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Comment by dkyc | Hacker News Reader

The author's point is that by using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, they hand over control over software and become "commoditized hardware providers", just like IBM and the IBM-clone providers in the 1980s and 1990s.

I consider this argument ridiculous, as the in-car-software controls nowhere near as much of the user experience as the operating system and applications of a personal computer. Today's car builders have their profit margins because of engine design, build quality, exterior design and branding. They don't lose power by outsourcing their software stack. Actually a lot of them already use the same software over their entire model range (f.e. Volkswagen, Ford, BMW all do) and it does not seem to hurt the sales & profits of their top-end models, so the point that software is the crucial buying factor is basically already refuted.

(I think they should rather be afraid of Tesla overtaking them in what actually matters)

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> They don't lose power by outsourcing their software stack

It's not even "the software stack", it's only the bits that relate to entertainment and navigation. The funny thing is, it was only in the late 90's (I think?) that car radios transitioned away from being commodities, by way of the DIN mount: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_7736 - Cars would often ship with comically featureless stereos, because people would replace them anyway. I had a semi-fancy Sony CD-radio that followed me through a couple of beaters and I don't think that was all that unusual.

In many ways, this new movement is just a return to the old state.

I suspect this is going to be like the iPod launch itself: software doesn't matter, until someone produces some that the non-enthusiast users find is a great improvement in usability.

In-car entertainment is going to be a marginal thing in the smartphone era; people just want to use the car as a peripheral display and speakers for the phone they always already have. Maybe integrate some buttons so you can control the navigation more easily.

The two threats are Tesla (battery changes the owner experience as charge requires more active management by owner) and self-driving cars in general.

I'd argue that the latter is a reflection on the escalating costs. Self driving is really a sharing scheme. I work in a place in a average cost city where the average salary is north of $100k -- I'd guess the average car is 7 years old. Hell, I'm the boss and I'm driving a 13 year old Honda.

In the 90s, the average car in my high school student lot was newer!

That might be part of it, but car quality has increased dramatically over time. In many ways the average 10 year old car now is in about the same mechanical condition as a 5 year old car in 1990. Combined with the general low mileage of most city cars and there is little reason to drive a new car.

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