Apple’s billion investment in Didi Chuxing can have major consequences for Volvo Cars and the global automotive industry. Apple and Google now appears as two giants battling to replace the car with a global fleet of self-driving taxis, writes Di Digital Jonas Leijonhufvud.
The news that Apple is investing over eight billion in the Chinese taxiappen Didi Chuxing had no major impact in Sweden on Thursday. But the deal is an indication of something that can have major consequences for companies such as Volvo Cars and, by all means, Swedish truck maker Volvo AB.
Read more: Apple invests in Chinese Uber competitor
the investment is in addition Apple’s second-largest ever, after the acquisition of the headphone manufacturer and music service Beats 2014.
Didi Chuxing often described as China’s answer to Uber. The company was founded as late as 2012, but has already incredible 300 million users in some 400 Chinese cities. The company is therefore greater than Uber in the Chinese market.
It is hard to take in. But we can now actually be relatively confident that the future of transport largely be done through self-driving vehicles. The technology works today. Capital is in place. And mass production is within reach. Now it is primarily the law stands in the way.
At stake is including millions of jobs in the transport sector. Can technology giants as they want, we will not need so many truck and taxi drivers in the future.
Uber has long said that they will eventually intends to replace its global taxi system with a system for self-driving cars. It is this promise that the company will be valued at over 500 billion. In the back seat is Google, which is a partner in Uber. Sökjätten also developing self-driving cars on their own.
Apple has long been rumored develop their own autonomous car. But so far we do not speak openly about it. Apple CEO Tim Cook commented Thursday billion investment in Didi Chuxing with the following cryptic statement:
“We want to learn more about certain segments of the Chinese market.”
the most indications are that Apple is now challenging Uber, with Google on board, in the future market for giant taxi fleet of self-driving cars. Does this assumption miljardsatsar world’s two most highly valued listed company on a future where more and more city dwellers stop buying cars and begins to go robot taxi instead.
That Apple invests billions in China speaking. The world’s most populous nation is the more important on the international automotive market. It is Geely’s purchase of Volvo Cars in 2010 just a small example.
By billion investment in China is creating Apple also has a loyalty of China’s political elite. The deal works like oil in the works for future business in the country. It is also important in a future scenario where not only iPhone, but also a possible “Apple Car” is produced in China.
The question now is who will be at the up of the future value chain? Will it be the car manufacturers like Volvo Cars, Marcedes, Ford and Toyota? Or will the technology giants like Apple and Google?
Read also: Here you set the type of technology for self-driving cars
Should we follow the money looks California’s technology companies appear to be the best. Apple and Google are competing all about being the world’s most valuable listed company and can afford to invest billions in this.
Worth consideration are also the high tech electric car manufacturer Tesla, which was founded as recently as 2003, today has a market capitalization of over 220 billion. There are fifteen times more than Geely paid for Volvo Cars in 2010.
But, I think, do you really run one of those Googlebil? No, that’s right, driving them’s not himself. It will robots do for us. Whaaat?
No comments:
Post a Comment