Fiat-Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne has said that conventional car manufacturers cannot afford to ignore Google and Appleās moves into car technology. Mr Marchionne said the two tech giants were āincredibly seriousā about their motoring plans and said their moves into driverless technology and electric vehicles could be ādisruptiveā for long-standing conventional manufacturers.
Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show, Marchionne said that, whilst he always applauded innovation and new competition, āwhen you’re the guy whose life is being disrupted, it’s not necessarily a good feeling.ā
Appleās car project has been labelled āTitanā. The company has the vast resources to get the project off the ground, with Marchionne saying that he would be enthusiastic about working with Apple. He said that the two tech companies shouldnāt āunderestimate carmakersā ability to respond and adaptā to new competition.
Fiat-Chrysler is the home of brands including Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. Marchionne says that the strength of such brands puts the company in great stead to compete against Apple and Google, whose projects he described as ādisruptive interlopersā, saying “why would you buy a Ferrari and not want to drive it?”
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn recently welcomed Appleās move into the automotive industry.
