That Detroit has it’s hand out once again, surprisingly not. Detroit has been making good cars, great cars and crappy cars for a long time. Their recent failures have been in part due to management not having a diversified view. The top management has fought tooth and nail for years against the higher fuel economy regulations.
The unions have been a grab all we can get too mentality, which is not healthy. So with the phantom energy crisis in the early 70’s and the later one in the late 70′ s where I recall waiting in line, odd and even days as necessary, it strikes me what we have is a management problem, not a, do we know how to make good or efficient cars problem.
The 70’s illustrated you couldn’t continue making crappy cars, as the Japanese automakers got their foot in the door and you and I as the American consumer bought the best product at the best price. Detroit’s management screwed up, which was a benefit for all consumers. The UAW is not without blame for the high cost of labor. In part, because of that ,the Japanese and Germans are building cars in Tennessee and Mississippi. The workers do high quality work, and have a wage they find acceptable, and are non-union.
So the issue is in my view is in part resources were not focused early enough and in great enough quantity on renewable or alternative energy because the auto makers were so tied to cheap gas. American consumers are culpable too as they continued to support this short sighted behavior.
The good thing is that the Americans can and do, make some great products, and do have some good technology. Why is it that Honda and Toyota were working on alternative vehicles and bringing to production the Prius and Insight? Did they see the future? We have visionaries in American industry, just not the big auto industry. I-Pod anyone? E-bay? Just a few of the game changers we all know.
This video of the futuristic plant in Brazil gives hope. With good visionary top down direction, the US Automakers can once again make great affordable products. The vast chasm of executive pay at the US Automakers and many other companies is an excess that should be stopped. Maybe bankruptcy would be the best solution? The American worker can and often is the best most efficient worker in the world, so having them be part of the solution is paramount to the US auto industry regaining it’s home ground advantage and having our energy resources within country. The Future of the global auto industry
Electric cars have the potential to do vast good. Think about it, less money over seas, less noise, less global warming,less health issues from all the particulates of diesel and carbon di- and mon-oxide.
I think the future can be good, but sweep out the top leadership that is in for more of the same. The high gas prices were a good thing as Americans are finally realizing that our dependence on foreign oil is not a good thing, and since we have been unwilling to install comprehensive mass transit systems, those vehicles we do ride around in, need to be powered with another source of energy from our country.
This video illustrates the need for diversity, innovation and a non segregated workforce.. Those corporate jets should be for all employees…… don’t you think?