Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda on Thursday warned Apple that there’s more to the car business than just having the technology to produce them.
The automotive industry welcomes new entrants, “but after making a vehicle, I’d like them to be prepared to deal with customers and various changes for some 40 years,” Toyoda said at a news conference held Thursday by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, where he is the chairman.
The Cupertino, California-based company’s entry into the car market has sparked fear among some legacy automakers concerned about the potential disruptiveness of an Apple-branded vehicle. These concerns may be one of the reasons discussions between Apple and some firms have apparently fizzled in recent months, with Hyundai Motor Co. and others backtracking after saying they were in talks.
This isn’t the first time Toyoda has been dismissive of new entrants. In a briefing in November, Toyoda said that Tesla Inc. isn’t making “real products.”
MacDailyNews Take: Patronizing Apple is definitely the way to go, Toyota, just ask Dell, RIM, Palm, etc.!