Daimler CEO mulls cooperation with Apple, Google. “Different types” of cooperation with Apple and Google are possible, Dieter Zetsche has been quoted saying by Autonews.
According to the report, Daimler’s chief is making the statement in the wake of self-driving and connected cars mania, an industry trend that cannot be faced without the help and direct input of technology giants like Apple and Google.
Software is now key to the development of any new car model, so much that next-generation autos cannot be built by carmakers alone anymore.
“Many things are conceivable. Google and Apple want to provide system software for cars and bring this entire ecosystem around Apple and Google into the vehicle. That can be interesting for both sides,” Zetsche explains.
Of course, the Daimler CEO is fully aware he cannot simply give its company away on a silver platter to Apple and Google behemoths ready to swallow even a huge firm like the German car maker at any time considering their cash reserves in excess of 100 billion dollars each.
Both tech giants are running their individual projects targeting the launch of fully autonomous cars by the end of this decade with Google making concrete steps in this direction with a fully-functional prototype already hitting the testing phase.
Daimler CEO Zetsche has firmly declared his company won’t demote itself to the role of simply producing cars for the Silicon Valley giants with the only viable option remaining the theoretical joint-venture with the two tech wizards that will allow Mercedes-Benz to use their digital expertise without being in jeopardy of getting second fiddle.
“We don’t want to become contractors who have no direct content with customers any more and supply hardware to third parties,” Zetsche concluded.
