Why auto industry needs a Steve Jobs for electric cars?

The electric vehicles segment and the history of communication and computing giant, Apple has a lot in common. Both were pioneered as visionary concepts, both have had products that were good per se, but failed miserably, and both were created with the intension of providing consumers with state-of-the-art products that would take users’ lifestyles up by a few notch. While Apple benefited from the business acumen and ingenuity of the late Steve Jobs, the electric vehicle segment is still struggling to come of out the combustion engine-run vehicles’ shadow.

Auto industry needs Steve Jobs

Conspiracy theories that suggest that an evil nexus between big auto corporations and petroleum companies has intentionally suppressed the electric vehicle technology have also been doing the rounds of the auto circles with the 2006 documentary film Who Killed the Electric Car? By Chris Paine claiming that the development and adoption of this hydrogen vehicles, and electric battery-run car technology was limited by the Californian government in the United States as well as forces within General Motors which had manufactured a battery electric vehicle called the EV1 in the mid 1990s.

It has also been suggested that big oil and gas firms largely suppressed electric car technology by putting up unfair trade practices that were left unchecked by corrupt governments which resulted in the sabotage attempts to produce an 'inexpensive' electric car by the like of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison during 1913–1914, though an electric car set the world's land speed record going at 65 mph in 1899.

Whatever be the truth of this conspiracy theory, the fact of the matter remains that the auto industry today is struggling globally with the bankruptcy and bail-out of two of the American Big Three, global economy and the spending power of the largely unemployed public is low, and fears of petroleum scarcity is driving global diesel and petrol prices higher and higher. This essentially means that the time is ripe for electric vehicle manufacturers to eat their market shares of combustion-engine-run vehicles and this is where the industry needs a Steve Jobs for itself.

Why auto industry needs a Steve Jobs for electric cars?

One of the most remarkable achievements of the late Apple co-founder was that he was dedicated to making products that would ultimately provide customers with the most value for their money. The reason behind the popularity of Apple’s iPhone and iPod lines is the fact that they offer unthought-of before technology to users at a relatively affordable price. Though Tesla has done commendably in the sector, it still starts at an almost exorbitant $109,000 asking price for its basic unit which needs to be rethought by the sector as a whole.

Independence from big auto corps

Lest face it, big auto corps have not proven themselves to be the most astute decision-makers given the pooper they’ve pushed global economies into. This is where new players could really come in, with fresh mindsets and no pressure of sticking to long- and short- term policies, shareholders’ expectations, rival companies, their policies and products, etc, to distract them from coming up with user-centric EVs.

However, the main reason why the electric auto industry needs a Steve jobs is the fact that Apple is the only computer manufacturer in the world who has fended off Microsoft’s relentless monopoly and domination of the sector by providing user-oriented products. The EV sector needs to take on the combustion-engine goliath in much the same way. Though electric vehicles industry is still coming into its own, the efforts of almost established automakers like Tesla as well as European innovators like Italian firm Rimac Automobili, Russian Yo-auto and German e-Wolf, are being noticed by mainstream automakers that are coming up with their own electrified versions.

Freedom from petroleum-driven politics and governmental control

Though no automaker anywhere in the world will ever categorically agree to being governed covertly by their country’s foreign policy and their relationship with oil-producing economies, the fact remains that the auto sector and its refusal to bring electrified vehicles to the masses is in part to blame for various political conflicts across the world. Not only are oil consuming countries under immense pressure to keep oil-rich states and regions under their influence or control, but the fact remains that a lot of the so-called petro-dollars are redirected into the hands of extremists and terror organizations which in turn create more conflict and war and confusion. A Steve Jobs-style business model for the EV sector would allow developers to impact the socio-political and economic mindset of the world in a big way allowing regions to be rid of conflict and war.

Respecting the needs of the end-user

With automobiles, the end-user never really has the option of being too demanding. The entire auto sector has been driven by clever marketing by creating myths around automobiles turning them into objects of desire and making the user think that what they get is what they should want rather than addressing the needs of the customer themselves. Steve Jobs’ most memorable contribution to the world of communications and computing world was to create products that addressed the needs of the customers and evolved with them. Since the field of electrified vehicle-making is something that the world is really waking up to, there aren’t any hard-and-fast rules as to what can be put in a car- just like the iPhone app store, the future EV can be fitted with all kinds of user-centric tech that would not only ferry people from point A to point B, but also allow them to make most of the time they spend in the vehicle with clever applications that use cloud computing to help the user stay connected to their homes and work while on the go and also allow them to perhaps finish chores like ordering groceries online and just swinging by the store to simply pick up their deliveries. Just like your iPhone, the possibilities for what a future EV can hold and do are endless.

The social impact of a strong, user-centric automobile industry

One of the main reasons why firms like Apple and Facebook have transformed into the phenomenon successes that they have is the fact that they put the end-user first and profit-making last rather than it being the other way around. This approach has, so far, been lacking in the automobile industry which still depends in a huge way on traditional methods of creating wealth for itself, this putting the customer on the backburner. By creating user-focused vehicles, EV manufacturers will have to try less hard to promote their products. Also, the use of green tech will allow manufacturers to appeal to the masses due to the exemptions they get from governments while in the long run, the environmental and social benefits from having EVs replace combustion engine vehicles would be absolutely huge.