March 9, 2015—Speaking at their respective media roundtables at the Geneva International Auto Show last week, a number of automakers made it clear: Google and Apple are going to be big players in the auto industry’s future of vehicle manufacturing.
According to multiple reports, two of the most talked-about companies at the show were those that weren’t in attendance—Google and Apple—and executives for Fiat-Chrysler, Renault-Nissan and others say the technology giants aren’t just going to be pushing their various in-vehicle infotainment systems; both Google and Apple will build vehicles.
“They will,” said Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat-Chrysler, according to an NBC News report. And Marchionne added that the the two can be “a disruptive interloper” that the industry news for new, innovative ideas the industry needs.
According to CTV News, auto executives asked about Apple and Google did not view them as a threat, but rather as potential partners in pushing the industry forward.
Past reports have long linked Google to the development of its own self-driving vehicles, while Apple has been rumored to have similar interests, including electric vehicles.
