The word on the street is that Apple is keen on developing and building their own car. However, if the rumors are true, it would represent a brand new market that Apple would be tapping into, one that they aren’t familiar with, and one that is already pretty stiff with competition. So much so that Toyota’s president is warning Apple about the potential challenges they might face.A report from The Wall Street Journal cites Toyota’s president, Akio Toyoda, who spoke during a news conference for the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. According to Toyoda, “Anyone can make a car if they have the technical ability, but, once they make a car, I hope they’ll recognize they have to steel themselves for 40 years of responding to customers and to various changes.”
Toyoda goes on to add, “Technology companies entering the car industry means that the car industry has a future and choices for customers will widen. We welcome new entries, but I don’t think it would be fair for those people who are newly entering to say, ‘We don’t need to steel ourselves for 40 years, and you other folks who have been around for many years, you do that.’”
Like we said, Apple entering the automotive market would indeed be a new direction for the company. It would also mark a huge investment on their end, and it would be a very expensive lesson should they fail, but that’s just something we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, hopefully Toyoda’s comments are something that Apple has already thought of.
Filed in . Read more about Apple Car, Electric Cars, Social Hit and Toyota. Source: 9to5mac