Tesla: The Day the Industry Stood Still

Tesla: The Day the Industry Stood Still
by Roger C. Lanctot on 05-05-2019 at 7:00 am

Tesla Motors held an investor event at its Palo Alto headquarters. CEO Elon Musk and a series of Tesla executives announced a new in-house developed microprocessor (already in production and being deployed in Tesla vehicles) and its plans and progress toward autonomous vehicle operation.

Tesla Autonomy Day Live Stream

To be … Read More


Auto Shows No Connection

Auto Shows No Connection
by Roger C. Lanctot on 04-21-2019 at 12:00 pm

The Washington Auto Show, one of the largest auto shows in the U.S., has a problem and it is a problem shared by other auto shows in the U.S. and around the world. It is a problem that plagues the entire industry and it may spell trouble for connecting with car customers.

I visited the Washington Auto Show last week. The event closed on … Read More


Which Way is Up for Lyft, Uber?

Which Way is Up for Lyft, Uber?
by Roger C. Lanctot on 04-07-2019 at 7:00 am

Lyft’s initial public offering was expected to be the biggest tech offering in two years. A public offering is very much like an elevator and everyone getting on the elevator wants to go up. It’s worth noting as the doors open on the Lyft IPO elevator, General Motors is likely to be getting off – and they are not alone.… Read More


Lyft Uber and Soylent Green

Lyft Uber and Soylent Green
by Roger C. Lanctot on 03-31-2019 at 10:00 am

23223 lyft uber soylent green

It wasn’t enough that Lyft and Uber introduced the world to the concept of taxi and limousine drivers committing suicide, we now have Lyft and Uber drivers committing suicide. In other words, it’s not enough that the business models of these companies are suicidal, they are actually visiting suicide upon their non-employees.… Read More


Lyft & Auto Industry Annihilation

Lyft & Auto Industry Annihilation
by Roger C. Lanctot on 03-31-2019 at 5:00 am

The good news is that Lyft’s initial public offering is over-subscribed, according to published reports. That also happens to be the bad news.

Like its disruptive corporate kin – Waymo, Uber, and Tesla Motors – Lyft is out to creatively destroy the automotive industry. In the process, the company is set on a course for its own annihilation… Read More


Self-Certification Insufficient?

Self-Certification Insufficient?
by Roger C. Lanctot on 03-26-2019 at 12:00 am

The crash of Ethiopia Air Flight 961 may have a negative impact on the development of autonomous vehicle technology. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now forced to reconsider the “self-certification” process used for the Boeing 737 Max 8 airplane involved.

Self-driving car developers have been seeking the same … Read More


I Finally Understand Brexit

I Finally Understand Brexit
by Roger C. Lanctot on 03-17-2019 at 7:00 am

I have gazed across the Pond in bafflement over Brexit until two days ago. I now grasp the depth and breadth of British anxiety over political and legal ties to Brussels and it boils down to regulatory over-reach.

Yesterday, the European Commission announced that it had adopted new rules “stepping up the deployment of Cooperative… Read More


Lyft IPO Paints Perilous Profitless Picture

Lyft IPO Paints Perilous Profitless Picture
by Roger C. Lanctot on 03-10-2019 at 8:00 am

Lyft’s S1 filing for its IPO is a sobering read, as such documents often are, requiring, as they do, the full disclosure of current financial circumstances and, everyone’s favorite: risk factors. Lyft identifies 18 risk factors (below) which could interfere with the long-term success of the operation. I think there are more.… Read More


Stemming Mobility Race to the Bottom

Stemming Mobility Race to the Bottom
by Roger C. Lanctot on 03-03-2019 at 12:00 pm

Pundits and pontificators are publishing viewpoints on a utopian future of smart cities and optimized transportation options populated with new mobility solutions ranging from automated ride hailing services to sharable bikes and scooters. In this halcyon view, the bikes and scooters and ride-hail cars will deliver passengers… Read More


No Cord Cutting Autonomous Cars

No Cord Cutting Autonomous Cars
by Roger C. Lanctot on 03-03-2019 at 7:00 am

The automotive industry is a world of contradictions. Nowhere is this more evident than in the realm of connected cars. Car makers remain utterly conflicted over connecting cars 21 years after General Motors got the ball rolling with the introduction of OnStar.

Even GM had to famously be goaded into connecting its cars by then executive
Read More