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Ford Eyes Use of Customers’ Personal Data to Boost Profits

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Re: Ford Eyes Use of Customers’ Personal Data to Boost Profits

#21

Post by zitterbewegung »

oliv__ wrote: post #16
mikestew wrote: post #13

"Sales are down, anyone have an explanation?" "Well, sir, it seems young people today just aren't as enamored with cars as with previous generations." "Is there anything to be done?" "Privacy has been in the news a lot lately. What if...I'm just spitballin' here...but what if we made our products even less appealing? Have the CEO rattle off all the shit we know about customers, and then talk about how we're going to…

Could that possibly have anything to do with the fact that cars today are only a shadow of what they were back then. They are all the same roundish blob of mass, with no particular shape at all, no angles, HUGE and all around cheap and plasticky.

The reason they all look sort of alike is due to energy efficiency and safety laws making cars indistinguishable due to a global optima.

Re: Ford Eyes Use of Customers’ Personal Data to Boost Profits

#23

Post by wcarron »

mikestew wrote: post #17
oliv__ wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could that possibly have anything to do with the fact that cars today are only a shadow of what they were back then. They are all the same roundish blob of mass, with no particular shape at all, no angles, HUGE and all around cheap and plasticky.

Back when, exactly? Because if you're complaining about size, I remember when a '70s Dodge Dart passed for "compact car". (For reference, youngin's, you could put multiple bodies in the trunk of a Dodge Dart.) And a shadow of what? Gas-guzzling V8s that put out a whopping 250bhp? 350bhp if you were lucky? With drum brakes to haul yer ass down to zero? My 72 year old mother drives a '16 Corvette that puts out 450bhp a…

While I disagree about EVs (they are the devil's making. Gimme that sweet, sweet rumble of a V8 and the connection of a manual gearbox), I think your other point is, well...on point.

There's never been a better time if you're a "car guy/gal", except maybe the 90s. The ZR1, ZL1, Shelby GT350, 911 991.2, Demon, M2, Stinger, Q70, Golf, WRX, Focus RS, etc. Like, damn, that list of solid cars could just go on forever. Haven't even mentioned any supercars, yet.

And the technology in cars is incredible. It's almost standard now to have 6-piston Brembo discs up front on a performance car. Suspension is insane, too, these days.

Re: Ford Eyes Use of Customers’ Personal Data to Boost Profits

#24

Post by gargravarr »

oliv__ wrote: post #16
mikestew wrote: post #13

"Sales are down, anyone have an explanation?" "Well, sir, it seems young people today just aren't as enamored with cars as with previous generations." "Is there anything to be done?" "Privacy has been in the news a lot lately. What if...I'm just spitballin' here...but what if we made our products even less appealing? Have the CEO rattle off all the shit we know about customers, and then talk about how we're going to…

Could that possibly have anything to do with the fact that cars today are only a shadow of what they were back then. They are all the same roundish blob of mass, with no particular shape at all, no angles, HUGE and all around cheap and plasticky.

Whilst I do agree, I don't see this as a problem so much as the increasing amounts of technology between the driver and the road. Car makers have borrowed styling cues off each other for decades (just look at Ford's definitely-not-Aston-Martin front grille), so the convergence was pretty inevitable. It's drive by consumer choice anyway; so long as people keep buying these designs, someone is going to think they're good and keep incrementing on them. Same reason every company is building SUVs, despite them being neither sporty or utilitarian; the design is popular, people keep buying it, and there's only so many designs you can cram on the market before things start to overlap.

Make no mistake, I love the aggressive angular styling of my 80s Supra and the non-threatening, friendly look of my Outback, my issue is with cars becoming computers on wheels and now having uplinks back to the manufacturer, able to collect data in real-time. This article only hints at the possibility Ford may be exploring, they haven't admitted they would do so, but the option is certainly there.

Re: Ford Eyes Use of Customers’ Personal Data to Boost Profits

#25

Post by bryanlarsen »

oliv__ wrote: post #16
mikestew wrote: post #13

"Sales are down, anyone have an explanation?" "Well, sir, it seems young people today just aren't as enamored with cars as with previous generations." "Is there anything to be done?" "Privacy has been in the news a lot lately. What if...I'm just spitballin' here...but what if we made our products even less appealing? Have the CEO rattle off all the shit we know about customers, and then talk about how we're going to…

Could that possibly have anything to do with the fact that cars today are only a shadow of what they were back then. They are all the same roundish blob of mass, with no particular shape at all, no angles, HUGE and all around cheap and plasticky.

If cars are so crappy, why are people keeping them so much longer than they used to? https://wolfstreet.com/2018/08/21/average-age-of-cars-trucks...

We've got a 11 year old car. Not too long ago a car that age would be a broken down clunker and we'd be looking for an immediate replacement, now it's newer than average and running fine.

Re: Ford Eyes Use of Customers’ Personal Data to Boost Profits

#26

Post by gargravarr »

wcarron wrote: post #23
mikestew wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back when, exactly? Because if you're complaining about size, I remember when a '70s Dodge Dart passed for "compact car". (For reference, youngin's, you could put multiple bodies in the trunk of a Dodge Dart.) And a shadow of what? Gas-guzzling V8s that put out a whopping 250bhp? 350bhp if you were lucky? With drum brakes to haul yer ass down to zero? My 72 year old mother drives a '16 Corvette that puts out 450bhp a…

While I disagree about EVs (they are the devil's making. Gimme that sweet, sweet rumble of a V8 and the connection of a manual gearbox), I think your other point is, well...on point. There's never been a better time if you're a "car guy/gal", except maybe the 90s. The ZR1, ZL1, Shelby GT350, 911 991.2, Demon, M2, Stinger, Q70, Golf, WRX, Focus RS, etc. Like, damn, that list of solid cars could just go on forever. Hav…

As much as I love the rumble of an ICE (the Japanese straight-6 is my aural drug of choice), its days are numbered. We're closing in on a future where gasoline is too expensive due to rarity, too polluting or just too socially unacceptable to power cars with. As a pure mode of transport, EVs tick all the boxes, and they've even proven to be performant, too - even the best drag racer is going to struggle to match a machine with maximum torque available for 95% of its rev range, from zero.

Embrace the electric!

Re: Ford Eyes Use of Customers’ Personal Data to Boost Profits

#27

Post by dredds »

mox1 wrote: post #11

Fords 2020 R&D Budget: 1. Battery technology - 5% 2. Lighter weight materials - 5% 3. safer cars - 5% 4. Popup ads in the windshield - 85% What could go wrong?!

Ford buys e-scooter company Spin for $100 million.

Ford has committed to making a $200 million investment in the startup.

Re: Ford Eyes Use of Customers’ Personal Data to Boost Profits

#30

Post by rayvy »

mikestew wrote: post #13

"Sales are down, anyone have an explanation?" "Well, sir, it seems young people today just aren't as enamored with cars as with previous generations." "Is there anything to be done?" "Privacy has been in the news a lot lately. What if...I'm just spitballin' here...but what if we made our products even less appealing? Have the CEO rattle off all the shit we know about customers, and then talk about how we're going to…

> "Out-STANDING, Johnson. I see a promotion in your future!"

Love how Johnson is in this scenario XD . That guy seems to always find himself in the right place, at the right time I guess

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