Futureworld brings you Mindbullets: News from the Future to spark thinking about leadership, innovation and digital disruption. These fictitious scenarios aim to challenge conventional mindsets and promote understanding of the future context for business.
Dateline: January 20 2028
For the first time in history, electric cars have outsold internal combustion engine vehicles in the US in the previous quarter, marking a major shift in the automotive industry. The surprise market leader is a new line of cars featuring Google’s latest artificial intelligence (AI) operating system for vehicles, which offers a level of autonomy and convenience that has proven irresistible to American consumers.
The cars, which are produced by a partnership between Google and global car manufacturer BYD, are able to drive themselves in most situations, allowing the driver to relax and enjoy the ride. They also feature advanced voice-controlled assistants, which can perform a wide range of tasks, from ordering groceries to booking a hotel room.
Tesla, once considered the leader in electric vehicle (EV), has seen its market share decline as a result of the new competition, but is still riding the EV boom. “Tesla’s cars are great, especially the Cybertruck, but they’re just not as cutting-edge as the cars with Google AI,” said Alex Bernstein, a car buyer from Phoenix. “The fact that I can just tell my car to take me to work — or anywhere else — and then get on with my day is just too good to pass up. And Tesla is more expensive to boot.”
This shift away from petrol-powered cars was inevitable, but not expected so soon. It’s not only a win for consumers, but also for the environment, as EVs produce far fewer emissions than their fossil-fuelled counterparts. “This is a huge step forward for the planet,” said Windy Rivers, a spokesperson for Fossil Finale. “It’s clear that the future of transportation is electric and autonomous, but moving to mass transit would be even better.”
Industry experts predict that this trend will continue, with electric cars soon becoming the norm, rather than the exception. The future of mobility is looking brighter, cleaner and more convenient than before. On the other hand, carmakers who have not yet transitioned to full electric have been caught wrong-footed and are left with stranded stock. /First published on Mindbullets January 19 2023
E-cars stay in the slow lane: start the electric car revolution without me
Dateline: October 21 2026
Yes, I know. When Tesla stock shot up six years ago, making Elon Musk the world’s richest person, we all thought the market was prescient, and that the age of cyber trucking had finally arrived. Electric cars were going to be the next big thing, and soon.
Well, it turns out that the stock market has little to do with reality, and is mainly driven by speculation. Sure, EV innovation is proceeding in leaps and bounds, and the latest battery tech is awesome, and there are more e-car companies than you can shake a fist at.
But it’s still not mainstream. Dozens of auto companies are phasing out gas burners and some have abandoned combustion engines all together, but the market majority still wants something affordable that fills up quickly and goes the distance.
Let’s be fair; there are some cities and smaller countries where electric cars and hybrids are edging out petrol and diesel versions, mainly because of government incentives and carbon taxes. But globally, that’s still a small percentage of autos on the roads. Despite cheaper “Chinatron” models, your average Joe sees a battery car as a luxury alternative.
If you’re a two or three-car household, you’re more likely to go electric for at least one of them. But if you can’t afford a fast charger, live out of town, or need a daily drive that’s always tanked up, chances are you’re like me — driving a vehicle that still has an exhaust.
Don’t get me wrong; electric cars are the future. When charging networks are everywhere, and it only takes a few minutes to top up the juice at home, everyone will love the convenience and low maintenance of an e-car. But in the meantime, they can start the revolution without me. /First published on Mindbullets October 21 2021
• Despite appearances to the contrary, Futureworld cannot and does not predict the future. The Mindbullets scenarios are fictitious and designed purely to explore possible futures and challenge and stimulate strategic thinking.
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