I recently took my vehicle down to the shop for maintenance. Well, it wasn’t voluntary, the battery died. I mean died. It took a tow truck to jump it and even then, when I stopped at the service department, they couldn’t restart it again.
As always, there were plenty of other nifty (and expensive) repairs on the docket. One had me scratching my head. My car needed a software update. I get this all the time for my iPhone or laptop. But a car? Plus I had to shell out a c-note for the update (no wireless download for me, thank you).
Then I thought: when will Apple build a car? The idea isn’t so far fetched. Google has created a driverless car. So why can’t Apple join the fray? People thought Apple was nuts when it teamed with AT&T to make a cell phone. Look what happened there.
An Italian designer, Liviu Tudoran, created a car prototype inspired by Macintosh and iPod products. Check out all the specs here. For a look at a Microsoft developed car, check this out.
Imagine it. The new Ford powered by Apple. It could happen. At least then I could get my software downloaded off the cloud. Hey, I’d probably be able to get all the schematics on my vehicle’s performance sent to my phone. That’d put all those specialized mechanics out of work. Plus, think of the apps you could download.
Food for thought.
Tim Kane
Not a bad idea at that! There are so many computerized parts on a car these days, anyway, it shouldn’t be that hard to make software that could more easily be downloaded. My hubby longs for the days when he could take a car apart and put it all back together without any fancy electronics. He hates having to pay exorbitant prices to mechanics who use a computer to diagnose a problem with the car.
We bought a brand new truck (a first for us) and within the first month it had to go in and get several sensors changed that were causing the engine to stall. To think, my parent’s Pontiac Laurentian lasted 25 years and only needed minor repairs – and certainly not within the first month they owned it! They drove it until the body rusted so badly they were losing the bolts that fastened it to the frame, but it still ran perfectly without computer parts.
They sure don’t make things the way they used to!
Toyato vows within 10 years to have a car that is not only totally electric, but that will actually IMPROVE air quality as it runs. Pray, Tim, pray! The mustang photo is hot though.
Like everything Microsoft does, looks cool, yet somehow isn’t.
kool