Will other EVs ever catch up with Tesla?

[coolshades]

i am specifically talking about the Tesla software.

i didn't buy a Tesla because i didn't like the shape, they are too ubiquitious and all that, but i would love it if MachEs came with the similar software (blind spot camera on pad, sentry mode, pedestrian alert, etc) ... and in addition have the same software release frequency.

with Tesla having a good twenty year headstart and being increasingly seen as a tech company, i wonder if other EVs will ever catch up with it on the tech side.

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[1969Mach1Mike]

They will, this will also be customer driven to an extent. Some people still like buttons.

1. Build Quality is already in favor of other EVs. (Tesla is behind here and will keep falling behind). Tesla needs to take a step back at some point in the future (5 years off still) to really fix the QC fundamentals.
2. Service - Tesla is going to fall to the end of the line within the next 2 years. They cannot compete with the service centers already in existence for other auto makers (Once existing companies learn to service new EVs) Tesla will become the worst of the worst. Tesla will be 10 years behind over the next few years unless they open 200 service centers. They cannot compete.
3. Tesla is VERY nimble with physical and software changes - HUGE advantage. It will be tough for others to break the bureaucracy to become as nimble. 5 year GAP (at least) probably 8-10.
4. Software (Tesla)- The car is very automated, and extremely forward thinking! Built in features to be activated years in the future- (6-8 year GAP to catch up with Tesla - optimistic)
5. Software - Until the larger automakers stop being cheap with processing power etc. They will be hampered. Tesla won't be caught because of 'continuous improvement' cycles. Tesla has shown it will invest in the computing to maximize functionality and the forward thinking features. I just don't see Hyundai, Chevy, VW or Ford catching up until they stop using the bottom line as a determination of functionality. LUCID and Tesla won't be caught for 6 years. Rivian and Lucid might eclipse Tesla, but they cannot build the volume of cars. This won't change for 10 years if they even survive.

 

[Av8tor]

i am specifically talking about the Tesla software.

i didn't buy a Tesla because i didn't like the shape, they are too ubiquitious and all that, but i would love it if MachEs came with the similar software (blind spot camera on pad, sentry mode, pedestrian alert, etc) ... and in addition have the same software release frequency.

with Tesla having a good twenty year headstart and being increasingly seen as a tech company, i wonder if other EVs will ever catch up with it on the tech side.

Ford has hired former Tesla and Apple executive Doug Field to lead its emerging technology efforts, a key focus for the automaker under its new Ford+ turnaround plan.

Ford poaches top tech executive Doug Field who helped lead Apple's top-secret car project (cnbc.com)

 

[Maquis]

I just don't see Hyundai, Chevy, VW or Ford catching up until they stop using the bottom line as a determination of functionality.

Tesla will also need to heed their bottom line once Ford & GM no longer have to pay them for emission credits.

 

[Logal727]

Ford is closer than Tesla ever thought possible now

 

[Scooby24]

Yes, and I suspect it won't take long. Tesla has a lot going for it. It also has a lot of bugs. They went too hard too fast and now they're finding out even something as simple as making a functional adaptive cruise control that doesn't cause phantom braking is hard. Now they have to figure out how to fix their software while others have the basics working well and can expand functionality.

 

[1969Mach1Mike]

Ford is closer than Tesla ever thought possible now

They are, Tesla body styles are going really start getting stale. This will pose a very big problem for them as more choices arrive.

 

[1969Mach1Mike]

Tesla will also need to heed their bottom line once Ford & GM no longer have to pay them for emission credits.

In context I'm talking about the computing power only for the app driven consoles. Don't apply this statement towards anything else.

 

[Maquis]

In context I'm talking about the computing power only for the app driven consoles. Don't apply this statement towards anything else.

I took your comment to mean that companies not Tesla skimp functionality in favor of financial profit.

 

[1969Mach1Mike]

I took your comment to mean that companies not Tesla skimp functionality in favor of financial profit.

Its all good.

Its directly under the bullet point - Software -

In your context we agree that Tesla is starting to skimp on their cars overall to shore up the bottom line. I agree with you 100% Tesla even with its superior lead in software functionality is going to fall behind rather quickly in other aspects of auto manufacturing.

 

[JonathanEzor]

i am specifically talking about the Tesla software.

i didn't buy a Tesla because i didn't like the shape, they are too ubiquitious and all that, but i would love it if MachEs came with the similar software (blind spot camera on pad, sentry mode, pedestrian alert, etc) ... and in addition have the same software release frequency.

with Tesla having a good twenty year headstart and being increasingly seen as a tech company, i wonder if other EVs will ever catch up with it on the tech side.

Tesla may be ahead in software sophistication, but as we see from recent reporting about FSD Beta and the NHTSA, Tesla isn't necessarily ahead in software design judgment. Coding a purported full self-driving system to default to violating traffic laws (i.e. not stopping at stop signs), admitting doing so in public, and overall relying on paying untrained customer drivers incentivized to ignore problems rather than trained systems testing professionals incentivized to find them to validate software design for autonomous vehicle operation on public roads is the exact opposite of good design judgment.

Musk has said himself, publicly, that he doesn't see his products as cars first. That's the crux of the issue; they *are* cars, on the road with other cars, and need to operate that way. {Jonathan}

 

[Logal727]

They are, Tesla body styles are going really start getting stale. This will pose a very big problem for them as more choices arrive.

Every Model Y owner I’ve run into has been drooling over the design of the MME

 

[MyLittlePony2022]

Most car companies are behind the curve with software. Look at how poorly the integrate with simple things like phones and how no one that the forethought to think outside the box. We would still be using those small 7" touch screens if it was not for Tesla. Think if they actually built systems to upgrade and adapt for the future. Hell, why not allow for the user to customize the screen so you can move and put the favorite items in front. Apple iPhone allows or moving apps, why cannot the auto industry. Need to hire a bunch of computer geeks and move away from the old school development mentality. Agile is the way of the future. Now that I said that, things will change in the coming years. My friend is working with almost all of the automotive companies (not Ford of course) to use Linux (open source) software as their common program. They are now heading in the right direction with a industry standard that allows for quick changes.

 

[Blue highway]

In lots of little ways other companies have already caught Tesla but in terms of overall SW maturity, this still feels a few years away. Nobody matches their overall SW polish. In 3 years I expect most companies to be beyond where Tesla is today. I’m not sure that many will have surpassed where tesla is then though. We will see.

 

[KevinS]

Tesla is a software company at heart that makes cars... Ford is the opposite. Fortunately, it's much easier to improve software than a car's durability, fit and finish once it's left the factory.

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