During college, I worked at the grocery chain Trader Joe’s. A few years later, the Hawaiian shirt is gone from my closet and I no longer get the employee discount on the cookie butter ice cream I loved, but one thing has stuck with me. Kaizen. This is the Japanese business philosophy that TJ adopted and that I try to apply to my own life.
What does Kaizen mean?
Kaizen means continuous incremental improvement. It’s a simple enough idea. Small daily improvements can lead to much greater improvements in overall performance.
Automakers are now taking a similar approach, constantly tweaking their lineups through over-the-air updates. Vehicle hardware continues to be developed every year and now has unique capabilities that can literally transform the vehicle in your driveway overnight. Features can be added, improved, or refined.
However, this is a double-edged sword because what can be given can also be taken away. Just because your car currently has a certain feature doesn’t mean your car will continue to have that feature, or at least its original functionality. This is a big change from past vehicles, where models were time capsules of the day they rolled off the assembly line. In 2024, we will no longer be able to say that. Changes in drive unit programming, infotainment, and safety systems are becoming commonplace with almost all manufacturers.
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What the digital present means
As a millennial who grew up with the rise of the internet and the birth of smartphones, I have no problem with evolving platforms. You can adapt by changing your product. But not all drivers are like that. I realized this this Christmas when my girlfriend’s mother was driving her Tesla TSLA.
Model 3. Overnight, the 2023 Holiday Update introduced changes to the driver assistance systems and added a new his 3D parking monitor. I have no problem adjusting to these new adjustments, but people like my mom can easily get lost and frustrated.
And it’s not frustration that begins to describe the feeling at BMW BMW.
That’s how owners felt after the automaker announced it would start adding subscriptions for everyday features. How do you pay $18 a month for heated seats, $10 a month for remote start, and $8 a month for high beam assist?
Additionally, open code means there is room for problems to occur. Recently, Rivian RIVN,
He blamed “fat fingers who submitted incorrect builds with incorrect security certificates” and said “physical remediation may be necessary in some cases.” Chevrolet also recently discontinued sales of the Blazer EV after owners reported problems with the infotainment freezing and some units refusing to charge.
Related: Research reveals American drivers are growing fond of the latest car designs and technology
Simplicity brought to you by technology
But it’s not all doom and gloom. In many cases, repair work that previously required a service appointment can now be dealt with without leaving your home. The Tesla Autopilot changes listed above were issued through a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall. These are seamlessly sent to Tesla owners with the tap of a button on their mobile phone.
Most of the added features are available for free when you download some 1 and 0. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the phones in our pockets, it’s that the average person likes extra features. And can you get it for free? Well, that’s just a bonus.
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road ahead
It remains to be seen what the future holds for automobiles. But one thing is clear. That means the next generation of people transportation will require software and hardware to work in harmony. As with all things, there are bound to be speed bumps when finding your way. Business models will be tested and software disruption will occur. Still, with the changes we’re seeing today, we expect our vehicles to evolve exponentially tomorrow.
This article originally appeared on Autotrader.com.