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Apple Car: Bad Idea After All

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Re: Apple Car: Bad Idea After All

#401

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Given the relative simplicity of an electric drivetrain compared to ICE, is all that software absolutely necessary? I'm a bit shocked (pun intended?) to hear that your car got bricked by a software update.

The fun trade-off to the simplicity of the electric drivetrain is that the drivetrain is now almost entirely software defined. In an ICE your torque is a factor of a lot of physics: the physics of the motor, the fuel injector, the gear ratios in the transmission, and so on and so forth. With an EV motor it in theory has 100% torque physically available at all times, if you've got the power stored in your battery for…

Thanks for explaining that to me. That's such a fascinating way of looking at it. I wonder how long it will be before we get the Linux of cars. Or the Pine Laptop equivalent.

Re: Apple Car: Bad Idea After All

#402

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Yea that was a concern when I bought a Tesla, but now I don’t miss CarPlay at all.

I would really miss running my third party apps - especially Overcast.

I mean iPhone apps still run fine through Bluetooth and there is a phone dock right under the main screen in Tesla so no problem seeing the phone and interacting.

Re: Apple Car: Bad Idea After All

#403

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The reason that Apple is able to sell iPads and iPhones is that they are small computers, something which Apple has made and sold from day 1. This is not true of cars. Apple's entire business model has been predicated on proprietary computer hardware that's smaller and more capable with each iteration. When it became possible to play music, watch videos, and make phone calls on these small computers, Apple started se…

The Verge's auto editor's repeated stance (it's easiest to spot in somewhat recent Ford F-150 Lightning articles) is that any modern EV is "a computer on wheels". Especially as cars trade physical cabin controls for touch screens, the resemblance to phones only increases. But there's also the fact that EV's physically simple drivetrain is augmented by the fact that it is much more than ICE a "software-defined drivetr…

Well, I'll go ahead and say the Verge's auto editor is wrong on this one. A car is a mechanical device with lots of moving parts which aren't programmable. It's also a safety cage for people and regulatory nightmare for compliance with every jurisdiction's safety requirements, neither of which Apple is prepared for. Finally, cars require a sales and support network which Apple won't be able to build. It's more accurate to think of cars as boxes with wheels. The computer being in charge of throttle, brake, and speed has been a factor for a long time -- before Apple got involved -- and doesn't make Apple a car company.

Re: Apple Car: Bad Idea After All

#404
post #383

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They did start the phones as we know them today.... but better Android ones with slide out keyboards came out soon after

> better Android ones with slide out keyboards That's the weirdest thing I've read in a while. No one cares about that.

yeah because companies are trying to save money and got rid of them before most people had a cellphone (so they don't know what they are missing)

Re: Apple Car: Bad Idea After All

#405
post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given the thread on Volvo and polestar bemoaning all the issues with the new Android Auto versions, I’m not so eager to continue in that trend. Let the car companies do what they do best. Build an automotive grade car that does the car thing really well and leave the entertainment to the CarPlay. Getting hud and center driver console display driven by CarPlay would be awesome though.

Looks like that might be coming in 2023 if the CarPlay site is any hint: https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/ >Next generation of CarPlay This next generation of CarPlay is the ultimate iPhone experience for the car. It provides content for all the driver’s screens including the instrument cluster, ensuring a cohesive design experience that is the very best of your car and your iPhone. Vehicle functions like radio and…

Apparently CarPlay itself has had the ability to drive multiple displays for ages. It is the car vendors that haven’t utilised it.

Re: Apple Car: Bad Idea After All

#407
post #383

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> better Android ones with slide out keyboards That's the weirdest thing I've read in a while. No one cares about that.

yeah because companies are trying to save money and got rid of them before most people had a cellphone (so they don't know what they are missing)

What people want:

1. more screen

2. smaller phone (unless it contradicts rule 1)

3. longer battery life (unless it contradicts rule 1 or 2)

It's really that simple. Apple fought against this a long time before they gave up and realized the truth. They shipped smaller phones long after Android had moved on to larger screens.

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