The automotive industry may be in a scramble to secure engineering talent, but what it really seems to need are people who understand the Millennial generation. Every week there’s a new study claiming Millennials aren’t buying cars, or don’t want to drive, or would rather take Ubers everywhere.
While the data is mostly accurate, the responses and interpretations of the study results are way off base. Some automakers seem to think loading a new car with gadgets will automatically sell more of them. Perhaps worse are those that ignore any obvious differences between Millennial and previous generations, choosing to produce the same conservative models year after year.
Fortunately, some brands have invested in diagnosing the needs and wants of this highly connected, diverse segment. Manufacturers who prioritize intuitive, adaptive in-car technologies packaged in affordable, handsome vehicles will own their respective sales classes. Let’s take a look at which makes and models are leading the charge.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?
Update (October 22 23:54 PT): In response to our query, GM clarified that offline recording support is already available on eligible vehicles. Like Tesla's Sentry Mode, it requires owners to connect a USB drive to save incident recordings, which can be viewed on the vehicle's infotainment screen. The upcoming Connected Cameras feature will build on this by giving owners remote access to these recordings via the revamped OnStar app, allowing them to check footage without walking out to their car.
General Motors has announced plans to add a new Connected Cameras feature to its OnStar service starting next year, giving drivers a way to monitor parked vehicles remotely and capture footage of certain incidents.