Apple, Google, GM and the $1.5 Trillion Battle for the Car Dashboard - WSJ Video

[teddyang]

I know we don't need another CP/AA thread but found this interesting, posting FYSA.

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[DuoRivians]

I wonder if Rivian can release a Jarvis (in Ironman) voice UI, powered by ChatGPT or something like that.

Greets you when you enter the car. Based on past behavior, asks if you want something done?:

“Would you like me to order your usual at Starbucks?”

“If you’re on your way home, I’ve mapped the most efficient way. Would you like to go home?”

“The game score is…”

“There’s a new podcast from xyz that’s now available. Would you like to listen to it now?”

At least for me, a car that seems to know and predict my behavior to make my life easier would be a huge hit and repeat customer opportunity.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

This video shows the reason why you aren’t going to see CarPlay on a Rivian. Those who keep asking for it need to watch this video until it sinks in deep
Enough

 

[teddyang]

I wonder if Rivian can release a Jarvis (in Ironman) voice UI, powered by ChatGPT or something like that.

Greets you when you enter the car. Based on past behavior, asks if you want something done?:

“Would you like me to order your usual at Starbucks?”

“If you’re on your way home, I’ve mapped the most efficient way. Would you like to go home?”

“The game score is…”

“There’s a new podcast from xyz that’s now available. Would you like to listen to it now?”

At least for me, a car that seems to know and predict my behavior to make my life easier would be a huge hit and repeat customer opportunity.

I think that's what ppl imagine are AI future to be.

 

[DuoRivians]

I think that's what ppl imagine are AI future to be.

Yeah, things are headed that way. I hope companies are able to offer their distinct, value-add versions, than everything just reducing down one or two company providers like CP/AA. That would be boring and also kill long run competition in the space.

 

[Ripped]

I wonder if Rivian can release a Jarvis (in Ironman) voice UI, powered by ChatGPT or something like that.

From my perspective; Please not Chat GPT. The interface is interesting and it does some things, but is so formatted and predictable in it's textual response interface at times, once it reaches it's limits, it feels like it's picking canned sentences from a 3x3x3 array based on a grade 9 social studies text book.

I guess to some people maybe that reads well.

I've been using it with my granddaughter who is in grade 2 to write fun stories. It's pretty good at that until it starts to repeat itself. She likes it, I grin and bear it.

 

[timgradywy]

IMO, this video shows off how bad business cases/decisions make their way to the market. Somebody in management needed to come up with a revenue stream or increased profit, and this was their way to get there.

Subscriptions are wildly unpopular with consumers. When people have subscriptions, they expect continuous improvements and upgrades to justify the cost. Traditional automakers spend a ton of money to develop cars, and then basically stop development. This would dramatically upset their internal processes (design, engineering, after sales, finance, etc.). A subscription for a static service, especially one the car already has the hardware for (like heated seats) is going to have a much bigger downside than upside.

For many automakers who adopt this strategy, their competitors will immediately undercut them and offer these subscriptions/features for free and use it to justify their value proposition and market position. If you're in a premium position without or with few competitors and with a great or unique product, this may work out in your favor. If you're in a competitive market, you don't want to turn into the Comcast of car manufacturers...

 

[NineElectrics]

Related: https://www.macrumors.com/2023/05/03/ford-carplay-support-to-continue/

 

[NineElectrics]

This video shows the reason why you aren’t going to see CarPlay on a Rivian. Those who keep asking for it need to watch this video until it sinks in deep
Enough

I don’t know; Rivian tried subscriptions and it was a failure. And if the EU won’t even let a website set a cookie, will they let anyone track you in your car? Automotive GDPR is coming, I’m sure.

This whole thing reminds me of the period when hotels tried to charge for even basic wifi. That lasted for about a week.

That reminds me, perhaps I should make a video of how bad Rivian navigation is. Rivian software is backed by more ambition than actual talent. Heck, the light on my charge port won’t turn off despite the setting. HVAC constantly runs at the wrong temperature. There are no preconditioning timers. Seat settings are flaky. Surround view has a black bar added by the factory installed license plate holder. Driver+ disengages readily. The camera app icon is constantly moving. I can’t have more than two fobs or phones as keys. All of the audio app icons look the same (black and white). The vehicle app sometimes takes seconds to initialize. The windshield de-ice bar doesn’t seem to work at all. The compressor forgets the PSI after every fill. I’m asked to reset my infotainment by support every week…

 

[NineElectrics]

For many automakers who adopt this strategy, their competitors will immediately undercut them and offer these subscriptions/features for free and use it to justify their value proposition and market position. If you're in a premium position without or with few competitors and with a great or unique product, this may work out in your favor. If you're in a competitive market, you don't want to turn into the Comcast of car manufacturers...

I agree; this won’t last the recession. Once Rivian sees softened demand, they will add CarPlay before slashing the price of their cars.

 

[Goose]

I wonder if Rivian can release a Jarvis (in Ironman) voice UI, powered by ChatGPT or something like that.

Greets you when you enter the car. Based on past behavior, asks if you want something done?:

“Would you like me to order your usual at Starbucks?”

“If you’re on your way home, I’ve mapped the most efficient way. Would you like to go home?”

“The game score is…”

“There’s a new podcast from xyz that’s now available. Would you like to listen to it now?”

At least for me, a car that seems to know and predict my behavior to make my life easier would be a huge hit and repeat customer opportunity.

This is my nightmare. I don’t want to be talked to by some AI when I open the door. I want my trucks to remain as simple as possible, I even hate the driver assist Nannie’s. People are already becoming more and more distracted and pedestrian fatalities are at a 40 year high. If Rivian made an R1 with coilovers/independent coil spring, push-button start, manual air vents, regular cruise control, less cameras, and maybe a button or knob for other odds and ends. Then charged $20k less for it I would be all over it.

 

[DuoRivians]

This is my nightmare. I don’t want to be talked to by some AI when I open the door. I want my trucks to remain as simple as possible, I even hate the driver assist Nannie’s. People are already becoming more and more distracted and pedestrian fatalities are at a 40 year high. If Rivian made an R1 with coilovers/independent coil spring, push-button start, manual air vents, regular cruise control, less cameras, and maybe a button or knob for other odds and ends. Then charged $20k less for it I would be all over it.

Disable it.

 

[Goose]

Disable it.

Sure, problem is I bet an AI system like that would be deeply integrated into the vehicle. Plus, I don’t want to spend the money on something I won’t use. This is all hypothetical though because this doesn’t exist.

 

[Zoidz]

I know we don't need another CP/AA thread but found this interesting, posting FYSA.

 

[Donald Stanfield]

I don’t know; Rivian tried subscriptions and it was a failure. And if the EU won’t even let a website set a cookie, will they let anyone track you in your car? Automotive GDPR is coming, I’m sure.

This whole thing reminds me of the period when hotels tried to charge for even basic wifi. That lasted for about a week.

That reminds me, perhaps I should make a video of how bad Rivian navigation is. Rivian software is backed by more ambition than actual talent. Heck, the light on my charge port won’t turn off despite the setting. HVAC constantly runs at the wrong temperature. There are no preconditioning timers. Seat settings are flaky. Surround view has a black bar added by the factory installed license plate holder. Driver+ disengages readily. The camera app icon is constantly moving. I can’t have more than two fobs or phones as keys. All of the audio app icons look the same (black and white). The vehicle app sometimes takes seconds to initialize. The windshield de-ice bar doesn’t seem to work at all. The compressor forgets the PSI after every fill. I’m asked to reset my infotainment by support every week…

When did Rivian actually release any subscription stuff? They haven't yet. All I know is my truck has gotten better since I've owned my truck, and I don't have nearly the problems you do with it. Maybe I am just not as picky, maybe I'm lucky or maybe I am better at using my truck who knows. TBH most of your complaints in your post are extremely minor and CarPlay isn't that great either. It froze literally every time in my Audi, wouldn't auto connect either.

I'm getting really tired of rehashing this same tired bullshit with you people though so it all boils down to this. A private business gets to run that business however they want barring they don't break any established laws. Not offering CarPlay is not illegal and therefore it's 100% up to Rivian whether they decide to or not. As far as I see it you have a few choices.

Get the government to pass a law requiring CarPlay in all new cars (good luck with this), Sell your Rivian due to the lack of CarPlay or accept that even without it the truck is good enough to keep and shut up about it. Any other option is a waste of yours, and everyone else's time.

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