Some years ago I had written a piece in one of our Newsletters about how Google was exploring a self-driving car. At the time, this was something that was completely new and sci-fi-esque for most people on this planet.

But isn’t it amazing that in just 2-3 years the big honchos of the world are casually conversing about the upcoming changes in the national automotive industry, candidly speaking (and writing) and invisible digital screens embedded in the glass windscreen, front seats turned 180 degrees to face the back seats so that ALL passengers can enjoy a conversation together, and autonomous cars that literally act short of a remote-controlled hovercraft, mindlessly taking you to where you need to go.

Invisible digital screens keeping us safe. Wait,what?!

So how will this affect the manufacturing industry? Well, just two years ago the average expenditure on electronics per vehicle was about 13% whilst it is predicted that the upcoming changes to vehicle design will increase electronics expense alone up to 20%. Not only is it the hardware and software expenditure going to increase but also the fact that manpower in electronics and design isn’t very available. How many young geeky prodigies do you know that can’t wait to get their teeth into design at – of all places – a CAR company! Young geeky prodigies (yep – going full bull with stereotypes here) might not want to go and work at a CAR company. In fact, the strategy experts at PricewaterhouseCoopers say that many of these young up-and-coming design specialists are packing their bags and enthusiastically greeting the world of Silicon Valley. Hence, getting these young people on-board in the automotive industry will probably come at a huge cost, contributing to that awful 20% in electronics expenses.

But forget all that mumbo jumbo (which I secretly think is really interesting), let’s talk about our future rides, man!

Some kind of raging Buck’s this is, man

Gone will be the days when a Buck’s Night ever needed a crazy big long giant Hummer with glitz and glamour. You’ll just be able to back the bomb out of the garage instead! Gone will be the days when you’ll ever have to say to your teenager, “Drive safe!” because your teenager won’t even have to know how to drive safe! All the thinking and manoeuvring and reading of a map will be done for them! And gone will be the days when you’ll ever get lost – like ever. Everything will become pleasurably predictable.

(Note sarcasm).

But joking aside, it will certainly be a whole new world. Just like those in horse and carriage would have thought about the upcoming engine-equipped 4 wheel wagon. And just like those in the engine-equipped 4 wheel wagon thought about the first sports car. History repeats itself – what baffles and excites us at the same time now will be like brushing one’s teeth tomorrow.

I am a robot that knows EXACTLY where I am going

I wonder just how soon these changes will take place. It all seems to be moving at a fairly fast pace. Will teenagers in 10 years’ time actually be learning to drive? Or will they be learning how to input data and let the strange machine take them from A to B? Goodness, they might end up in jobs where they are assisting towards the design of these very vehicles! Kids are learning Robotics in Grade 2 these days and that alone blows MY mind.

Whatever the future brings us, I know one thing: In 10 or 20 years’ time, people will still be driving cars in whatever manner that is foreseeable; people will still need to get to their favoured destinations; and us buddies in the automotive sector will still be helping those who are breaking down on the side of the road.

And that’s a good thing, no matter what that strange self-driving thing looks like.

Just reading the morning newspaper while I relax on my way to work