3 ms·

This works great in a software dominated world, or in a world where Moore's law (or something like it) makes the device (though useful) obsolete. However, cars

This works great in a software dominated world, or in a world where Moore's law (or something like it) makes the device (though useful) obsolete. However, cars fit in a category that people consider to be a durable good. For decades, now, the expectation is that the car does not become landfill material until long after 10 years of use. If basic functionality is either a) unobtainable; or b) ridiculously pricey before those 10 years are up -- you've just lost a customer. For all their GPS and voice-commands, the Teslas, at root, remain a car. Buyers still expect that the point-A-to-point-B functionality can safely be maintained during the typical lifespan of a car -- and not that of an iPhone.

lotsofpulp 6y ago
> However, cars fit in a category that people consider to be a durable good. It’s not because people consider it a durable good. It’s because people can’t afford or aren’t willing to pay the amount for a new car if an alternative is available. Many people aren’t going to shell out for a $35k Tesla that only lasts 10 years / 200,000 miles and is worth near zero at the end of 10 years if they can get a Toyota that will last 300,000+ miles, 20+ years, and is still worth a few thousand dollars. Cars are the second most expensive purchase most people make in their life, they literally can’t afford the luxury of a new one willy nilly (for cars brands aiming to be mainstream brands).