It may be too little too late for GM, but this latest announcement of a partnership with Segway to produce the Puma is the kind of creative thinking the Big Three should have been doing for years.
Unfortunately for North Americans, our governments will ensure that this innovative idea will never see the light of day in any of our over-crowded and motor vehicle congested cities. By the time they have legislated front and side airbags, impact bumpers, seat belts, crash guards, safety glass, crush-proof fenders, a dashboard full of idiot lights, strengthened door pillars, and a spare tire the Puma will be indistinguishable from this other GM product.
Except that the Puma driver (rider?) will probably be required to wear a helmet.
(cross-posted from www.ontwowheels-eh.blogspot.com)
3 comments:
This thing is a joke - even though it is "forward thinking"...
I recently posted on the NY Times website, that this contraption costs over $5000, while TATA of India is producing a COMPLETE CAR with 4 doors, bumpers, a roof, windows, and a fuel efficient engine for less than $3000. There appears to be a big disconnect between industrial "optimism" and industrial "reality", which is that jobs are going to South Asia, and then, on to Africa...
The sooner we can focus on the R&D, and leave the "grunt work" to them, the better. Otherwise, we're building factories which will soon be empty...
WesternGrit:
I haven't seen any pricing yet, and in fact I'd be surprised if they were quoting prices for something still a couple of years from production and subject to regulatory review and approvals - which usually manages to add costs.
Regardless of whether you think it's a joke or not, it is a new idea that is worth pursuing. Will it be a commercial success? Who knows? Not every idea makes it to prime time, but if you don't at least try the only certainty is failure.
As for shipping everything but R&D off shore, I don't know what world you live in, but not everyone is destined to be an engineer, scientist or educator. Good manufacturing jobs put food on the table for a very large number of Canadians - and will for a very long time yet.
I believe we need manufacturing - don't get me wrong - but it can be in areas like creating batteries for electric cars, windmills, etc., not SUVs and V8 cars...
Like I said, this is a step in the right direction, however, I do believe the logistics don't work. I know that it will market for more than $5000 (as per the Times - I believe - article, which was estimating based on the Segway price being around the $5000 mark - with this unit being much more complex). Are we doing the environment (or our workers) a favor by forcing the production of items which won't sell? Perhaps GM should start by perfecting the small car first - then look at items like this...
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