Toyota president Akio Toyoda has warned Apple that getting into the car-building business is a challenging endeavor.
Speaking at a recent news conference hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, Toyoda said that the automotive industry is happy to welcome new entrants, “but after making a vehicle, I’d like them to be prepared to deal with customers and various changes for some 40 years”.
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While some within the car industry think Apple could disrupt it like it has done the technology sector for so many years, Volkswagen chief executive Herbert Diess told the media in February that Apple “won’t manage to take [the car industry] over overnight.”
In his speech, Toyoda continued by saying that new technology firms have “the potential to breathe new life into the auto industry and give customers a wider range of choices.” He added that these companies will also need to be prepared to take responsibility for the entire life cycle of their vehicles, including maintenance and scrapping, Bloomberg notes.
Apple is expected to release an all-electric vehicle with advanced semi-autonomous technologies, although that probably won’t happen in the near future. The technology giant had held discussions with Hyundai about collaborating on the vehicle together but talks between the companies ended earlier this year without a deal being reached. Nissan was also reported to be interested in working with Apple, but the automaker’s Chief Operating Officer, Ashwani Gupta, shot down those rumors last month.
