy thing. It needs inspection with your own eyes to understand weather the specific spare part is worn-out or not. And more over I think Apple won't dare to try out the option of making cars.
ReplyDeleteThe whole car industry (including others) should be reading books like "Taming HAL" and learning by watching Apple (not that learning is enough - you have to execute, which means to be a good engineer and a product manage at the same time).
ReplyDeleteRK, my point was to imagine what it would be like if Apple were to make cars. I don't think they will either. Yes, we cannot rule out human aspect, but some smart technology will certainly help.
ReplyDeleteTaming HAL looks like an interesting read. It is evident that most designers are not focusing on the right things resulting in products that are just plain counter intuitive..
i think you are speaking about american cars, and indeed they are awefull machines, but i drive a bmw 1 series in europe and i must say, one steps in, one is emerged into the car and one can drive with pleasure, it is just a question of how many option you take, like if you hate that you have to ajust the fan and temprature controls, well bmw has a thermostat which allows each passenger to choose it's own prefered temprature(funny if you set the drivers side to 28 degress celcius and the passenger side to 16 degress celcius, one half of the car gets warm, the other half cold) with idrive it's all in one system, you want an ipod connection, hup, you cabn acces it trough idrive
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